Stop complaining at roadblocks - AFM

N.Tanti

Apr 1st 2010, 11:47

Is this guy coming back to our country? He should...

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/entertainment/legalise-it-says-sting-452246.html

Dennis Zammit

Mar 30th 2010, 22:59

In many civilised countries, the Armed Forces are NOT allowed to do policing duties on the territory except during a ware or by a special Presidential degree when an emergency happens. They have no rights on civil roads.

In Malta, this is not the same. Having close family in the Police force, I personally was verbally abused and victimised by unmarked soldiers just because they where fully armed in a busy road in an early evening. Apart from the fact that there is a serious risk that all that engaged weapons could cause an accident, surely tax paying and law abiding citizens should not be bullied by these soldiers who just have no limit on what they can do to anyone in the street.

How dare they bully people? Where are our rights? Why should we stop complaining if the system is not being used the right way or is wrong? So the AFM wants us to stop and put down our pants? How about showing their names clearly visible on their uniforms and be liable to complaints just like the Police internal affairs?

joseph bugeja

Mar 30th 2010, 20:29

@Carmelo Aquilina. Is replying to something bringing disrepute considered arrogant?
@Lionel Brincat. If you want to address the AFM, the I'd suggest you'd do so. With this post, you are not getting anything if you've got a point that is. All you're getting is me knowing about your case. Or is it public support you want?
@Miguel Micallef. Again, if you had your daughter frisked by a male, you should seek legal advice properly and not mumble about it on a forum. If my daughter got that I would seek advice cause it is serious and it makes me wonder that if you did not, probably you are not credible enough maybe?
If you all want the AFM roadblocks to seize then voice good reasons to the authorities, but by pointing out bad practices, which I am sure do not take place by professional people on the ground is not going to get you anywhere. These people are not the same soldiers that used to be in the job in my days, 20years ago, these are career people, think on it.
Pointing Guns or carrying guns? Being arrogant or assertive? do refer to a dictionary before typing

Oscar Cassar

Mar 30th 2010, 19:30

Let us stop as if being a war zone. Say NO to Routine Military stop and search checkpoints in Malta

Adrian Borg Cardona

Mar 30th 2010, 18:01

My daughter and her friend went out for a quick bite after studying all day. They were stopped by an AFM roadblock. Apart from wasting her time, my daughter says the soldiers were rude and aggressive. They even threw my daughter's licence at her - when there was absolutely no need to. This to me is unacceptable behaviour. It seems they just enjoyed terrifying two young girls. Pity the soldiers do not have markings to identify them, like the police. I feel disgusted at the those below supporting such behaviour.

Patrick Zahra

Mar 30th 2010, 17:38

Keep up the good work! Your road blocks make the streets safer for honest people!

smifsud

Mar 30th 2010, 17:04

look we need to have some kind of road blocks for drunk drivers,bad drivers ,drugs and so on ..but a Road block has to be conducted with all rights protected to the public being searched ...and if they find something illegal then proceed accordingly to detain the driver or occupants of that vehicle...and finally it should be done by the Police not some machine gun happy AFM who is looking for a hero biscuit !!!

Evarist Saliba

Mar 30th 2010, 16:35

May I suggest that that this dialogue on roadblocks, manned by the military to check on infringements of the law, is misplaced.
I do not think that this is a policy created by the armed forces to keep their members occupied. Such a policy must have been introduced, and maintained, by and under, all goverments during the last three decades, if not more.
The AFM are carrying out their duty according to government policy.

Complaints should be addressed to the right quarters.

J Farrugia

Mar 30th 2010, 14:50

Those who abide by the law, have nothing to be afraid of. only baddies and arrogant persons are afraid of being stopped and searches. yes we need these roadblocks. And for those soldiers who act arrogantly, these may be reported to their superior officers and rest assured that action will be taken against abusers. It happened under Brig Vassallo and those found guilty were severerly punished. More so under the new Brig. Xuereb. The law gives authority to the AFM to act in assistance of the Police and it has been there for more than 30 years. Infact it was Mintoff who enacted this law. And criminals get caught in these roadbnlocks.

Tina Zammit

Mar 30th 2010, 14:22

Stop complaining people. The AFM's doing a great service when it catches drug dealers and the sort during its roadblocks. Mishaps do happen...so what. Would you rather have these few individuals running about free, pushing drugs to your kids? I wouldn't. Well done and keep it up, AFM.

Kieron O'connor

Mar 30th 2010, 13:56

The smarter than average bear will note from this article that the military has "procedures" for these searches, which dont include "strip searches".
i.e. you the public have legal rights when it comes to being stopped and searched. Find out exactly what your legal rights are and dont be afraid to stand up for your legal rights during these searches.

J. Debono

Mar 30th 2010, 13:54

I have been noting that people in general abuse of the words 'free', 'freedom' etc.

Actually in a civilized country we cannot be 'free'.

I am not free to rob, kill, threaten, be in possession of dangerous chemicals (drugs), etc.

And that is where the police force and army come in, to prevent the 'freedom' of driving without licence or insurance, drinking and driving, carrying arms or illegal substances etc.

Can someone please answer me this?

How can the authorities find a person who is driving without a licence/insurance, without doing random checks on drivers whilst driving, i.e. roadblocks?

I am not saying that I am in favour of roadblocks, but I will be the first to admit that they are there for the general good.

carmelo aquilina

Mar 30th 2010, 12:46

If this is the attitude of the AFM in its public statements then it is no wonder that people are complaining of arrogance and disprespect. How can people who have a greviance get justice? How can the AFM learn from its mistakes if it denies that it can ever make a mistake and calls people liars ? How can the public have confidence in the AFM if it is publicly threatening to prosecute people who do not "collaborate" ? The European Court of Human Rights ruling should be a warning for the AFM manning road blocks that having carried them out for 30 years is not a justification .

