Safi councillor behind pro-Lowell Website

Safi's Nationalist deputy mayor Alexis Callus was one of the persons behind a Website which publicised yesterday's meeting addressed by Mr Lowell.

Contacted by The Sunday Times yesterday, Mr Callus confirmed he was involved in the running of www.uliedmalta.com, and that the Website had posted an internet "flyer" about the show of "solidarity" with the AFM addressed by Mr Lowell.

The "flyer", bearing the signature of Ulied Malta ("Sons of Malta"), had a white eight-pointed cross on a black background with details of Mr Lowell's activity, together with another Web link where visitors could find directions on how to reach Safi.

Ulied Malta posted the flyer on www.avemelita.com, an Internet forum for ultra-rightists who link illegal immigrants with terrorism, carry quotes by Hitler and hail the fans of Lazio, the Italian football club, for booing black players.

"I was not alone in conceiving and running www.uliedmalta.com As you also know, the Website has now been removed completely as we didn't want to be labelled racists," Mr Callus said.

Mr Callus was the president of the Junior College students' council between 1996 and 1997, and became involved in the MZPN, the PN's youth movement. He successfully contested the council elections at Safi last year.

Asked why his Website had advertised Mr Lowell's meeting, Mr Callus said his intention had not been to incite hatred. He said he was not going to participate in the meeting as it was not "in line with the Nationalist Party's policy".

"Everyone has a right to express an opinion and we never advocated racism on our Website. Yet, it is true that what you write may be interpreted wrongly," he said.

"It was not a good idea," Mr Callus said referring to the flyer posted on www.avemelita.com "Racism should always be condemned," he added.

Contacted yesterday, PN general secretary Joe Saliba said he had no knowledge of the Website, and least of all that PN members occupying a public position were involved.

"The Nationalist Party's policies are based on the principle of solidarity, and this has no barriers. It goes beyond racial differences, beliefs, ethnic differences and so on," Mr Saliba said.

The Nationalist Party had, on several occasions, publicly spoken against the ideas expressed by Mr Lowell, Mr Saliba said.

"Violence is unacceptable in all circumstances. Hatred of any category of human beings is fundamentally against the beliefs of the party," Mr Saliba said.

After The Times on Friday reported that www.uliedmalta.com , an unregistered Website, had advertised Mr Lowell's activity, the Website was temporarily closed. By yesterday morning, it had been completely removed.

However, printouts show that Ulied Malta is a group of youths declaring themselves "instigators" of a radical rightist policy. The group with "nationalist" tendencies, wants to protect and conserve Maltese "traditional values".

"Ulied Malta can be considered as a political and cultural unity. Politically we look towards the right. Ethically we look towards a Catholic formation," the Website said.

The "Sons of Malta" meet in a cell, referred to in the Website as faxxu, a reference to the Italian fascio, or organised group, with strong Fascist undertones and terminology.

"To be a member of Ulied Malta is to accept the beliefs. It is up to the individuals to pronounce themselves as members of Ulied Malta and not up to the faxxu, but it is only through the faxxu that a camerata (member of the group) can be recognised and counted."