A Maltese man was abducted by rebels in Libya last week and the government has said nothing about it yet
Martin Galea
Last week, a Maltese man who has worked for an oil company in Libya for years was abducted by armed rebels outside Tripoli. The government has kept the matter under wraps and, also last week, the foreign minister said that there is no need to evacuate Maltese citizens from that country despite the fighting.
Had Martin Galea already been snatched when George Vella said that? I hope not.
Times of Malta reports:
Sources in Libya told Times of Malta that a search for Mr Galea has been on since the end of last week but no clues were given about his whereabouts and his fate was unknown.
According to the sources, Mr Galea, 42, was held by rebels during a road block when he was in a car driven by a Libyan national.
Although the incident happened more than a week ago, the Maltese government has not made any official announcement and is keeping all information under wraps.
Perhaps the government didn’t say anything, as is usually the case, because of ‘national security’. But I think the real reason it hasn’t said anything is because the inevitable has happened thanks to the government itself putting Maltese citizens at risk.
Isn’t it obvious that if Malta gives refuge to Libya’s deputy prime minister, after an attempt on his life by those same rebel groups, and shelters him here under armed guard round the clock, those rebels will act in reprisal against Maltese citizens?
I feel particularly strongly about this case because I know Martin Galea personally. We live in the same neighbourhood. For many years, he and his girlfriend Sue Arnett have been running and funding the horse-rescue shelter called the Funny Farm, up in Bidnija.
Martin only just got out of Libya alive three and a half years ago in a frightening and risky escape when civil war broke out and he was stuck out in the desert along with his colleagues. He was lucky that time.
I hope against hope that he gets out this time too, but it’s not going to happen with the amateur fumbling at the embassy in Tripoli. Professional operators have to be brought in, and these are not necessarily diplomats.
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What a bunch of incompetent, irresponsible amateurs are trying to run this poor country.
You can say that again!
Unfortunately, the present government has lost, or refuses to seek the assistance of, those who have handled crisis situations in the past. What a pity to have lost out on all that knowledge and experience.
Remember the KMB fiasco in his amateurish attempt to handle on his own the Egyptair terrorist holocaust in our airport, his rejection of the competent aid of USA experts with the disaster being “neutralized” by his wearing a black tie in sympathy with the deceased?
Some people make a habit of never learning.
I can see his release being marketed by this lot as a great diplomatic coup negotiated by the great master himself. Sickening.
[Daphne – Why not just hope and pray for his release first?]
Daphne, your priorities are mine too. Hope and pray that this victim of neo-barbarism is set free asap without any harm.
A friend managed to get out of there some ten days ago. It was frightening in the extreme.
What makes you think I haven’t already?
[Daphne – Talking about what will happen when he is released seems a tab inappropriate, that’s all. Nobody should care what happens if he is released; it’s hardly an issue.]
Hallik mir-ritratti u l-propaganda, sur Prim Ministru.
Il-poplu ghabbik bir-responsabilita’ li tmexxi dan il-pajjiz.
Ifli sew u ghal-inqas ikkopja lill-Dr Lawrence Gonzi f’sitwazzjonijiet bhal dawn.
Is-sahha u s-sigurta’ tal-poplu jigu l-ewwel u qabel kollox.
Hope that he gets out of the Libyan hell without any harm. Hope that this sorry excuse for a government wakes up and smells the Libyan coffee.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152645756359026&set=vb.102227224025&type=2&theater
“S’issa ma hemmx diskors ta’ evakwazzjoni …… dan ma huwiex fl-interess tal-Libja” Those are the words of our Foreign Minsiter.
A decision on whether you should evacuate people from a country should be first taken in the interest of those people being evacuated and not in the interest of the country those people are being evacuated from. Am I wrong on this very basic reasoning ?
Scum, as always, they will never give human life its value, indeed uphold the safety and well being of this country’s (yeah right) citizens.
As long as they get their secret deals.
Thanks for reminding us about this unbelievable statement. These are the same people who have always portrayed themselves as those who put Malta’s interests above everything else. But then their party was the one that was in favour of Malta’s integration with Great Britain (the total opposite of independence) and against Malta’s membership of the EU.
