ABSTRACT
Despite a homogeneous ethnic and religious population, and geographic isolation from sources of radicalism and extremism in South Asia and the Middle East, the Maldives is experiencing an emergence of violent extremism that threatens to unsettle the archipelago and disrupt its thriving tourism industry. Nearly ten years ago, a terrorist bomb that exploded in the capital city, Malé, caused casualties, and a once tranquil, tropical paradise was suddenly concerned that it might experience the same sort of violence seen in so many other trouble-spots. This single event thrust the Maldives into a growing debate on the causes of violent extremism and the appropriate state responses to such threats. Ongoing political instability coupled with civil unrest create an environment that enables further violent extremism.
