Mob smashed statues in Maldives museum: police

Feb 08, 2012 |

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Maldives

Police said Wednesday a mob had stormed the Maldives national museum and smashed Buddhist statues, an act of vandalism which former president Mohamed Nasheed blamed on Islamic radicals.

"A mob entered the museum yesterday (Tuesday). They smashed many statues. This included some statues of Buddha," police spokesman Ahmed Shiyam said.

In an interview on Wednesday, Nasheed said a mob including Islamist hardliners had attacked the museum because they believed some of the statues inside were 'idolatrous'.

Islam is the official religion of the Maldives and open practice of any other religion is forbidden and liable to prosecution.

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