AG ‘needs more time’ for decision on El Hiblu Three indictment

They stand accused of hijacking the container ship El Hiblu 1 in 2019, by allegedly coercing the captain into not transporting 108 rescued people back to Libya.

If indicted, Abdalla, Kader and Amara will have to face the prospect of life imprisonment in a criminal trial, otherwise their case will be decided by a magistrate.

Initially, Maltese authorities accused them of being the instigators in a ‘piracy incident’, charging them with multiple serious crimes, including terrorism-related offences.

A large number of the rescued migrants have contradicted the testimony of the captain, who was the only person to claim that some crew members had been injured.

The captain initially claimed that the crew had locked themselves in the bridge, telling Maltese authorities on the radio that the vessel was “under piracy”.

Abdalla, Kader and Amara have been denying any wrongdoing and are pleading not guilty.

Aditus Foundation and the international human rights NGOs Sea Watch and Amnesty International have repeatedly urged the Maltese authorities to drop the charges.