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Labour ‘unaware’ of PN allegations of ‘secret’ Libyan travel guest
Labour leader denies knowing police officer under investigation over providing escort to Libyan businessman to private jet for Tripoli.
18 June 2012, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Labour leader Joseph Muscat meeting Libyan NTC leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil in Libya in April.
The Labour party has claimed it is unaware of an incident reported by Nationalist organ il-mument, in which a police officer stationed at Malta International Airport escorted a Libyan national off an airliner, and onto a private jet chartered by a Labour delegation for Tripoli.
The story has been front-page news on the PN's Sunday newspaper il-mument for weeks now, specifically over the role that a police officer, PS88 Aldo Cassar, played in escorting a Libyan national off an airliner that had landed in Malta en route to Tripoli; and then onto the private jet that Labour used for its visit to Libya in April.
Joseph Muscat led the delegation to the National Transitional Council of Libya with former tourism minister Karmenu Vella, MPs Michael Farrugia and Noel Farrugia and the party's international secretary Alex Sciberras Trigona.
According to the report, the police officer has business ties in Libya, and was in plain-clothes when he escorted the Libyan national, ostensibly using his security clearance, over the MIA airfield onto the private jet carrying the Labour delegation.
Il-mument also featured footage stills of Cassar (his back to the camera) trailing the Labour delegation at MIA, and alleged the police sergeant is "close" to Joseph Muscat, something the Labour leader has denied.
"Dr Muscat does not know the police officer in question, never met him and is not aware of the incident that was reported in the papers," a Labour spokesperson told MaltaToday.
The party did not comment on who this Libyan national was, or if the delegation had accepted to accompany a third party to Tripoli.
Il-mument said the Commissioner of Police had since informed the newspaper that the allegations made against Cassar are under internal investigation.
"It might be better if you ask Mario Debono for any details since it seems that the gentleman, who leads GonziPN by the nose, thinks he has exclusivity over anything that has to do with Libya," the spokesperson said.
The party has not substantiated its comment about Mario Debono, the GRTU vice-president who during the Libyan conflict led a humanitarian effort of aid transportation between Malta and Misurata. Today Debono leads the GRTU's effort to foster business relations with the Misurata business chamber.
In comments to MaltaToday, Debono said he knew "absolutely nothing" about what Labour were referring to. "I certainly have no exclusivity over Libya... Disneyland is in Paris, not Malta. If the Opposition leader wants to invent stories about other people, he should go there."
Debono, a former Nationalist ministerial attaché, and Muscat have a history of litigation after the former had pleaded guilty of sending hate mail to the Labour leader back in 2007 when he was an MEP.
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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Veru niskanta kif ma jisthux dawn tal PN, fuq xix qedin jivvintaw storja bla sugu. Mela jekk veru fl-MIA daqsek facli li jaddu nies, jew caqliq ta nies 'misterjuzi' ghandhu min xix jisthi dal gvern.
Huwa fil kompitu tal Kummissarju/OMAS li jara jek inkisrietx il-ligi tal MIA u mhux xi gurnalist li wegatu zaqqu. Ahjar il-mument jinvestiga kif EFA mar jiltaqa ma Zeppi il-hafi traffikant tad-droga u tal-proklma li ha bla ma kien jisthoqlu, jew meta EFA mar jiltaqa ma Ganni il-pupa
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Dan Mario Debono hu l-istess wiehed li kellu x'jaqsam mal-medicina tal-Plavix foloz? Kif ma jisthix jidher quddiem in-nies? Alla hares xi hadd bhal dan il-bniedem jirraprezenta lili go xi ghaqda; un quaquaraqua!
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Dan Mario Debono hu l-istess wiehed li kellu x'jaqsam mal-medicina tal-Plavix foloz? Kif ma jisthix jidher quddiem in-nies? Alla hares xi hadd bhal dan il-bniedem jirraprezenta lili go xi ghaqda; un quaquaraqua!
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Lil joepisani.....qisek it tron tal gherf taf hafna qisek! x inhu jigri jew ghandek xi lanzita ghal din il persuna!
