What happened to the ‘third bomb’ acquired by alleged Daphne bomb suppliers?
Explosion injured Kevin Ellul, known as 'id-Double O'
A "third bomb" acquired by the men allegedly behind journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination is believed to have detonated in a Għargħur garage in 2018.
Details about the third device emerged on Friday during the trial by jury of four men accused of supplying the Caruana Galizia bomb and killing lawyer Carmel Chircop.
Investigations into the journalist's murder revealed the existence of three bombs: One had maimed Romeo Bone in an explosion at Msida Circus in February 2017. The other was used to murder Caruana Galizia eight months later.
The third device is believed to have detonated in the Għargħur garage, injuring Kevin Ellul, known as “id-Double O.”
Reports from the time of the May 2018 explosion in a small agricultural storeroom in Għargħur indicate that investigators were unsure whether Ellul was the intended target.
Investigators at the time believed that the bomb was still being manufactured when it detonated.
Police sources had said Ellul was known to have links with a group whose members had been investigated in connection with suspected drug trafficking.
Information about the third bomb emerged in court on Friday morning during evidence given by police inspector Kurt Zahra.
Zahra was testifying in the trial by jury of four men accused of supplying the Caruana Galizia bomb and killing lawyer Carmel Chircop.
Adrian Agius, Robert Agius, Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio are all pleading not guilty to those charges.
The case against them moved ahead after Muscat il-Koħħu agreed to turn state’s witness in exchange for a presidential pardon in the Chircop case and 15-year jail sentence for his role in assassinating Caruana Galizia.