Bomb found at policeman's door

A quiet morning with the family could have turned into a nightmare for a police sergeant yesterday when he discovered a ticking bomb just outside his front door - it did not go off.

At about 7.45 a.m., Joseph Abdilla, 55, was on his way out to buy pins for his Christmas decorations when he noticed the metal bomb ticking on the first step, tucked against the door of his house in Santa Maria Convoy Street, Mqabba, his wife Josephine recounted.

"I heard him shouting: 'Look what they did to us'. When I rushed to see what had happened he shouted that there was a bomb and warned me to stay away," Mrs Abdilla said, still under shock.

Mrs Abdilla said that her husband picked up the bomb and flung it away from the house onto the centre strip across the road.

He then moved his car further away. Members of the explosives ordnance department and the Armed Forces immediately cordoned off the area and then detonated the bomb.

Police said in a statement that the bomb was not a powerful one. It was made from a tin of paint, measuring 10 by 12 centimetres, and tied around with rope, complete with a timer and batteries.

Investigations on the detonator revealed it contained smokeless powder, used in shotgun cartridges.

"Our devotion to Our Lady has protected us from harm," Mrs Abdilla said, breaking down in tears.

Mrs Abdilla said their bedroom and that of their 12-year-old son lie just over the front door.

"We never heard a thing during the night and our dog usually sleeps in the basement because otherwise it would have brought the house down with barking," she said.

Mrs Abdilla recounted that her husband was originally scheduled to start his work day at about 5 a.m., but since he forms part of the police band he was due to cross to Gozo at 1 p.m. to take part in the Republic Day celebrations.

"We woke up at about 7.15 a.m. and after a light breakfast we started to decorate the house for Christmas. My husband then decided to go and buy some pins and that's when he discovered the bomb," she said

"We have no suspicion as to who may be behind this devious plot. I guess forming part of the police force means you make some enemies - but it could be anybody."

Mrs Abdilla also said that for the past eight months she had been receiving anonymous telephone calls on her land line and mobile phone.

"Once the caller even told me that my husband had died in a horrible car accident - the calls only stopped a month ago," she said.

Mr Abdilla, who has been in the force for 34 years, refused to let this incident disrupt his day and he still attended the celebrations in Gozo.

Duty magistrate Giovanni Grixti was informed and appointed several experts to help him in the inquiry.

Police are carrying out further investigations.