Polonium plot: target of assassination not yet identified, police say

Mystery still surrounds the identity of the target of an assassination plot allegedly hatched on the dark web by Jomic Calleja Maatouk.

The compilation of evidence against Calleja Maatouk continued this morning before magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech. The accused, wearing a dark blue suit and red tie, appeared in good spirits as he was led into the courtroom.

Before hearing any witnesses today, the court tackled procedural issues relating to European Investigation Orders and requests for legal assistance from the USA through the Attorney General. The magistrate pointed out that the case fell within the parameters of the Eurojust directive as it involved more than two foreign jurisdictions, notifying the AG and Maltese representative of Eurojust of this fact.

The Polonium plot: how Jomic Calleja trawled dark web for explosives and radioactive poison

A Vodafone representative was summoned to provide call logs and localisation information relating to the accused’s mobile phone number.

An MFSA representative later took the stand, telling the court that the authority had.received intelligence about a Jomic Grech or Jomic Calleja and an entity which was trading in Bitcoin without authorisation from MFSA. An investigation was launched, which identified Calleja’s company, Bitcoin and Autotrader. 

Two addresses for Calleja had emerged from the records, one in Lija and one in Qormi, he said, adding that a social media search had found a Jomic Grech with many profile links to Bitcoin and Autotrader posts. A Lovin Malta promotional article for Bitcoin and Autotrader also indicated the same Qormi address, he said. The company was not registered at the MFSA, he said.

Today the witness said that he recognised the accused from his social media photos.

The MFSA had concluded that Jomic Grech and Jomic Calleja were one and the same, said the witness.

The owner of a car showroom in Qormi also testified, identifying the accused as having entered into an agreement with him over the showroom.

Another property owner told the court today that he too had leased a property to the accused and a Marzia Maatouk.

Defence lawyer Benjamin Valenzia informed the court that the accused was willing to give up the passwords to his electronic devices – seized as part of the inquiry into the accused’s attempted procurement of C4 and radioactive polonium, which is still underway.

Valenzia requested bail for Calleja Maatouk, arguing that the accused was presumed innocent, all civilian witnesses had testified and that the accused had been on police bail for separate drugs charges for 2 or 3 months and had never tried to abscond. 

Inspector Omar Zammit and Superintendent George Cremona objected to the bail request, arguing that the case was a grave one and that investigations were still underway. “Whilst it is good to know that he will give us his passcodes, the gravity remains as the intended target has not yet been identified,” Cremona said.

The court will issue a decree on bail from chambers. In the meantime, the magistrate urged the police to exhibit its evidence as soon as possible.

The case continues later this month.