PN and NET retract ‘Byron Camilleri blames magistrate’ claim in Swieqi raid

House Speaker Anġlu Farrugia said Wednesday that the Nationalist Party and Net News will not be summoned before the House Privileges Committee, after they corrected statements that claimed that the home affairs minister had in parliament blamed a magistrate for a botched police raid in Swieqi.   

Last week, Farrugia ordered the PN and Net News to correct the statements after he upheld a complaint by the minister, Byron Camilleri. On Monday he said the party and Net were in prima facie breach of privilege after having ignored his order. He said he was referring them to the Privileges Committee for further action.  

But on Wednesday, Farrugia said that after delivering his ruling on Monday, the PN requested a meeting with the Chair and explained that there was a misunderstanding regarding the wording of the correction required by last week's ruling. 

Following an explanation, the statements were corrected, the Speaker said, and there was no longer a need for further action before the committee.    

The issue arose after four Swieqi residents filed a judicial protest demanding police webcam footage as they recounted how 15 heavily armed police officers dressed in black and wearing balaclavas forced their way into their apartment, pointed guns at them and handcuffed them. They were subsequently not charged with anything. The residents said the incident caused immense psychological trauma and distress due to the lack of identification and violent conduct.

In a brief statement on Tuesday afternoon, the police said the officers involved in the raid were executing warrants issued by the duty magistrate.