The president of the Maldives has declared a state of emergency that will curtail key rights of citizens for 30 days. The declaration by Yameen Abdul Gayoom follows the discovery of a weapons cache and an explosive device apparently targeting the president. Attorney general Mohamed Anil said the decision was made to preserve public safety. Mr Gayoom was unhurt by a blast in his speedboat on September 28 which the government called an assassination attempt. The FBI, which investigated the blast, said it found no evidence that it was caused by a bomb. Mr Anil said: "The military and police found weapons and an explosive from two locations in their operations. Because these would be a threat to the public and the nation, the National Security Council has advised to take immediate steps to protect the people of Maldives." The country has been tense since the speedboat blast and a subsequent series of arrests, including the country's vice president, on suspicion of involvement in the explosion. The military said on Monday that it had found a homemade bomb in a parked vehicle close to the president's official residence. Days earlier, an arms cache was found on an island being developed as a tourist resort. Maldives is best known for its luxury island resorts and beaches.