John Azzopardi

Mar 30th 2010, 12:29

Those roadblocks are needed and more should be done to reduce our drug infested island. We can start of course with controlling the inflow via container ships and having tougher security our airport. People who complain have only something to hide. Keep it up AFM.

Jason Borg

Mar 30th 2010, 12:14

Kollox qed isir illegali, u dak li hu illegali naghmluh legali.

Reg Fitzpatrick

Mar 30th 2010, 12:09

I just hope some of the moaners who whinge on about AFM roadblocks read the tragic stories of young people dying from drug abuse in this morning’s Times.

Drug abuse is one of the modern day scourges in our society and all measures taken to stamp it out are fully justified. Let’s protect our young people from themselves!

Keep up the good work AFM and increase your roadblocks if necessary. I certainly don’t mind the inconvenience if it results in saving one young life of misery.

renald williams

Mar 30th 2010, 11:39

afm boys and girls in green, and police boys and girls in blue, thanks for your work, not complaints, peace

Lionel Brincat

Mar 30th 2010, 11:37

Dear AFM spokesman,

My story published on last Sunday’s article was not false. I'm not against road blocks, but I'm against the abusive claims of certain personnel. It was an officer of a higher ranking than the soldier who noticed that the thing on the ground was not drugs and let me go.

Kindly note that I had co-operated with the AFM personnel and had obeyed all their orders & gave them the documents (i.e. ID, Driving license) they asked for, but obviously, if a soldier claims that I had thrown drugs & I'm 100% aware that I had never touched drugs, I'm not going to admit that I had thrown drugs as claimed by him, and reply against his claims and stick to my point.

I must also say that I had been stopped in 2 other road blocks and was asked to show them the driving license and was let go immediately without problems.

How would you feel if when an officer spends 10minutes claiming that you had thrown drugs from yourself (i.e. pockets, wallet) when it was evident (following frisk & pocket/wallet search) that you did not have drugs?

I'll conclude my post with the above question.

joseph grech

Mar 30th 2010, 11:34

KEEP IT UP GUYS! NO, I DON'T MEAN THOSE WHO ARE WRITING IN WITH THEIR SILLY SELFISH AND CHILDISH UTTERANCES AGAINST ROADBLOCKS. I MEAN, KEEP IT UP AFM!

If one has nothing to hide or to fear, then what can properly conducted roadblocks do...except make Malta a safer place. Yes, keep it up AFM...and THANK YOU!

L.Ellul

Mar 30th 2010, 11:16

stop complaining or you'll face harsher consequences, now that's what i call professionalism by the AFM. Can the AFM publish the statistics about the age groups and what sort of cars they usually have suspicion in carrying drugs, weapons, driving without license and what gives them the 'hunch' to stop the vehicle etc because in my opinion it's always the same age group and same cars they stop. I was stopped a couple of times when i used to drive my old banger with tined glass, only for them to find nothing and wasting my time.

Ramon Casha

Mar 30th 2010, 10:49

What arrogant hogwash!! "The roadblocks are for your own good and if you complain we'll cause more trouble for you." The attitude shown by this "AFM spokesman" demonstrates exactly why these random roadblocks should be stopped immediately and only resorted to if there are actual grounds for suspicion. Being within a certain age bracket at certain times of the night is not in itself grounds for suspicion.

Miguel Micallef

Mar 30th 2010, 10:46

Dear AFM, the public will stop complaining at roadblocks - when the AFM no longer holds them.

Simple!

I would like to ask the AFM the same stupid question certain people ask about drugs. Would you point the assault rifle to your daughter's face? Ask her exactly where she's going and where she's been? Pry her legs open and touch her all over? Would you? If she doesn't satisfy your curiosity, will you whisk her off for a full body nude search?

So think before fighting for your 'right' to invade other people's life, just to have a job, will you?

Roderick Zammit

Mar 30th 2010, 10:06

use dogs and be less invasive. next time we will be microchipped and everyone will know were are and what we do. are we in jail? or a free country.

P Vella

Mar 30th 2010, 10:05

I am very concerned to read that these road blocks still go on to this day and are carried out in this invasive manner. I speak in this way since I have been living in the heart of Europe for several years ... and I have never come across anything of the sort in this part of the world.

I remember what road blocks were like around 10 years ago and apparently things have not improved. One episode which I remember ... was being stoped in a roadblock ... using military tactics ... i.e. a roadblock just past a corner so that drivers are ambushed into the road block ... being surrounded by around 6 soldiers pointing machine guns...with no reasonable suspicion of any sort ... thoroughly searching the car as well as the driver and passenger to obviously find absolutely NOTHING.

If road blocks and searches are still going on in this way this is a DISGRACE...I have nothing to hide but no petty argument can justify such invasive measures.

I have never heard of the Malta Police acting in this way ... if soldiers have been trained for war perhaps they should be trained for times of peace

Matthew Borg

Mar 30th 2010, 09:42

So it's really a case of big brother is watching you.

I, for one, if involved in a roadblock, would ask prefer to ask for the police instead of the AFM. Especially if the AFM continue to display such an arrogant attitude!

Darren J. Galea

Mar 30th 2010, 09:40

From reading this it is clear that the AFM are not given any worthwhile tasks by the authorities and rather than whiling away their time whittling sticks in barracks they spill out onto the streets venting their collective spleen on joe public.

In other countries army has numerous areas of responsibility for the common good. Apparently this is not the case locally - shame. It may be an idea to give them something to do to alleviate their boredom that doesn't impinge on the public's privacy or else disband this force altogether.