Updated 10.40am with Busuttil comments

The security services had received both “generic and specific” information on possible Russian retribution over decisions taken by Malta, Joseph Muscat said.

However, the Prime Minister insisted he would not speculate when asked by journalists whether he personally believed the revelation that the Egrant story was a concoction of the Russian secret service.

“Yesterday I was asked a specific question by a journalist on a story that was published in an intelligence publication and I confirmed that we had been alerted by foreign agencies of possible Russian retribution… I believe that we were alerted and will not speculate further,” Dr Muscat said this morning in Buskett.

Read: Muscat raises spectre of Russian election meddling, Busuttil says claims 'ridiculous'

He reiterated that he had no information on whether the woman, a former Pilatus Bank employee at the heart of the Egrant story, was connected to the claims.

He confirmed that the alerts received from foreign intelligence agencies were both generic and more specific to the Egrant case.

Dr Muscat again challenged Opposition leader Simon Busuttil to state whether he would resign if the Egrant inquiry found that the allegations were completely untrue.

Security committee not called - Busuttil

Speaking at Dock One this morning, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil was dismissive when asked about the Russian intelligence claims, saying that the response on social media was enough to show how ridiculous they were.

“This show the level to which Joseph Muscat has fallen. I ask him to keep some sense of proportion: I doubt that Putin would waste any time thinking about Malta.

“Had there been anything serious in the allegations, don’t you think that the security committee – on which I sit – would have been convened? The fact that it wasn't shows this was just a ridiculous claim. The timeline shows that the refuelling of the Russian ship [which is at the centre of the claims] occurred months after the Egrant whistleblower worked at Pilatus.”

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