Maldives president Abdulla Yameen has described his deputy as a threat to national security, after his arrest over an alleged assassination attempt last month.

Yameen claimed bomb-making materials had been found during raids on Ahmed Adeeb's associates.

The president was unhurt in the blast on his speedboat, which left his wife and two others slightly injured.

In recent years, the Maldives has been rocked by political infighting.

"The vice-president is being detained for the safety and security of the entire nation," Yameen said in a televised address.

He said the investigation pointed to links between Mr Adeeb and two soldiers who were arrested for tampering with evidence on the boat soon after the blast.

President Yameen and his wife were travelling to the capital Male from the island where the airport is located when the device went off under a seat normally - but not in this instance - occupied by Mr Yameen.

Turbulence in paradise

Soon after the blast, speculation began to grow that Adeeb was involved, reports said. Under the Maldivian constitution, the vice-president succeeds the president if he dies, is incapacitated or resigns.

Adeeb, who is among seven people being held for questioning, has denied any links to the explosion.

A court ordered his detention for 15 days to give police more time to investigate.

Earlier, the government said Adeeb would be charged with "high treason".

But the president said he would not fire Adeeb until his case had been decided by a court.

Adeeb became vice president in July at the age of 33. Yameen was instrumental in his rise, sacking the previous vice-president, also on charges of treason, and lowering the minimum age for the president and vice-president from 35 to 30.

The Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008 and is a popular upmarket tourist destination, but its image has suffered in recent years due to prolonged political unrest.

(BBC)