Malta police arrest 10 suspects in car-bomb assassination of blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia
Blogger Caruana Galizia had made repeated and detailed corruption allegations against government figures
Maltese authorities announced on Monday they have arrested 10 people in connection with the murder of a prominent journalist that sent shock waves around the world.
Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in a car-bomb attack on October 16, was one of the Mediterranean island’s most prominent public figures thanks to a widely read blog she used to campaign against corruption.
Her most explosive reports included allegations members of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s inner circle benefited from kickbacks. But the 53-year-old also focused attention on alleged murky behaviour by prominent opposition and business figures.
Speaking to reporters, the prime minister said a joint team of police, military and security services made the arrests following a near seven-week investigation carried out with help from the FBI, Europol and Finnish intelligence.
Caruana Galizia’s murder triggered an outpouring of grief on Malta and an international outcry over press freedom. It also turned an unflattering spotlight on the EU country’s problems with corruption and organised crime, both seen as having flourished against the backdrop of a booming economy.
As I stated as soon as I learned about this barbaric act, we will leave no stone unturned to get this case solved
Muscat announced the arrest of eight of the suspects in a statement and then added in a tweet, that a further two had been detained.
