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Caruana Galizia case: Malta ex-corruption investigator fears for life | Caruana Galizia case: Malta ex-corruption investigator fears for life |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A former anti-corruption investigator in Malta has told BBC Newsnight he fears for his life after looking into allegations made by murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. | A former anti-corruption investigator in Malta has told BBC Newsnight he fears for his life after looking into allegations made by murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. |
Jonathan Ferris is seeking full police protection amid concerns he could be targeted after looking into her claims against top political figures. | Jonathan Ferris is seeking full police protection amid concerns he could be targeted after looking into her claims against top political figures. |
Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb near her home on 16 October. | Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb near her home on 16 October. |
She was known for a blog in which she accused powerful figures of corruption. | She was known for a blog in which she accused powerful figures of corruption. |
Prosecutors are looking into the possibility that her murder was carried out by hitmen on the orders of someone angered by her reporting. | Prosecutors are looking into the possibility that her murder was carried out by hitmen on the orders of someone angered by her reporting. |
The Maltese government has vowed to bring her killers to justice and offered a €1m (£890,000; $1.2m) reward for information. | The Maltese government has vowed to bring her killers to justice and offered a €1m (£890,000; $1.2m) reward for information. |
Why is Ferris frightened? | Why is Ferris frightened? |
One of the investigations Caruana Galizia was working on at the time of her death centred on allegations against the Maltese prime minister's chief of staff, Keith Schembri, and a senior minister called Konrad Mizzi. | One of the investigations Caruana Galizia was working on at the time of her death centred on allegations against the Maltese prime minister's chief of staff, Keith Schembri, and a senior minister called Konrad Mizzi. |
Caruana Galizia said they were both financial beneficiaries of secretive "shell" companies registered in Panama. | Caruana Galizia said they were both financial beneficiaries of secretive "shell" companies registered in Panama. |
Mr Mizzi and Mr Schembri were named in the Panama Papers, a massive data leak from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca in 2015. Both deny any wrongdoing and say their companies were never used. | Mr Mizzi and Mr Schembri were named in the Panama Papers, a massive data leak from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca in 2015. Both deny any wrongdoing and say their companies were never used. |
Mr Ferris says he was looking into the case last year while working at the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU), Malta's anti-money laundering agency. | Mr Ferris says he was looking into the case last year while working at the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU), Malta's anti-money laundering agency. |
But he was sacked in June from the FIAU because, he believes, his work threatened to uncover sensitive secrets. | But he was sacked in June from the FIAU because, he believes, his work threatened to uncover sensitive secrets. |
"We believe there was political interference," he told the BBC's Newsnight programme. | "We believe there was political interference," he told the BBC's Newsnight programme. |
The FIAU has denied this. The anti-money laundering agency told the BBC that Mr Ferris's dismissal was based "solely on an objective and comprehensive performance assessment". | The FIAU has denied this. The anti-money laundering agency told the BBC that Mr Ferris's dismissal was based "solely on an objective and comprehensive performance assessment". |
But Mr Ferris has now threatened to reveal information he discovered - "should something happen to me". | But Mr Ferris has now threatened to reveal information he discovered - "should something happen to me". |
"Following 16 October, and what happened to Daphne Caruana Galizia, I divided my work and my information into six different envelopes with specific notes," he said. | "Following 16 October, and what happened to Daphne Caruana Galizia, I divided my work and my information into six different envelopes with specific notes," he said. |
"They are distributed to six members of family and close friends, and should something happen to me abruptly - say I'm killed - all that information will go public at once." | "They are distributed to six members of family and close friends, and should something happen to me abruptly - say I'm killed - all that information will go public at once." |
Jason Azzopardi, a shadow justice ministry spokesman, said Mr Ferris's fears that he could be targeted were "realistic". | |
Scared enough to carry a gun | Scared enough to carry a gun |
By John Sweeney, BBC Newsnight | By John Sweeney, BBC Newsnight |