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Jekk, u nerga nghid jekk dan hu veru ghandu biex jiftahar GonziPN dwar is-sigurta li ghandna fl-ajruport.
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In my humble opinion this is a storm in a tea cup. It appears that il-Mument has nothing substantive to say.
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Din il-persuna "misterjuza" libjana li akkumpanjat lill JM fuq il- private jet li bghatulu il- libjani ma hi misterjuza xejn ghax l- Airmalta u l- MIA ghandhom ir-records kollha tal passiggieri u jekk iridu ta gonzipn jistaqsu lill ambaxxata libjana min kienet din il persuna, wara kollox fuq ordni taghhom nizel min fuq l- ajruplan ta l- AirMalta u tela fuq iehor. A storm in a teacup li ta gonzipn ilhom xharejn ixandru fuq il- media taghhom, ahjar jinvestigaw it-tberbieq ta miljuni kbar ta euros u il-hnizrijiet li saru fl- Airmalta minnhom u minn shabhom li wasslu ghall falliment ta din il-kumpanija!! Kif il- pulizija ittella lill crew ta l- Airmalta jhixdu xharejn wara li sar il kaz?
X` inhi ir raguni vera li bniedem ta 67 sena,ex tal gaketta blue, ghadu jokkupa kariga gholja f'dik li hija sigurta fl- ajruport meta persuni ferm izghar u hafna iktar ikkwalifikati gew imgiela jirrezenjaw mill kumpanija? Kif kaz bhall dan ilu xharejn jigi imxandar fuq il- media nazzjonalista imbghad kazijiet serjissimi imwettqa minn persuni nazzjonalisti inhbew u kumbinazzjoni dak inhar il-cameras tas sigurta ta l- ajruport bdew jigbdu filmat imcajpar?
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Jekk dan l- agent tal pn (ex gakketta blue li ghadu jahdem mal kumpanija minkejja li ghandu 67 sena) iridna insemmu kazijiet ta abbuzi fid dettall u insemmu ismijiet ta persuni nazzjonalisti famuzi li abbuzaw u hu ma ha l- ebda passi anzi heba il- kazijiet, insemmuhomlu fil media.
@ the phoenix
Mhux JM ghandu x`jahbi, min hadem fuq dawk il- flights ta tripli nhar l- 14 ta April jaf li ma ghandu xejn x jahbi, l- agenti "sigrieti" tghakhom ghandhom hafna x'jahbu!!
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Apparently, the MLP leader has a lot to hide. Why would he refer questons to someone who clearly does not like him, and wouldnt have helped him get into Libya in the first place ? There is something fishy here. What about the identity of the Libyan person ? Can the police and ATC confirm the persons on the Flight plan?
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Apparently, the MLP leader has a lot to hide. Why would he refer questons to someone who clearly does not like him, and wouldnt have helped him get into Libya in the first place ? There is something fishy here. What about the identity of the Libyan person ? Can the police and ATC confirm the persons on the Flight plan?
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Apparently, the MLP leader has a lot to hide. Why would he refer questons to someone who clearly does not like him, and wouldnt have helped him get into Libya in the first place ? There is something fishy here. What about the identity of the Libyan person ? Can the police and ATC confirm the persons on the Flight plan?
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What the PN Sunday Paper says is divine gospel. How dare you infidels question the veracity of what this holy of holies reported. As the saying goes: "Il-Qahba milli jkollha taghtik".
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Let us be honest about this. If this incident was in the reverse ie Gonzi had the delegation when in opposition would you have said the same things or would we say what a disgrace. Having this the plane they travelled on was not a boeing 747 with over 350 passengers but a small jet with max 10-12 people. if somebody that was not part of the delegation boarded i guess somebosy would have noticed. The fact that a libyan or maltese joined is irrelevant and the PL has all the right to take up who they wish. what is not justified is if the law has been broken. If the PL has no idea who this person was and why PS88 (who the PL says they do not know) took up the person on board, i would have expected Joseph Muscat to be the first to ask for an enquiry and ask for all actions to be taken if the law was broken.
I would say teh above irrelevant which political party did it as the law has to be respected from all political parties.
