About 500 rejected asylum seekers forced their way out of a detention compound within the army's Safi barracks yesterday morning, leaving three slightly injured security personnel and wrecked classroom equipment in their wake.

A Detention Services officer was hurt in the eye when a cupful of bleach was thrown at him and another DS officer and a soldier from the army's Third Regiment were hit by stones thrown by the immigrants.

Two tents that served as an education centre for detained immigrants were ransacked. A computer, a projector, books and other classroom equipment were destroyed and set on fire.

The situation was brought under control within a couple of hours when the immigrants were forced back into the compound. A spokesman for the Home Affairs Ministry said "reasonable force" was used but no tear gas.

No injuries were reported to immigrants during the riot and throughout the riot squad's operation.

The disturbance started at around 7 a.m. when immigrants lodged in the detention facilities known as Warehouse A and B emerged onto the Safi barrack's main road after forcing open the doors and tearing down some fencing.

Some immigrants were protesting against their detention and others against being sent back home, army sources said.

Some of them may have got wind of the presence of African diplomats in Malta last week who were here to discuss the possibility of repatriating immigrants. No further details of this visit were available yesterday.

The vast majority of the immigrants remained in the compound but at least a couple escaped. The two, both Palestinian, managed to make their way to Marsascala where they were spotted by the police.

One of them was arrested but the other one jumped into the sea and wouldn't come back ashore when he was ordered to. The police had to call in a fisherman who took them out to the migrant, who was pulled out of the water and taken back to shore.

The rest of the immigrants within the barracks were soon contained by the army's riot squad, supported by a contingent from the police Special Assignment Group. An AFM helicopter was seen flying low overhead.

At the same time another disturbance occurred in Block B, a separate detention compound to the warehouses within the barracks, but this was immediately brought under control.

At about 9.25 a.m. soldiers and SAG personnel entered the compound to identify and arrest the ring leaders.

A thorough search was carried out by security personnel and the damaged fence and broken doors were replaced immediately.

Three immigrants deemed to be the ring leaders are expected to be arraigned today.

All three injured personnel were discharged from hospital soon after receiving treatment and the DS officer injured in the eye was seen again at Safi some two hours later.

The spokesman for the Home Affairs Ministry, which is responsible for the detention centres, confirmed that 600 immigrants housed in the two warehouses all had their application for asylum turned down.

The vast majority hail from western African countries. Yesterday's riot follows a similar although smaller incident that occurred in the closed centre at Lyster Barracks three weeks ago, although with a different motive.

Tunisian immigrants awaiting deportation had smashed windows, doors, and toilets and set mattresses on fire insisting that they wanted to be repatriated. Four Tunisians were subsequently jailed for six months each after admitting to causing extensive damage.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com