Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia yesterday refused to specify whether he had interviewed security service recruits, insisting he will only reply in Parliament.

Last Monday, Opposition spokesman Jason Azzopardi asked in Parliament whether it was true that Dr Mallia and his chief of staff, had taken part in interviews with police officers before they were admitted to the Security Service.

Pressed on the issue yesterday, Dr Mallia told Times of Malta he would only reply to these allegations in Parliament as he felt this was the correct forum to do so.

“Since the allegations were made in Parliament I feel I should respond through an adjournment in Parliament,” he said.

In his speech, Dr Azzopardi said that under the Nationalist government no minister had ever involved himself in the Security Service.

He said political involvement in the Malta’s secret service was a serious issue given the powers it possessed.

Following the change of government last March, Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar was placed in charge of the Security Service.