Police have declined to reveal the identities of political figures and government officials involved in the nude photography obtained by Facebook blackmailers.
The blackmailers used a Facebook account pretending to be an attractive blonde woman, and reportedly coerced hundreds of Maldivians to record their nude videos and pictures through their webcam and send it to them. After receiving the pictures and videos, they used them to blackmail the persons involved – many of them believed to be national politicians and senior government officials.
Police discovered explicit videos and pictures of hundreds of Maldivians on the hard drives and laptops of 14 people arrested in connection with the crime earlier this week.
”We are still investigating the case, but so far we cannot reveal the identities of any of those involved,” said a police spokesperson. ”We cannot confirm any names, just not yet. We will be revealing more information later.”
Daily newspaper Haveeru interviewed a person who claimed to have seen some of the material, who said that MPs belonging to both the opposition and the ruling party had fallen for the scam, as well as prominent businessmen and “national figures”.
Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said that none of the events reportedly depict “would have taken place inside the President’s office.”
”We don’t have Facebook, MSN or any other social networks on any computer of the President’s Office,” Zuhair said. ”It is nothing to do with the government or the president.”
Zuhair added that “for instance there might be torturers among people who build streets, but that does not mean all the street builders are torturers.”
Meanwhile, the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) has sent a letter to the President’s Office, calling the president to remove government officials involved in the case from their posts ”or if you do not remove them from their posts it will be taken as meaning that you are supporting such activities.”
The DQP called on the government to take action against those involved “as soon as possible.”
Several blogs have speculated on the names of those caught up in the scandal, but police would not confirm the identities of those compromised.
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Zuhair should stop commenting on things he clearly does not understand.
yes, officially many government offices have blocked social networds, but that doesn't mean that the staffs are not using it. Anyone who even slightly know IT, knows back doors and ways around it, and this is shared amongst other colleagues in the office. So, OFFICIALLY Zuhair can say it, but the fact is very different.....
Time will tell....Mr.Zuhair
@MMM
Its actually the other way round. Any 2 cent IT technician should be able to totally block internet access to specific domains.
If staff are using third party gateways or annonymizers, it should still raise a red flat as to why a particular domain shows such use.
Its just lazy and s^&*$y administrators.
hello hassan saeed. wake up. The police are already investigating? I'm sure there'll be other ways that you can prove to EC that your party is active; so that you'll get the annual allowance.
Haha DQP idiots don't know that accusation doesn't make a person guilty and loose his job. If we say DQP are a party of thieves then you should loose your position. Wait till all investigation are over. A party of idiots lost on hunger for personal interests.
I totally agree with Zuhair
http://haumaldives.wordpress.com/
why does Zuhair keep on referring to a specific class of people? last time it was fisherman, now its street builders...
wonder why?
does he believe he is untouchable.
WHO UPDATES Mohammed Nasheed(Anni) Page?
it must be from the Presidents Office, with those high quality pics and surely not some street builders.
Zuhair do you really honestly believe you can lie Maldivians?
while underage kids outsmart u friking pervs:P
I DISAGREE WITH YOU, ZEEN!
The DQP are money-eaters. 😛
@silent control:
I love it... you hit right there!! hehehe Poor Zuhair n team!!
They need an immediate pay rise. I say at least 200% increase. If they mentioned earlier what being an MP is like and the sort of money they have to spend to cover up their tracks, I wouldn't have protested against the pay rise. I take my protest back. These guys do need the cash. They need our cash.
I didn't realise how hard they have been working behind their desks on their laptops and how exhausting it must have been. All that for us and how do we repay?
We should be ashamed.
I feel for you lot, the fine specimens of manliness you are.
I agree with the press sec.. Just because the President's office has a few intelligent people working in it does not mean they are all intelligent, clearly.
street builders? torturers? what??? oh and mr zuhair, i have a lot of love for anni and if you don't stop embarrassing him i am gonna take the plug off of the internet. wow, scary...yes the global internet is hosted in my home. i'm upgrading it Internet 98 to Internet XP and i will send you a cd to install its client side version... 🙂
this man juha is such a joker
Police will find no grounds to file charges to any of the high ranking officials of the state. and this story will die.. as nothing happened. MARK my WORD. the people in the power are more powerful than the power of the people. It is the exact opposite of Egypt revolution. ( i don't mean just the gov, i am mentioning the entire state, Majlis + Judiciary and others)
DQP with so many lawyers among its leaders must understand that everyone is innocent unless proven guilty. The police and Prosecutor General will investigate, courts decide if a person is guilty and Judges pass sentences. By their letter to the President DQP is undermining the authority and mandate of all these institutions.