Top news

The threat of Malta’s Secret Service

It is not only the tapping of domestic land-based and cellular phones that are organised by the Maltese Secret Service, but also covert activities, senior police sources have told MaltaToday. These clandestine operations have led one to believe that the Maltese Secret Service might be perpetrating unacceptable activities which are out of their legal framework.

The officers, who are irked with the heavy handed behaviour of the Secret Service, allege that there have been operations involving a break in on at least one occaision.

MaltaToday can also confirm that the tapping of phones has taken place widely and does not only include individuals from the criminal world but politicians, journalists and even members of the judiciary.

Worse still, pressure has been placed on the existing local mobile communication companies to provide details of their clients. There have been occasions in the past when the Secret Service has been provided with specific details of clients.

Traditionally, abroad, mobile companies have been reluctant to divulge information to the police for fear of reprisals from their client base.

MaltaToday has documents proving that such information is made made available to the S.S.
"No one is safe," we were told at 11pm at night in a deserted spot. "The only thing that cannot be screened at this stage are SMS messages."

The police officers, who were petrified at being discovered recounted to MaltaToday a number of serious allegations which if remotely true, could have serious ramifications.

Confirmed by MaltaToday is that the phone tapping instrumentation being used by the Secret Service is one of the most sophisticated in use and according to investigations can pick up 14 different calls at any one time. It is based at Floriana.

The Secret Service is run by Police Chief,George Grech, who is also Commissioner of Police. He runs operations together with the Office of the Prime Minister and is assisted by an officer who attempts to keep a low profile, Superintendent Godfrey Scicluna.

Members of the Secret Service may be contracted from out of the police corps. They are usually on renewable contracts.

MaltaToday is aware that there are at least three sergeants working within the Secret Service and they use a green Hyundai and a white Fiat Uno. However, at times, they also leased cars.
It is not known at what level the Secret Service has the backing of the Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister, but it appears that not all operations are sanctioned by the senior politicians and the covert operations are not known to the two politicians.

Asked some weeks ago about tapping, the Home Affairs Ministry refused to comment.

Last week, MaltaToday referred to the souring of relations between George Grech and Home Affairs Minister, Tonio Borg. The reaction to the story was followed by a string of meetings confirming the strain between the two men.

In most European Union countries, the activities of the Secret Service are disliked and preyed upon by the press.

But in Malta some elements of the press actually work from tip offs from the Secret Service, as was the case three weeks ago when confidential documents appeared in one prominent newspaper.

And tapping of phones has traditionally raised serious concern from civil liberty lobbyists who view the free hand of any secret service as a serious threat to human rights.