Monday, 6th October 2008 - 18:13CET

MLP says MITTS case involves 'political and commercial spying'

The Labour Party this afternoon described the current investigations at MITTS as “a most serious case of political and commercial spying” and said IT minister Austin Gatt was saying that comments were inappropriate at this stage, while making his own.

The party said that on September 23 the minister confirmed that a police investigation was under way, but said allegations about the case were “a pack of lies”.

Today Dr Gatt had confirmed that investigations were continuing, but also spoke of baseless speculation.

The MLP said such comments were unacceptable as they prejudiced the police investigations and gave the impression that the minister did not know what was happening. They also constituted unacceptable pressure on the police investigations.

It was very dangerous for the minister to deny facts which were supposedly still under investigation. Clearly, Dr Gatt was very uncomfortable that this serious case of political and commercial spying had come out in public. Were it up to him, everything would have been kept under wraps, the MLP said.

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Comments

Joseph Micallef (on 7/10/08)

Why is everyone talking about Political and Commercial spying - and just that? As if all life revolves around just those things! What about the common public servant who used his .gov.mt email and had things he said spied upon? What about the common person who sent emails, even revealing personal things, to MP's - asking them for help for example? Why does it always have to revolve around JUST politics!?

G.Camilleri (on 7/10/08)

The MITTS-GATE cuold shed new light on whether private emails belonging to Labour Youths splashed on Il-Mument months before the general election were actually the result of some hacking. Both the former president and secretary general of FZL had a gov.mt account. Questions require answers, and heads should roll if we really believe in accountability.

J Farrugia (on 6/10/08)

Am I reading correctly? The MLP accusing the Minister of commenting on the issue? It's the MLP which is commenting baselessly on this issue and not vice versa. The Minister is just saying that all the jitters in the media are a pack of lies. At least that's what I am reading right now. No comments nothing. It's the media and the MLP who are commenting on this very important investigation. The Government is not commenting because the Commissioner of Police has suggested to the Minister to ignore the media at this delicate moment in the investigations. When will they stop jeopardizing criminal cases? Is the MLP the same as before? Joseph or no Joseph.