While vigilance on the security front is paramount in the light of a possible threat posed by Islamist extremists in Libya, Malta should take care not to play into the hands of far-right and xenophobes, academics have warned.

According to Ranier Fsadni, an academic within the Department of Anthropological Sciences, a terror attack on Maltese soil would be more of a possibility if the Islamists in Libya begin to lose out and Malta (or at least Europe) is seen as part of the reason for this.

“Acts of terror are often perpetrated to disrupt peace processes,” he said.

The need for complete vigilance on the security front, together with international security cooperation, was obvious. However, restricting the mobility of ordinary Libyans – who, by and large, were not involved in the current Libyan conflict – would be a “clumsy approach with, very likely, unwanted consequences”, Dr Fsadni said.

Mediterranean Institute academic Norbert Bugeja believed that any measures the Maltese government decided to take in terms of strengthening security should be clearly marked as such.

The EU should also be giving direct logistical support to Malta in terms of necessary expertise, consultation and foreign policy assistance, Dr Bugeja continued.

A spokeswoman from the Home Affairs Ministry said that the government was closely monitoring the situation in Libya, taking in due consideration all pertinent factors. “Terrorism should be a concern for all countries,” she said.

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