A magistrate yesterday started hearing evidence in two separate cases against Norman Lowell, leader of the far right movement Imperium Europa, who is charged with inciting racial hatred.

Magistrate Giovanni Grixti heard Police Superintendent Peter Paul Zammit, prosecuting, testify in the two cases against Mr Lowell.

In the first case, Mr Lowell was charged over an article posted on the website Maltafly.com in October 2002.

In the second case, Mr Lowell was charged in connection with a public meeting held on January 22 this year, soon after the incidents at Safi barracks during a protest by illegal immigrants.

At the start of the sitting, Magistrate Grixti considered an application filed by Mr Lowell's lawyers who called on the court to revoke a court ruling in which Mr Lowell was found to be in contempt of court and fined Lm60 for not turning up for a previous court sitting.

The court upheld the request after hearing that Mr Lowell was abroad between May 20 and June 20 and, therefore, was not home when, on June 2, he was served with the summons to appear in court last month.

Superintendent Zammit then read out the charge in the first case in which Mr Lowell is being accused of writing an article that could incite racial hatred in the website Maltafly.com.

Under examination Mr Lowell, 58, defined himself as an "artist and author" and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Superintendent Zammit explained that following several complaints about an article, posted on October 25, 2002, that had appeared on the website, the police investigated the matter and spoke to Mr Lowell who released a statement in which he accepted that he was the author of the document in question.

In light of the statement, the police sought legal advice and charges were issued against Mr Lowell.

Replying to a question by Mr Lowell's lawyers, the witness read out extracts from the article which he believed could incite racial hatred. In his article Mr Lowell quoted foreign leaders, authors and even the Bible's views about Jews.

In the second case, Mr Lowell pleaded not guilty to inciting racial hatred during a public meeting on January 22.

Superintendent Zammit exhibited a recording of the meeting as downloaded from the internet and said he also had a police recording that had the same content.

In Republic Street, Valletta yesterday - where the law courts are located - flyers were being distributed about the court case.

A section of the flyer read: "Normal Lowell is defending me and you as well as the Armed Forces of Malta with his actions. He is being persecuted because he speaks the truth about the future of our nation and its people".

The cases were put off to September 15.

Lawyers Emmy Bezzina and Ian Farrugia appeared for Mr Lowell.

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