Somali who tried to escape from Malta remanded in custody

An 18-year-old Somali youth who tried to leave Malta on board an SAS flight to Denmark yesterday has been remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to using another man’s passport to try to leave Malta.

Abas Ali Hanishi was caught using the other’s man passport while passing through the check in at the Malta International Airport. The youth, who arrived in Malta by boat in the summer of 2013, is said to have tried to escape to Copenhagen so he could be with his sister.

Ali Hanishi is said to have claimed to be another Somali man in an effort to bypass airport security. The other person, whom sources have identified as simply being a middle-aged Somali man, has yet to be questioned by the police.

Standing in court this morning, the youth pleaded not guilty to using another man's passport and to giving false declarations. No request for bail was made, and the 18-year-old was remanded in custody. 

Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri prosecuted.