Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/352862
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 27 JULY 2014 News 5 MIRIAM DALLI The Maltese oil worker abducted in Libya is thought to be alive, although the government could not independ- ently verify the information received from contacts in Libya. "The government received infor- mation from Libya that the person is alive. This information however could not be independently veri- fied," the government said. The government remains tight- lipped about the abduction of retired AFM captain Martin Galea, abduct- ed by Libyan rebel militias last week and the only information available is that the Maltese government is in continuous contact with Libya try- ing to ensure his safe return. In a statement issued yesterday afternoon, the government said con- tacts in Libya to bring Galea back "have intensified" through contacts at the political and diplomatic lev- els, and "including all other possible levels". Government sources said the gov- ernment was "working relentlessly to see Martin Galea back home safe and sound". In parliament on Friday, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat gave no assurances that Galea was alive but said he was alive when his captors were last contacted by the country's diplomatic services in Libya. Opposition leader Simon Busut- til took to Twitter yesterday to urge Joseph Muscat to keep the country informed of any updates. News of Galea's abduction was re- ported by the Times of Malta hours before the Maltese parliament dis- cussed an opposition motion on the worsening Libya situation. Galea was reported missing to the authorities last Sunday, three days after his abduction. The alarm was raised by his wife after she failed to receive the daily SMS which it was his practice to send. It is unclear whether or not the Of- fice of the Prime Minister was aware of the case before news broke of the abduction but the Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday said it was aware of the case and had been working on it. Galea, 40, is a health and safety en- vironment professional, who started in the Armed Forces of Malta as a regimental health and safety expert. He left the military in 2007, working with oil and gas firms in the North Sea and then in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Georgia. MaltaToday has been told that a private military firm based in Malta is also involved in the search for him. Galea was said to have been ab- ducted after his driver did not turn up to collect him. The car he took was stopped at a roadblock by mili- tia rebels. The nature of negotiations taking place between the Maltese diplo- matic service and the rebels remains unknown. The Prime Minister said he could be criticised for not publi- cising the abduction but the priority was Galea's safety and ensuring that no information that could be used by his abductors is leaked. Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella said publicising news of the ab- duction only fuels militias for more attention and media prominence. "The Maltese government will re- veal the facts surrounding the ab- duction only once Galea is freed and his safety guaranteed," Vella told RTK in a radio interview. He did not exclude personally trav- elling to Libya if the situation so re- quired. The government has set up an inter-ministerial crisis coordination centre which has been meeting regu- larly for the past two weeks. Malta is making all necessary prep- arations in the eventuality of mass evacuations from Libya. Sources in Libya said the situation "could get out of hand" after the end of Ram- adan, tomorrow. a new adventure awaits... We're looking for people with an adventurous spirit who are dedicated to teamwork, customer service and retail success. The positions available are: ¥ŬŬŬŬŬŬ&ſĈĈöů÷ĒÂŬśĈÂśŬśś÷śůĘůŬØģœŬģſœŬDĈůŬģſůĈÂůś ¥ŬŬŬŬŬ&ſĈĈöů÷ĒÂŬśĈÂśŬśś÷śůĘůśŬØģœŬģſœŬĘÂƏŬ'ģƛģŬģſůĈÂů ¥ŬŬŬŬŬ]ůģœÂĒĘŬļĒſśůŬ¶œ÷ƎÂĽ Join a business that is committed to being the best toy retailer in the country by helping parents help their children achieve their incredible potential. It's a move you will never look back on – we design, produce and sell an amazing range of products to help young children learn as they play. Kindly send your CV to: 61, St. Paul Street, Rabat or info@elctoysmalta.com ABDUCTED MALTESE BELIEVED 'ALIVE' 'Relentless' effort in securing former AFM captain's release Martin Galea (right) and (above) with his wife Smoke billows from a building which was bombed in Tripoli