Boy Scout Grabs Knife, Foils Assassination in Maldives
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A quick-thinking Boy Scout foiled an assassination attempt on the president of the Maldives yesterday, grabbing an attacker’s knife as the man leapt from a crowd and lunged at the leader, an official said.
President Maumoon Gayoom was unhurt, but his shirt was ripped as the attacker tried a second time to stab him before being overpowered by security guards, a government spokesman, Mohammed Shareef, said.
“One brave boy saved the president’s life,” he said.
Mohammed Jaisham Ibrahim, wearing his blue Maldives scout uniform with a blue kerchief, was standing in the crowd to greet Mr. Gayoom on Hoarafushi, one of the 1,190 coral islands in the Indian Ocean that make up the Maldives. The attacker hid a knife in the Maldivian flag as he awaited Mr. Gayoom’s arrival, then lunged at the president, Mr. Shareef said.
Mr. Ibrahim reached out and grabbed the blade, and he was cut on the hand, according to the government.
“There was blood on the president’s shirt, but it was not his but the boy’s,” Mr. Shareef said.
“His wound was stitched, but later he complained that he could not move some of his fingers,” Mr. Shareef said, adding the youngster was flown to the Maldives’ capital, Male, for treatment.