Martin, may the good Lord watch over you and keep you safe from harm. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Although perhaps out if place, I invoke the government’s total commitment to bring Martin safe home whatever it takes.
I am sure there are expert foreign negotiators who can deal with this.
At this point in time nothing else should distract our attention from this very sad fact. The Opposition must today make it a point in Parliament that Martin’s return is a national priority and all else is irrelevant.
Dr George Vella just said that the Opposition motion was tabled before things in Libya got to an alarming point. He claimed that this was proven by the fact that ‘the Maltese in Libya told the Embassy that things were quiet where they were, but they were started to get worried’!
Do I therefore understand that the Embassy depends on inputs from the Maltese in Libya to assess the particular country’s political and security situation? Isn’t it the Embassy’s role to be ahead of the situation with its own intelligence and take all necessary precautions well in advance rather than being passive and does things ‘a posteriori’? As if we were not aware of the dire developments in Libya!
Let us all pray for Martin’s safe return. To the Maltese authorities concerned – DO NOT GO IT ALONE, just for the sake of looking good!
As Daphne said here, there are countries who have seasoned operators in dealing with such situations…. Damn it, ask for help you useless SOBs!
I sincerely hope and pray that Mr Galea will return home safely. I hope that someone very competent will be able to negotiate his release.
I also know Martin, from a few years ago, and I do hope for his safety, though am confident that his training and stamina will help him endure the situation more than others would.
A section of the online media refers to “interventions by the Foreign Ministry in Libya, particularly through Malta’s embassy in Tripoli”.
Were we not told just a day before the abduction that both the ambassador and the first secretary have been recalled to Malta? So exactly who in Tripoli is taking care of this?
I hope Mr Galea is reunited safely with his family very soon. My first thoughts are with him and with his family.
Is the Foreign Minister still convinced that the situation in Libya is not worrying and that there is no need to evacuate the Maltese? Actions speak louder than words and he and the prime minister should assume full political responsibility for their incompetence. Now is the time to smell the coffee.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z456lv_FW58
The lies keep coming.
Media in cosy collusion, leaving just The Independent having to underline disclaimers to questions asked and unanswered below every piece.
John Dalli’s opinion about Libya next.
Actually Mannie Galea, returned to Libya, through Tunisia, last Saturday or Sunday.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-07-25/news/abducted-man-was-alive-when-last-contact-with-captors-was-made-pm-5970132992/
“We are nonetheless helping all those who want to leave the country. We have the contact details of all Maltese who are still in Libya.” Dr Muscat added that all who are still in the country have stayed there “out of their own free will.”
Dat-tifel ma jisthix. X’minghalih, li se jahbi x’gab b’idejh?
Ghalih diga mejjet.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-07-25/news/maltese-worker-abducted-by-libyan-rebel-militia-5968101377/
The spokesperson said that the plans are still being drawn up seeing that the situation in Libya is very fluid and any plans would have to be drawn up accoring to the varying circumstances. “We might need to evacuate 5,000 people or 10,000. It would all depend on what would be happening at the time.”
Sources have however noted that the government seems to be confirming that it is not using the the contingency plans drafted in 2011, during the Libyan civil war, which were praised by many countries.
The OPM spokesperson also said that, until yesterday, 27 Maltese had booked a flight on this evening’s flight from Mitiga, which will be operated by Medavia and is organised by the government. “Until a few days ago there were 147 Maltese in Libya but most of them chose not to leave the country.
In other developments, an area close to the Police Academy in Ta’ Kandja has been cleared out in what is being described as preparations for the eventuality of a mass evacuation of foreign nationals to Malta.
Virtu Ferries has been keeping a vessel on stand-by for the eventuality of a mass evacuation from Tripoli.
So this government prepares for mass evacuation, but remains adamant the situation is fluid and can return to normal.
Are they insane?
That genius George Vella described the situation as “fluid but calm”. What is this, a cup of tea?
Not even a storm in a teacup.
I sincerely hope they won’t botch it up as they did with the Egyptair episode when our wise KMB’s handling of the situation resulted in the death of all those innocent people.
Updates here:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140725/local/update-3-no-assurance-that-abducted-maltese-man-is-alive-pm.529200
Latest update on timesofmalta.com:
“Speaking in Parliament this evening, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the government was informed about the case last Sunday.
