A Libyan newspaper claimed today that a ransom may have been paid for the release of Maltese oil worker Martin Galea yesterday.

The Libya Herald quoted intelligence sources which, however, did not say who paid the money or how much was paid.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday that no ransom request was ever made to the Maltese government, and none was paid.

Times of Malta been previously reported that a ransom request of €400,000 had been made to Mr Galea's employer Arab Geophysical Exploration Services Company.

Sources in Libya told Times of Malta that normally, if a ransom was paid in such cases, it was some 10 per cent of the original.

The circumstances of Galea’s abduction and release have not been disclosed. The Herald said that according to one report, he was seized at the Ain Zara bridge, near Fornaj, by a militia group from Suq Al Juma, but this has not been confirmed.

Mr Galea was held for 11 days and was flown to Malta within hours of being released late yesterday afternoon.

He was debriefed by the Security Service last night after a medical check-up at Mater Dei Hospital. He is now resting at home.

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