Bomb attack on senior police officer

An Appeals Court will hand down judgment in two weeks' time on Emmanuel Camilleri, who was jailed for 35 years and fined €116,500 in 2005 for the attempted murder of Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar and his family.

Mr Camilleri, known as Leli l-Bully, was found guilty of planting a bomb outside the house of Mr Cassar, who was an inspector in the drug squad at the time, and of trying to murder the officer and his family on May 23, 1995. The court, made up of Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano, Mr Justice David Scicluna and Mr Justice Joseph Filletti, yesterday heard the testimony of Catherine Abdilla.

Mrs Abdilla's son, who has since died of leukaemia, had been shot and Mr Camilleri had been charged with the crime, only to be acquitted of seriously injuring him in a 2005 trial by jury.

She told the court her son knew Mr Camilleri and whenever the accused was mentioned in the media in connection with the bomb, Mr Abdilla would remark what a kind-hearted man he was.

Six weeks before he succumbed to the disease, he confided in her that Mr Camilleri had never shot him, she testified.

The three judges said that after meticulously examining all the evidence they were ready to finalise the judgment and put the case off to February 25.