Victim-operated device probable cause of blast

Charles Butler, who was seriously hurt in an explosion at his garage in Birzebbuga on Wednesday afternoon, was still in critical condition yesterday, police sources said.

Mr Butler was sorting some tyres at the time and his 16-year-old son, another man and this man's 21-year-old son were outside with tyres they were about to buy from Mr Butler. These three were not injured

Meanwhile, the police have established that the explosion was caused by a bomb. The police sources said it was still too early to draw conclusions about its origins or who planted it. The bomb was most probably a "victim operated device", relatively small and containing a few hundred grammes of high explosives.

Although access to the garage was relatively easy through the back, the police are baffled as to how anyone who entered could have managed to leave without leaving any trace.

It was also possible that the bomb had been placed inside the garage some time ago, the sources said.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera appointed Prof. Alfred Vella, Col. Albert Camilleri, pharmacist Mario Mifsud and architect Valerio Schembri to assist in the inquiry.

A number of people were being questioned by the police.

This is not the first time Mr Butler has been the victim of an attack.

A garage belonging to him in Zabbar was extensively damaged by arson in June 1997.

In February 1998, a four-kilogramme bomb was placed under his van but was detected before it went off.

A few years ago, Mr Butler was convicted in Italy in connection with ferrying illegal immigrants and was given a suspended jail sentence.