Inmates missing in Tunisia return as evacuees

The chaos in Libya worked in favour of two Maltese men who managed to obtain travel papers to return home after fleeing from a Tunisian jail during the revolution there last month.

Thomas Camilleri and Glenn Paul Xuereb, both 22, arrived in Malta on Wednesday after they went missing when they fled a Tunisian prison during a massive breakout in January.

They were awaiting trial after they were caught at Tunis airport in July trying to leave for Malta allegedly carrying 70 kilograms of cannabis.

Following the breakout, they eventually made their way to neighbouring Libya and eventually to Tripoli where they were issued temporary travel documents to flee with the rest of the foreigners being evacuated from the troubled north African state in their droves.

As soon as they arrived to Malta, they were arrested and held for questioning as police are trying to determine whether they were involved in any drug-related crimes in Malta, sources said. They are likely to be released later today after the legal 48-hour arrest period elapses.

The sources said that, given the situation in Tunisia, from where the prisoners were technically released during the unrest, the two are likely to get away without having to face trial. “I think the two Maltese youngsters are the last thing on the Tunisian government’s mind,” the source said.

Mr Camilleri and Mr Xuereb had been detained at the Messadine jail in Sousse, about 140 kilometres from the capital. They denied any wrongdoing.

After a prison went up in flamesabout 20 kilometres further south, leaving 42 people dead during the Tunisia riots, the authorities feared similar incidents and allowed prisoners to leave. Messadine may have been one of these prisons, which means the legal situation of the young men is very anomalous, raising questions about whether they could be considered fugitives.

They went missing for several weeks and never made contact with the Maltese Embassy in Tunisia although they did contact their relatives in Malta.

When Mr Camilleri, of Gżira, and Mr Xuereb, of San Ġwann, made it to Libya they obtained a one-time travel document from .the Maltese Embassy to travel to Malta, the sources said.

The police were informed about this and they held the men on their arrival on Wednesday at about 6 p.m. Relatives, who waited for them at the terminal, did not manage to speak to them, the sources said.

If the Malta police unearth evidence linking Mr Camilleri and Mr Xuereb to drug dealing in Malta, they could be prosecuted. If not, they are likely to be set free.

Malta and Tunisia have an extradition treaty but Tunis would first have to make a formal extradition request if they want them back. Such a request had not been made yet and was unlikely to be made, the sources said.