When asked by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, the Prime Minister said he could not give assurance that Mr Galea was alive, but the last information he had was that he was. The situation was, however, constantly evolving.”
Can George Vella or Joseph Muscat confirm or otherwise whether the situation in Libya is still not alarming as George Vella said the day before Martin Galea was abducted since timesofmalta.com also reports that ” “Diplomats had returned to the embassy risking their lives to help Mr Galea, the Prime Minister said”.
Are you now smelling the coffee George and Joseph?
http://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2014/7/25/ikkonfermat-li-malti-nhataf-mill-militanti-fil-libja.20483
He can’t confirm anything, busy as he was in London.
Fil-Parlament, il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat qal li Martin Galea kien għadu ħaj meta l-aħħar li sar kuntatt miegħu mid-diplomatiċi Maltin fil-Libja.
Sostna li ma jistax jagħti garanzija li Galea għadu ħaj.
Dr Muscat qal li l-Gvern ġie mgħarraf bil-ħtif ta’ Galea l-Ħadd li għadda.
Really, I remember when someone else cancelled his visits to concentrate on urgent matters of state.
And who’s he trying to kid, of course the man was alive the last time they made contact., if they won’t say whether that was before or after he was abducted.
Why is it he won’t even commit to do everything to save this man? What is this PM made of, slime?
Last Sunday is five days ago. The creep who wanted to sell Malta’s hotel beds as Egypt exploded.
http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/07/06/ingegnere-rapito-in-libia-la-farnesina-conferma-e-stato-rapito/1051499/
Galea was abducted one day after an Italian, a Bosnian and Macedonian went missing.
What prudence and no info for security’s sake?
Meantime, as our minister was going on about how fluid and nice it will be, Italy’s military was calling in its training instructors back to Tripoli and proceeding with the airlift of the contingent last Saturday.
‘..Intanto i 28 militari italiani che si trovano in Libia, per addestrare le forze locali, sono stati portati “per misura precauzionale” nell’ambasciata italiana a Tripoli. Lo si apprende da fonti della Difesa. Metà di loro faranno rientro domani in Italia, si apprende dalla stessa fonte….’
Cameron recalled every British citizen back a week earlier.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/91569/likas-na-dfa-raises-alert-level-in-libya
The Philippine government last sunday :
“The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday reiterated its call to all Filipino nationals in Libya to return home immediately, saying the rising violence and lawlessness – as exemplified in the kidnapping of an OFW whose death was confirmed Saturday – made Alert Level 4 (mandatory repatriation) imperative. ”
Our government was saying that in Libya it’s business as usual.
Shouldn’t Vanessa Frazier be dealing with this, nudge nudge, wink wink?
Mela. Dik terga taqbez sparata f’lanca tal-AFM u tmur issalvahom.
Or maybe this team?
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-06-26/news/release-of-maltese-worker-kidnapped-in-nigeria-safe-and-in-good-spirits-209514/
Don’t turn this into an attempt at making the Nationalist administration look good on international politics and crises. They were amateurs too.
Captain Galea may very well be left to draw on his resources. The last time a Labour government intervened in a situation that could be remotely similar by any stretch of the imagination was the Egypt Air Flight 648 in 1985, in which most of the passengers were blown up and the terrorists survived.
Unfortunately, Labour have a better track record in abducting people, locking them up in the depot, beating, torturing and killing rather than rescuing them. But do not worry folks, Minister Vella says Libya is safe. He said the same thing about the situation in Ukraine too.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/oil-company-worker-from-malta-is-abducted-in-libya/2014/07/25/c588974e-1413-11e4-ac56-773e54a65906_story.html
Already in the international news
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/41610/minister_says_evacuation_of_maltese_from_libya_off_the_cards_for_now#.U9KT5eOSyig
He excludes evacuation and practically shifts the blame on those who didn’t leave. And that’s today.
http://maltarightnow.com/news/2014/07/21/jinzel-fmalta-ajruplan-bgrupp-ta-maltin-li-gew-evakwati-mil-libja/
Vella must be off his rocker.
Dan vera qed jiggennen.
