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Kurt Sansone
WHILE neo-Nazi Norman Lowell was hosting a barbeque for his right-wing supporters at Dwejra, a kilometre and a half away from Bidnija, arsonists attempted to burn down the private residence of Daphne Caruana Galizia. This is the second attack on the Caruana Galizia residence, the first having taken place in 1994.
The arson attack happened in the early hours of Saturday when Caruana Galizia and her family were sleeping inside the house. Nobody was injured in the incident, described by one of the investigating officers as a ‘military style’ operation.
Lowell posted a message on the Viva Malta web site at 4am. Some time later another Lowell follower wrote: “Yes, indeed I have drunk to the dregs and toasted the heroes in my own incorrigible way.”
Family members managed to douse the flames after one of Caruana Galizia’s sons spotted the fire soon after reaching home at around 3am. The arsonists attacked soon after the last lights went out in the house. One of Caruana Galizia’s sons was still working in his room until 2.30am.
The torching of the residence happened on the same night that Norman Lowell’s far-right movement advertised on an extremist Maltese web site that a barbecue at Dwejra for ardent followers would be held. The meetings are renowned for extremists who publicly express anti-immigrant and racist sentiments. The police who appear not to monitor these sites did not raid the Dwejra party.
It took the Commissioner of Police ten hours to visit the Bidnija site and no police officers were present to monitor the area and continue with the search after 9 am.
Informed sources told MaltaToday that the Prime Minister expressed his concerns to the Commissioner of Police that more needed to be done to catch the culprits.
Journalists yesterday condemned the attack but expressed the view that the police were incompetent and incapable of protecting journalists and hunting down the culprits.
It was only because Caruana Galizia’s back door is made of fire retardant material that the flames did not spread into the house’s interior. Had the fire or fuel reached indoors it could have led to a major disaster since the floor is covered by carpets. The fire was put out by Peter Caruana Galizia and his three sons together with the help of his wife Daphne.
The attack continues to undermine the Police Commissioner’s credibility and comes only a week and a half after an attack on the residence of MaltaToday editor Saviour Balzan. Balzan’s residence is situated in front of the Naxxar police station.
The only access to the back garden of Caruana Galizia’s residence, situated in Bidnija, is through Rihan valley. The arsonists trudged all the way up the valley through terraced fields, climbing rubble walls and avoiding the irrigation wells in the area, covering a total distance of over 300m.
Five tyres were set alight outside the backdoor of the residence. The number of tyres and the laborious task to reach the back garden is a clear indication that more than two persons were involved in the crime and that the individuals involved had the physical stamina to perpetuate the act.
Curiously enough, the family’s pet dog went missing some three weeks ago and only one week ago an unidentified young man drove down the residence’s private road only to swerve quickly and speed back out when spotted by Caruana Galizia. At the time, both incidents seemed to be accidental.
Evidence collected by the police from the scene of the crime shows that the tyres were set alight after being doused with fuel. The amount of fuel used in the attack even had one of the investigating officers remark that in 25 years of investigating arson attacks, he had “never seen such a great supply of fuel used in a single act of arson.”
During a search of the valley conducted by one of Caruana Galizia’s sons at around 12pm yesterday, a jerry can and other bottles containing fuel were discovered in one of the underlying fields.
Caruana Galizia and her family are the latest victims of a spate of arson attacks, mostly targeted against journalists and individuals who have been vocal supporters of the immigrants’ cause.
In a press statement issued yesterday afternoon, Caruana Galizia expressed her conviction that the persons who committed the violent act against her home and family “are connected with the nascent fascist movement and with neo-Nazism in this country.”
“The attack is part of a systematic attempt at creating a reign of terror, and it is linked, in my view, to the other attacks on the Jesuit Refugee Service, and on my fellow journalist Saviour Balzan,” Caruana Galizia said.
“It is not immigration that threatens our culture now, but nascent fascism and neo-Nazism, with the violence and intimidation that are associated with those political creeds…
“Perhaps my fellow Maltese will one day realise that it is far better to live freely in a country where there are many immigrants, than to live in a country where there are no immigrants, but where one is too afraid to speak or to be different for fear of being attacked,” she said.
The attack on Caruana Galizia’s residence was condemned by the Institute of Journalists and the newly-formed Journalists’ Committee.
While condemning the latest attack on a fellow journalist, journalists will today at noon present a letter to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at Castille calling for the protection of journalists and freedom of expression.
The journalists will be presenting a letter to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi calling for the immediate protection of journalists and their families. All journalists and friends are invited to be present for the presentation.
“These attacks have reached shocking levels and confirm a systematic campaign targeting members of the press and outspoken critics of racism, while hate speech keeps being aired publicly undeterred,” the Journalists’ Committee said.
The Prime Minister also issued a statement condemning the arson attack, pledging the full commitment of the police force to solve the recent spate of attacks.
“Government reiterates its commitment to build a society based on the values of respect for every individual and his rights, tolerance and solidarity,” Gonzi added.
Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Harry Vassallo also condemned the arson attack calling it an “additional menace” since it targets members of the press. “If the press is not free, none of us are free,” Vassallo said.
“It is correct of the police to assign such cases to its anti-terrorism unit since such actions are aimed at suppressing the free expressions of opinions which the arsonists do not share. This is terrorism and it should be dealt with accordingly,” Vassallo insisted.
Vassallo described the attack as an “act of defiance against all law enforcement agencies” having come soon after the Police Commissioner had said that investigations into the arson attacks were at a delicate stage.
ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt
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