Bomb found on Qormi road

A bomb found by refuse collectors in the middle of a road in Qormi yesterday morning was most likely meant to be used against a witness in a murder case, police sources said yesterday.

The bomb was noticed in the middle of Dun Guzepp Vella Street, a narrow road, by refuse collectors who initially threw it into a refuse container. However, one of the refuse collectors suspected it could be a bomb and placed it back in the middle of the road where it had been.

A resident called the police who in turn alerted the army explosives ordnance unit.

Using special equipment, bomb disposal soldiers rendered the bomb safe and handed it over to the police. The device consisted of a spray can, filled with about 300 grams of high explosive. Apart from a battery and two detonators, it also had a powerful magnet, leading the police to suspect that someone had attached the bomb to the underside of a car but , fortunately for the driver, the bomb had then fell off.

The police are conducting tests on a car belonging to a person who lives close to where the bomb was found in order to establish whether the device had in fact been attached to his car.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima was informed and appointed a number of experts, including Col. Albert Camilleri, to assist in the inquiry.

Supt. Pierre Calleja and Insp. Silvio Valletta are heading investigations.