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Today Debono leads the GRTU's effort to foster business relations with the Misurata business chamber. Probably selling them counterfeit medicines? Or how to use Facebook for hate mail?
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Li sar kien illegali? Min hu responsabbli tal-Pulizzija u l-Ajruport, il-Gvern jew l-Oppozizzjoni? Il-Libjan kellu dritt jinzel Malta? Il-Libjan ghadda mid-Dwana? Kellu d-dokumenti mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli ghall-hrug ta' Viza jekk mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli tal-kontroll tal-Passaporti u Viza?
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One can now easily conclude who,how and why this story was invented by Il-Mument and In-Nazzjon !
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Jekk xi persuna tigi approvata li qieghda tivvinta qlajjiet mhux veri fuq xi hadd, specjalment iktar jekk tkun persuna pubblika ghanda tinghata sentenza ta' habs u mhux xi cucata ta' multa. Dan biex jinqatgha darba ghall dejjem dan l-abbuz.
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iktar ma jidhol iz zmien iktar stenna minnhom dawn habib.halli infakkrek fl-ohra ta meta Fenech Adami qideb fug Alfred Sant meta qallu li kien huwa li ma ghadiex it tifel tieghu mil l ezami.dan kien fl-ahhar dibatittu qabel l-elezzjoni u biex jaxxaqa instab hati ta malafama u sal illum ma ghamilx appologija.Dawm huma GONZIPN
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pleaded guilty of sending hate mail!!!!! once guilty no matter how you plead is alway guilty of hate mail.......
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Nixtieq nifhem. Li sar kien illegali? Min hu responsabbli tal-Pulizzija u l-Ajruport, il-Gvern jew l-Oppozizzjoni? Il-Libjan kellu dritt jinzel Malta? Il-Libjan ghadda mid-Dwana? Kellu d-dokumenti mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli ghall-hrug ta' Viza jekk mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli tal-kontroll tal-Passaporti u Viza?
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Nixtieq nifhem. Li sar kien illegali? Min hu responsabbli tal-Pulizzija u l-Ajruport, il-Gvern jew l-Oppozizzjoni? Il-Libjan kellu dritt jinzel Malta? Il-Libjan ghadda mid-Dwana? Kellu d-dokumenti mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli ghall-hrug ta' Viza jekk mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli tal-kontroll tal-Passaporti u Viza?
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Nixtieq nifhem. Li sar kien illegali? Min hu responsabbli tal-Pulizzija u l-Ajruport, il-Gvern jew l-Oppozizzjoni? Il-Libjan kellu dritt jinzel Malta? Il-Libjan ghadda mid-Dwana? Kellu d-dokumenti mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli ghall-hrug ta' Viza jekk mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli tal-kontroll tal-Passaporti u Viza?
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Nixtieq nifhem. Li sar kien illegali? Min hu responsabbli tal-Pulizzija u l-Ajruport, il-Gvern jew l-Oppozizzjoni? Il-Libjan kellu dritt jinzel Malta? Il-Libjan ghadda mid-Dwana? Kellu d-dokumenti mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli ghall-hrug ta' Viza jekk mehtiega? Min hu responsabbli tal-kontroll tal-Passaporti u Viza?
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Li tal-gazzetta li tohrog kull nhar ta' Hadd li hija l-vuci ufficjali ta' GonziPN il-mument nghidilha li jekk m'ghandhom biex jikinsu z-zibel li hemm madwarhom jaqbzu qabza sa ghand tal-Lira u minn hemm F'€2 jixtru eahda tal-lanzit li taqla hafna zibel u b'hek forsi jinadfu ftit huma l-ewwel.
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Have you noticed that Giovanni Demartino u Destra Vincente (one the same I would say)are no where to be seen and heard on this matter! Pity, they have not regaled us with their infinite wisdom and experience. Pity indeed. We could do with a couple of more clowns (in addition to the one we have in the country's top office).
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tfakkarni fil gidba li alfred sant siker , habat u ma nafx x iktar . livell baxx bhal ma storikament imdorri jinzel il pn.