‘…Foreign Minister George Vella insisted once more this evening that the need for an evacuation has not arisen so far. “The decision to evacuate is not ours alone. We are part of the EU and the EU heads of mission agreed to discuss the matter and, if the decision to evacuate is taken we will all evacuate our people together…’
Ara x’ghandha x’taqsam l-EU.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-07-25/news/keep-us-informed-on-libya-busuttil-tells-government-5970558976/
Prime Minister Muscat was enjoying himself in Glasgow while he knew – and was hiding it from the public – that a Maltese citizen has been abducted in Libya and that his family are desperate for news.
I believe that was the real reason why they kept the news from the public. Mind anyone or anything thwarts Muscat’s plans.
We are experiencing first hand what a Labour government means during a time of crisis. This is the ‘serhan il-mohh’ that was taken for granted during Nationalist administrations. Hu go fik, ja poplu. And thank you switchers.
The Malta Independent reporting on this week’s meeting between the Maltese and British prime ministers:
“Dr Muscat added that there is no need for a new UN resolution, as the resolution which resulted in air strikes which took place at the beginning of the Libyan revolution is still in force. Through this resolution there are options to help the relevant Libyan authority regain control of their country and get rid of the extremist elements that are perilous to the stability of the country.”
I was shocked to read the PM’s point of view. Speaking of “getting rid of the extremist elements that are perilous to the stability of the country” was totally ill-advised. There may not be a direct cause-effect relationship between the Maltese PM’s words and this abduction. But definitely he does not have any sense of diplomacy, time or gravitas as Lawrence Gonzi had in the time of the Libyan crisis.
Government insists it has a ‘Plan B’
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-07-25/news/maltese-worker-abducted-by-libyan-rebel-militia-5968101377/
‘Plan B’ … Bollocks.
Mela mhux hekk, u l-ambaxxutur qieghed hawn Malta trankwill. Prosit lil dawk kollha li ‘vvutaw lil dan il-porkerija ta’Gvern bi prova, jew ghax ma” nqdewx.
Unfortunately all these faux Libya – Malta MOUs (successors of those notorious pacts of friendship) paraded to great fanfare on the local press,contribute to a misconception that somehow Maltese should feel safer in Libya than foreign counterparts.
These MOUs / providing safe houses to overthrown politicians only endanger our countrymen. Not to mention that the government is thriving with ageing fanboys of Ghaddafi.
Once again we have backed the wrong horse – but at what cost?
There are still around 200 Maltese people in Libya.
I hope and pray that they are safe in that savage and wild place.
A good salary or wage is not worth risking your life for.
Muscat is appealing for prudence. Does he expect us all to go to the UK and issue gushing press releases saying what a wonderful impression we’re making?
The kidnap story’s been picked up by the international media and is racing round the world.
http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/9a539feab7d943129a3ed50fc370f3a5/EU–Malta-Libya-Kidnap
http://www.thepublicopinion.com/news/associated_press/national/europe/oil-company-worker-from-malta-is-abducted-in-libya/article_7672ca45-c0fb-5665-861d-8d19a35e02c4.html?mode=jqm
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/140573-maltese-worker-kidnapped-in-libya
http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/07/25/maltese-oil-worker-seized/#axzz38VO4ef5g
http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/9a539feab7d943129a3ed50fc370f3a5/EU–Malta-Libya-Kidnap
http://www.tribtown.com/view/story/9a539feab7d943129a3ed50fc370f3a5/EU–Malta-Libya-Kidnap
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/140725/maltese-worker-kidnapped-libya
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/oil-company-worker-malta-abducted-libya-24713878
http://www.startribune.com/world/268606792.html
The fact that Joseph Muscat was in London and Glasgow when he new that Martin Galea was abducted reminds me of Nero playing the harp whilst Rome burnt.
SHAME
If I’m not mistaken the United States of America asked its citizens to get out of Libya two months ago.
How can we be assured that this is not related to the harbouring of Libyan exiles in Malta by the Muscat administration?
You can’t be. We’re not allowed to talk about it.
http://www.independent.com.mt/mobile/2014-07-26/news/were-working-on-martin-galeas-abduction-say-government-sources-5976555524/