Police are still in the dark about the motive behind a powerful bomb that caused extensive damage to the Żurrieq home of a police inspector early yesterday morning.

The “highly explosive” device went off at about 4.45 am just below the bedroom where Geoffrey Azzopardi’s three children were sleeping in their house in Blue Grotto Avenue.

On being awoken by the violent blast, Mr Azzopardi ran to check on his two boys and girl, aged between 13 and seven, who were unhurt. In shock, Mr Azzopardi, his wife and their children exited the home through a secondary door.

Within minutes, police officers, medical staff, forensic experts and army personnel were already arriving on site.

Investigators immediately started working to find out what could lie behind the explosion.

After serving for a number of years in the immigration section and the Ħamrun police station, Mr Azzopardi moved to the force’s EU funds office earlier this year. Previously, he served in the criminal investigation department.

Mr Azzopardi would only say he “had no idea” why he had been the target of a bomb attack. Evidently still in shock, he said he preferred not to comment.

Investigators were last night still trying to piece together the bomb’s components, establish the type of explosive used and determine whether it was homemade. However, its effect was described as “highly explosive” and “extremely powerful”.

That was evident in the damage it caused. Some partition walls in the ground floor of Mr Azzopardi’s residence collapsed and others were badly damaged with the blast, which moved furniture and household items. Underpinning equipment had to be used to stop the structure from collapsing.

The front door was destroyed and the metal door of Mr Azzopardi’s adjoining garage was blown out as entire stone slabs were dislodged from place.

The glass panes of windows of both his residence and that of neighbours were shattered.

Members of the army’s explosive ordinance unit, EOD, were on site securing the area and collecting evidence. Those present included AFM Commander, Brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, himself an explosives expert.

High-ranking police and army officers and court experts on the crime scene comforted Mr Azzopardi, who was wearing a pair of beige shorts and flip-flops.

Neighbours watched, shocked at what had happened. Some had their cars, which were parked close to Mr Azzopardi’s house, damaged by the explosion.

Intensive investigations are under way to bring those behind the explosion to justice

“I woke up at 3am to make a cup of tea before going out at 5am as I usually do every day when, suddenly, I heard the explosion. I was shocked and went outside to find a mess,” a neighbour said.

Another neighbour at first thought it was an explosion at a fireworks factory. “It was really loud and I ran outside,” he said.

Investigative officers are striving to establish the motive behind the attack and are going over cases Mr Azzopardi handled in the past in the course of his duties as police officer.

They are taking into consideration all angles, including one that was doing the rounds on social media linking Mr Azzopardi to the scandal of Leisure Clothing, however, this was immediately discarded. Leisure Clothing is facing allegations of human trafficking and worker exploitation.

The police lifted footage from security cameras, including those at Mr Azzopardi’s house. It is believed the bomb was detonated after the perpetrators dropped it off in front of the residence, where they were taken by car.

The area around Mr Azzopardi’s house was carefully combed for evidence and debris from the exploded device, with sniffer dogs brought to check a field opposite.

The attack was harshly condemned by Acting Police Commissioner Ray Zammit who said “intensive investigations are under way to bring those behind the explosion to justice”. He expressed solidarity with Mr Azzopardi and his family, adding the attack could have had worse, if not fatal, consequences.

Mr Zammit appealed for information, even in confidence, that could help “solving this shocking case”.

Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia said violence on public officials amounted to “a cowardly and vile attack” on the State, which had to defend all the members of the disciplined forces with all its might. He promised that no stone would be left unturned to apprehend the perpetrator.

The crime was also condemned by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in Parliament.

Malta Police Association, the General Workers’ Union, the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, the Police Officers’ Union and the Nationalist Party condemnedthe attack. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil went on site and spoke to Mr Azzopardi not long after the explosion.

Tweets condemning attack

Police tape cordons off a section of Blue Grotto Avenue, Żurrieq, as forensic experts, police officers and soldiers collect evidence related to the bomb blast. Inset, a soldier examining debris next to a tree close to yesterday’s crime scene. Photos: Mark Zammit Cordina

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, @OwenBonnici: “Shocked at the news of a bomb exploding outside Insp. Jeffrey Azzopardi’s house. Solidarity with the inspector. Justice must be done.”

Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, @drmanuelmallia: “I condemn the act of violence against Inspector Geoffrey Azzopardi. Violence against public officers is not acceptable and must be punished.”

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, @SimonBusuttil: “I strongly condemn any sort of #violence against #police officers, as we witnessed this morning in #Żurrieq. This is #unacceptable!”

OPM communications coordinator Kurt Farrugia, @KurtFarrugia: “PM speaks to Insp Azzopardi. Govt team already on the spot to start repairs on family residence.”

Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola, @arnoldcassola: “Alternattiva Demokratika cannot but condemn such uncivilised and violent behaviour, which takes us back to the age of the flintstones.”

Opposition home affairs spokesman Jason Azzopardi, @Azzopardi­Jason: “I strongly condemn the attempt that was just made on the family and home of a police inspector.”

Bombs at officers’ homes

May 23, 1994: A bomb was placed outside the residence of Security Services head Michael Cassar, then a police inspector, in Żabbar. It exploded, causing structural damage but no one was hurt. A man was eventually arrested and jailed.

February 8, 1980: Prison director Ronald Theuma, a former police officer, spotted a bomb outside his house in San Ġwann and threw it in a field. It exploded but, luckily, no one was injured.

June 5, 1980: An explosion damaged the facade of a residence of Police Inspector Gejtu Pace in Santa Venera. No one was injured or arrested in connection with the incident.

June 26, 1980: An explosive device was left next to the flat belonging to Police Constable Anthony La Ferla in Sliema. It was detonated, only causing structural damage.

July 27, 1980: A bomb was planted on the doorstep of a block of flats where Police Commissioner Lawrence Pullicino lived in Luqa. It was not detonated.

• Information compiled by police historian Eddie Attard.