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Former Maltese Prime Minister believes we should have sent French Mirage jets back to Libya
Former Labour prime minister who alerted Gaddafi to incoming USAF jets that bombed his Tripoli house in 1986
6 March 2011, 12:00am
Julia Farrugia
Julia Farrugia
1 min read
“I would send the jets back to Libya,” says Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici – Maltese prime minister appointed in 1984 by Dom Mintoff, co-opted to parliament to take up the role, who had called Libya when Ronald Reagan ordered fighter planes to bomb Tripoli (Italian premier Bettino Craxi, also a good friend to Gaddafi had actually called him before)…
Mifsud Bonnici, 77, has criticised the Maltese government and the Opposition for being ‘accomplices’ in the saga against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.
According to Mifsud Bonnici, who resigned as Opposition leader in 1992, he had some contact in the past days with Libyan ministers, but not with Gaddafi.
He also says that there is “no rapport” between Labour and himself, adding that they “do not see eye to eye” on many things.
Mifsud Bonnici was a figurehead of the anti-EU movement – the Campaign for National Independence – and then vacillated to the Front Maltin Inqumu (Malta Arise Front) led by former Labour prime minister Dom Mintoff shortly before the 2003 EU referendum.
Julia Farrugia is a former editor of Illum newspaper.
Albert Zammit •
@ KeithG: Hell is paved with good intentions.
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Luckily he's no longer our Prime Minister. We would have been the target of anger across the world. Also by sending the planes back we would be an accomplice to a human massacre. I truly believe KMB has good intentions. However this is not the way to do things.
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Dr. KMB ghaliex u fuq liema kriterju il-Gvern kellu jibghat l-ajruplani lura? Ahjar li spjegajt dan wkoll? Biss nahseb li din tfajta ghal rasa ghax xi haga tolqot......Kien zmien iehor dak Karm.
Maureen Attard •
Karm, mhux ahjar ma titkellem xejn int. Kien ikun ahjar li ma hallejtx l-ajruplan ta' l-Eygpt Air ma jidholx Malta meta int kont Prim Ministru ghax kont taghmel figura isbah.
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@bzaru
your facts are not correct The radar was installed by the Italians, but is paid for by Malta. There is radar data sharing with the Italians and with the Greeks.
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The Libyan jets invaded our country, an act of war itself. Luckily the pilots asked for asylum. Malta has no credible defences and is exposed to aggression from Dictators like Gaddafi. If you don't toe his line then you become his enemy. This is KMB's thinking too ' Jew maghna jew kontra taghna'
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It seems as if everyone alerted Gaddafi of the incoming jets: Craxi did, Andreotti did as well. I.ve heard this on "Anno Zero" and on "Ballaro". Is.nt our radar-installed and paid for by our Italian friends, and therefore what blips at Dingli is simultaneously bliping in Italy as well?