Malta is a house divided against itself. Supporters of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat applaud his economic boom while his detractors point to an enfeeblement of the rule of law - and the hard evidence for that is the assassination of his government's greatest critic, Daphne Caruana Galizia. | Malta is a house divided against itself. Supporters of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat applaud his economic boom while his detractors point to an enfeeblement of the rule of law - and the hard evidence for that is the assassination of his government's greatest critic, Daphne Caruana Galizia. |
Unease and anxiety are part of Maltese life. Former money laundering investigator Jonathan Ferris fears for his life enough to carry a gun, legally. | Unease and anxiety are part of Maltese life. Former money laundering investigator Jonathan Ferris fears for his life enough to carry a gun, legally. |
Immediately after our interview, he offered me a ride back to my hotel. We walked through the gloom of an underground car park to his car and suddenly I felt a stab of terror - that getting blown up was not impossible. | Immediately after our interview, he offered me a ride back to my hotel. We walked through the gloom of an underground car park to his car and suddenly I felt a stab of terror - that getting blown up was not impossible. |
Ferris turned the ignition and the engine started normally and I found myself laughing, too loud and too long. For a second or two, I had tasted the fear that grips those people in Malta who believe they know too much for their own good. | Ferris turned the ignition and the engine started normally and I found myself laughing, too loud and too long. For a second or two, I had tasted the fear that grips those people in Malta who believe they know too much for their own good. |
Watch:Malta's shame? The murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia - BBC Newsnight | |
What else was Caruana Galizia investigating? | What else was Caruana Galizia investigating? |
She alleged that a company owned by the Azerbaijani president's daughter paid $1m to a Panama company ultimately owned by the Maltese prime minister's wife, Michelle Muscat. | She alleged that a company owned by the Azerbaijani president's daughter paid $1m to a Panama company ultimately owned by the Maltese prime minister's wife, Michelle Muscat. |
Speaking to the BBC Newsnight's John Sweeney, Mr Muscat categorically denied that he or his wife had used secret offshore accounts to hide payments from Azerbaijan's ruling family - and hit back at Caruana Galizia's reports. | Speaking to the BBC Newsnight's John Sweeney, Mr Muscat categorically denied that he or his wife had used secret offshore accounts to hide payments from Azerbaijan's ruling family - and hit back at Caruana Galizia's reports. |
"I know I am in a quite uncomfortable situation having to criticise someone who has been killed brutally." | "I know I am in a quite uncomfortable situation having to criticise someone who has been killed brutally." |
But he added: "She didn't have any evidence because what she said was totally incorrect." | But he added: "She didn't have any evidence because what she said was totally incorrect." |
Mr Muscat also said Caruana Galizia's source was discredited. Caruana Galizia did not produce any documentary evidence to back up her allegation against the prime minister's wife. | Mr Muscat also said Caruana Galizia's source was discredited. Caruana Galizia did not produce any documentary evidence to back up her allegation against the prime minister's wife. |
In her popular blog, the journalist also alleged that Malta's Economics Minister Chris Cardona went to a brothel while at a conference in Germany in January 2017. | In her popular blog, the journalist also alleged that Malta's Economics Minister Chris Cardona went to a brothel while at a conference in Germany in January 2017. |
Mr Cardona denies any wrongdoing. He sued Caruana Galizia, saying he was in his hotel room at the time. That case is ongoing. | Mr Cardona denies any wrongdoing. He sued Caruana Galizia, saying he was in his hotel room at the time. That case is ongoing. |
Who killed her? | Who killed her? |
Three brothers - George and Alfred Degiorgio, aged 55 and 53, and Vincent Muscat, 55 - have been charged with murder and pleaded not guilty. | Three brothers - George and Alfred Degiorgio, aged 55 and 53, and Vincent Muscat, 55 - have been charged with murder and pleaded not guilty. |
Investigators say the killers detonated the bomb using a mobile phone on a boat offshore. They are looking into whom the suspects had contact with in the run-up to the killing. | Investigators say the killers detonated the bomb using a mobile phone on a boat offshore. They are looking into whom the suspects had contact with in the run-up to the killing. |
Friends of the journalist say they do not believe she investigated the three men charged with her killing. | Friends of the journalist say they do not believe she investigated the three men charged with her killing. |
"Daphne has never ever mentioned these three persons in none of her 20,000 articles," said Mr Azzopardi. | "Daphne has never ever mentioned these three persons in none of her 20,000 articles," said Mr Azzopardi. |
"It's an open secret that these are not the persons who commissioned the murder, and we will not rest until we find out who commissioned the murder and what was the motive." | "It's an open secret that these are not the persons who commissioned the murder, and we will not rest until we find out who commissioned the murder and what was the motive." |
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