Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/260953
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2014 2014 15 News a big explosion in Hamrun in No- vember 2011. The massive blast hap- pened a few days after the man was released from prison, having served time for the attempted murder of an unnamed man in 2001. Explosives experts had said that the indications were that the bomb was made with highly explosive material such as TNT or dynamite, which also indi- cated a high level of sophistication in its fabrication. The bomb's power and the tech- nology used had also indicated that it was fabricated by experienced manufacturers, especially because high-explosive material and the det- onators to set it off were not easily available. In December 2011, a bomb blew up outside the Transport Malta of- fices in Pietà, injuring transport ex- pert Major Peter Ripard, who had a leg amputated, and the head of the land transport section, Konrad Pulé. The bomb had been lowered from the pine grove located on a hill be- hind the office block and placed out- side Pulé's office. Somebody hiding in the grove had probably triggered the bomb by pulling a string. At the time, experts had also held that the powerful bomb was a so- phisticated device, with a safety switch and a TNT core surrounded by bolts and metal fragments. The explosive material used was not the sort used in fireworks or in quarrying, but TNT found in mili- tary bombs such as the unexploded bombs and shells fired by the British services around Filfla. The most recent incident involv- ing a bomb happened in September 2013, when an explosive device was set off at Torri l-Abjad bay in Armi- er. Pierre Cremona and William Far- rugia had a lucky escape after an im- provised explosive device went off in the terrace of Cremona's boathouse. Cremona was a well-known figure to the police, in 2009 having pleaded not guilty to trafficking over 1.5kg of heroin. His name also cropped up in the case against the late Ray Pace – a judge who was accused of bribery and trading in influence – when his name was mentioned in a list of tel- ephone conversations intercepted by the secret service. A mobile phone attached to the de- vice indicated that it was similar to the one placed under Paul Degabri- ele's pick-up truck a year earlier. Generational change? Sources told this newspaper that the violent escalation in recent years could be the result of a generational change in the Maltese criminal or- ganisations. In recent years a series of murders of well-known criminals – consisting mostly of middle-aged men – have given rise to suspicions that crimi- nals involved in drug trafficking, usury and money laundering have resorted to eliminating each other. However, police and murder his- torian Eddie Attard said that it would be imprudent to speculate on whether the separate murders were linked or whether there's an inter- nal war between different gangs, es- pecially since most of them remain unresolved. Stressing that he would rather comment on resolved cases and hard facts, Attard said that the "big- gest problem lays in the fact that the police have not yet resolved the cases". However Attard said that there was a pattern in the method in the recent spate of murders, with most of them carried out by hit men who flee the scene on motorcycles or cars. "Yet, these similarities do not mean anything unless cases are closed," he said. It is believed that a new and younger generation of criminals are eliminat- ing competition by murdering older criminals. The majority of victims in the gangland murders over the past years were in their 40s. Although it is widely thought that such murders are carried out by for- eign hit men, sources said that the new ruthless generation of criminals might be carrying out the assassina- tions themselves. This week's murders took the tally to three for 2014. Last year, eight mur- ders were recorded, while in 2012, a total of 11 murders took place. Asked whether people should be alarmed by these murders, Attard said that "each and every murder alarms people, although I must say that the media inflates such sentiments". However, the crime historian reas- sured that the rate of murders in Mal- ta remains low, compared to other countries. "Such murders do not only happen in Malta. Compared to other coun- tries, we retain a low rate of murders, with an average of six or seven mur- ders a year. Although we had a higher than average rate last year, with eight murders, we also had years with no murders recorded at all. Although it doesn't happen too often, such things are not reported by the media," At- tard said. Gangland vendettas: Galea's murder linked to spate of bomb attacks TIMELINE – an escalation of criminal violence April 2008 Car dealer Raymond Agius, 49, of Bahar ic-Cagħaq, is murdered at the Butterfly Bar in Birkirkara when two men wearing crash helmets arrived on a motorcycle, entered the bar and went straight for the victim; one of them firing a pistol hitting him in the head. November 2010 Businessman Joe Baldacchino is shot in broad daylight near Hastings Garden, Valletta, by a motorcyclist who drove up behind the victim, unzipped his jacket, produced a firearm and shot him in the back. The 51-year-old died a month later in hospital. December 2012 Joseph Cutajar, 46, from Marsascala is shot dead in Mosta. The man, known as il-Lion, was found dead in a pool of blood on the ground with his feet still in a car. He had been driving the car and was shot 12 times with a Kalashnikov, possibly by an assailant who had been waiting for him. Cutajar was undergoing court proceedings after having been accused of the murder of Kevin Gatt, 32 of Ghaxaq, and Stephen Zammit, 32 of Fgura. December 2012 On the same day, Josef Grech, known as Il- Yo Yo, is found dead at Qalet Marku, Bahar ic-Caghaq, with a shot in the head. The 41-year-old man from Balzan was awaiting trial for association in the attempted murder of Patricia Attard. February 2013 Ronald Galea, 65, of Birkirkara, is shot outside his meat factory in Hal Far by a hooded man who shot him with a .9mm semi-automatic handgun eight times in the back and head. May 2013 Paul Degabriele, 48, from Fgura, is shot five times while in his car in Marsa by an assailant who appears to have shot from a white van. He was investigated over the 2012 murders of Joseph Cutajar and Josef Grech. July 2013 The body of notorious drug trafficker Mario Camilleri known as 'l-Imniehru' is found in a field in Birzebbugia, next to the corpse of his son Mario Camilleri Jnr. Jason Galea and George Galea are accused of the murder. January 2014 The lifeless body of Guzi Galea, known to his friends as 'Il-Gilda', is found on the seat of his Kia Sorento outside his residence in Marsa by his own relatives. Galea, who was known to the police in connection with illegal gambling and usury, is shot around 17 times by a .7.62 calibre assault rifle in a drive-by shooting. Assistant Commissioners Pierre Cassar and Silvio Valletta (second left and centre) with homicide inspector Keith Armaud have become familiar faces with regular crime conferences being held over the escalation in criminal violence and murders