Man infiltrates Haitham’s campaign HQ, issues death threats

An unidentified man infiltrated the campaign headquarters of Maldivian Democtaric Party (MDP)’s parliamentary candidate for the South Machangolhi constituency, Ahmed Haitham, and issued death threats against him and others on his campaign team on Saturday night.

Haitham’s campaign headquarters is located on Iskandhar Magu, in front of the Machangolhi Cemetery.

A source from the campaign office who spoke to ‘Sun’ said the incident took place sometime between 9:15 pm – 9:30 pm on Saturday.

Those inside the campaign headquarters at the time were Haitham, his wife, and 15 other people.

An eye witness reported to ‘Sun’ the man who infiltrated the campaign headquarters seemed to be in a state of inebriation. He reports the man used foul language and threatened both Haitham and others inside the headquarters with death.

“The other men inside the headquarters grabbing him is what prevented him from lunging at the candidate. What prevented him from lunging at both the candidate and his wife. Otherwise, it would have resulted in injury for sure,” reported the source from the campaign office.

He reported that the campaign team had been targeted with continuous threats.

He said that a man called Haitham on the phone and threatened him just before the incident. And alleged the man who threatened Haitham could very well be the same person who later infiltrated the campaign headquarters.

Haitham’s campaign headquarters has also been hit with vandalism which resulted in the destruction of the glass windows of the building on March 23.

The campaign team also alleges the arson attack outside the convenience store, Ihsaan Fihaara, on March 21, which saw the destruction of seven parked motorcycles, was targeted at causing distress to a leading member of Haitham’s campaign team.

They report the arson attack caused the destruction of a motorcycle owned by a leading member of the campaign team, and allege him motorcycle had been the target, and that the rest of the motorcycles had been collateral damage.

“They spied on him before setting fire to the motorcycle. It was done by some men wearing helmets. They first poured the petrol and set fire to the motorcycle of the leading member of the campaign team,” reported the source.

Haitham’s campaign office reports it has filed a case with the Maldives Police Service over the death threat.