Man denies planting bomb at police officer's house

A man yesterday denied he had planted a bomb on the doorstep of the home of a police officer and his family 10 years ago.

Emmanuel Camilleri, known as Leli L-Bully, decided to testify in his own defence after Assistant Attorney General Anthony Barbara, prosecuting in the trial by jury, declared he had no more evidence.

Camilleri, 40, of Mqabba is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar and his family and endangering their lives when he caused an explosion on May 23, 1994.

He is also pleading not guilty to trafficking in heroin and cocaine between May 1994 and June 1998 and seriously injuring Marco Abdilla when he shot him in the leg on March 21, 1998.

In his testimony before Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, Camilleri explained that the nickname Il-Bully was inherited from his grandfather whose name was Emanuel and known as Leli Il-Bully. For this reason, he and his cousin, who was also called Emmanuel, were sometimes referred to asLeli L-Bully.

He said he got to know Charles Muscat, known as Il-Pips, through football. In 1994 Muscat started abusing drugs and Camilleri stopped frequenting him. Round about the same time Muscat started blaming him for problems with his wife.

"In September 1994, when the double murder took place, I was in Burmarrad. I heard Charles Muscat mentioned in the media and since I knew him I stayed in Burmarrad because I was scared he'd kill me as he was angry at me because he thought I tried to seduce his wife."

Eventually, Camilleri said, when he went home the police went for him and took him to the headquarters where they questioned him about Muscat.

"I first met Michael Cassar (who was an inspector at the time) when he came to search my house later on that day. There he (the officer) introduced himself as the person at whose house I had planted a bomb and I told him I did not even know him let alone plant a bomb at his home," he said.

In a confrontation, later the high ranking officer denied introducing himself to Camilleri and said that when Camilleri went to pat him on the back during the search he tried hard and managed not to mention anything about the bomb.

Asked if he ever told Muscat he had planted the bomb, Camilleri said: "I could have never spoken to Charles (Muscat) about a bomb because I never planted one... When Charles started taking drugs he turned against me," he said.

Camilleri said that after the bomb blast the police had questioned him about the incident and that was that. The case then resurfaced four years later, in 1998.

When asked how he could explain that the late Marco Abdilla had released a statement telling the police he (Camilleri) told him he had planted the bomb, Camilleri said Abdilla and Muscat had been in jail together.

Camilleri said he first met Abdilla a few weeks before he was arraigned over planting the bomb in 1998. Someone told him that Abdilla, whom he had never met before, had released a police statement saying he (Camilleri) was involved in the bomb incident. Some time later Sammy Ritchie asked to meet him (Camilleri) and when he went to meet Ritchie he was introduced to Abdilla.

The men went in a car where they spoke about the statement. When the conversation was over Ritchie informed Camilleri he had just recorded their conversation.

Camilleri said that Abdilla's statement, in which he said Camilleri had planted the bomb, was all an invention.

Asked again if he ever spoke to Abdilla about having planted the bomb he said: "I swear I never spoke to Marco Abdilla. May God punish me if I'm lying".

Earlier, Charles Muscat said he had first met Camilleri sometime around 1990 as they both liked football and they became friends. When asked if Camilleri even mentioned a bomb to him he replied: "No. What bomb? He never mentioned a bomb".

Dr Barbara reminded him that when he released a statement, under oath, in the presence of a magistrate, he had said that Camilleri told him he had manufactured the bomb and planted it on the doorstep of Michael Cassar's home because he had arrested Michael Micallef, known as It- Tikka.

Muscat said he did not remember saying that. He explained that when he released the statement he was not well. He did not remember saying what he said although he was aware it was in the statement because he read it several times after he had released it.

"I don't even remember killing two people let alone saying this," he said.

The trial continues this morning.

Dr Michael Sciriha and Dr John Attard Montalto are appearing for Camilleri.