(Jamaica Gleaner) A death threat has been issued against Jamaican Grammy-winning dancehall artiste Sean Paul if he follows through with a scheduled New Year’s Eve performance in the Maldives.
The online video threat was posted on YouTube by ‘islam dheen’, bears the logo of a Maldives jihadist group and had a cloaked person sitting in front what appeared to be a black flag, synonymous with the Islamic State (IS).
IS is a group consisting of extremist Islamic militants, responsible for numerous acts of murder, massacres and destruction across Iraq and Syria.
“Sean Paul, if you visit the Maldives, the world will see your burned and blood-drenched dead body,” read papers bearing the threat.
The 41-year-old singer was also accused of being a non-believer, whose presence will not be welcomed.
The Maldives is an Islamic country which lies off the Indian sub-continent.
The video bears the logo of ‘Bilad Al Sham Media’ (BASM) group – an organisation which claims to consist of Maldivian jihadis based in Syria and the Maldives.
However, in a Facebook post, the group said it was not responsible for the video.
“Bilad Al Sham Media have nothing to do with this video even though it claims to be from us. Anything released by Bilad Al Sham Media will be done through our official facebook page or twitter account and no one should accept anything from any other source claiming to be from us,” it said.
However, even as it denounced the video, the group said “we are absolutely against such filthy concerts”.
Meanwhile, in a Twitter post, Maldives’ opposition leader and former President
Mohamed Nasheed warned that tourism will be affected if threats against Sean Paul are not investigated.
A report on the Maldives website, Raajje, said show organisers will proceed with the concert despite threats.
According to Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb, his country will not give in to the threats.
Sean Paul was reportedly to perform at Maldives’ National Stadium in Male’ at Adheeb’s invitation.
