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WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION WEDNESDAY • 14 JANUARY 2015 • ISSUE 398 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY €1.00 Newspaper post Editorial - PAGE 10 THE Maltese Security Service (MSS) are monitoring the activity of a local Madrassa styled group- ing that is meeting in the north of the island. A Madrassa is an Islamic reli- gious school. Security has been stepped up after the Charlie Hebdo Parisian killings. Madrassa gatherings are usu- ally focused around the religious teachings of the Koran. The meet- ings in Malta are said to take place in a garage and attract a particu- lar segment of Muslims. Moderate Muslims have warned over the lit- eral interpretation of the 700 com- mandments in the Koran. The MSS was alerted to this Ma- drassa after it was alleged that one spiritual leader made a defamatory address to the Muslims present about the West. Concerns are run- ning high and there are worries that a small number of Muslims living in Malta may empathise with radical jihadist groups. However when asked whether he could comment about the pres- ence of a Madrassa in Malta, Laiq Ahmed Atif, president of the Ah- madiy ya Muslim Jamaat Malta, said he did not know of their ex- istence. However the security services are worried that the recent inf luxes of Arabs from various countries from a lower income bracket may be a fertile bed for radicalisation. The most radical of the Sunni Jihadis, better known as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, are in fact found in Libya, Syria and Iraq. Speaking on the discussion pro- gramme 'Reporter', Atif said that he was not aware of any instances of Imams spreading inf lamma- tory teaching among the Mal- tese Muslim community. On the contrary, Atif said, every Mus- lim should integrate and obey the laws of the land they live in. "The love of your country is part of your faith. If I live in Malta I should love Malta. If I am a bad Muslim, I can do what I want, but if I am a good Muslim, I will love the country I live in." SEE FULL REPORT OF 'REPORTER' ON PAGE 8 Security concerns arise over local Madrassa The MSS are concerned over a Madrassa styled religious grouping in Malta George Farrugia's wife interrogated by fraud squad over oil scandal CATHY Farrugia, the wife of oil trader George Farrugia, was in- terrogated for seven hours by Su- perintendent Paul Vassallo, at the Economic Crimes Unit, just before New Year's Eve, in connection with the oil scandal. It is the first time she has been quizzed about the years-old, mul- ti-tentacled scandal, though she played a central role in it. Revealed by MaltaToday in 2013, the corruption at Enemalta and the oil scandal led to the arraign- ment of a number of individuals on charges of being involved in illicit dealing. However, the kingpin in the scandal – oil trader George Far- rugia – was granted a presidential pardon on the advice of then prime minister Lawrence Gonzi on the premise that he would disclose the whole truth and nothing but the truth. His wife, Cathy, was responsible for the invoices issued behind the back of Farrugia's brothers. CONTINUES ON PAGE 5 Busuttil takes his time to pronounce himself on 'hunting' referendum PARTY insiders have told Malta- Today that PN leader Simon Busuttil would like to take a stand in favour of 'No' to spring hunting in the ref- erendum but is concerned that the decision would have an impact on his electoral base. Ironically yesterday, Busuttil's part- ner, a Times journalist by profession, was out asking people in Valletta what their stand in the hunting refer- endum, to be held in April, would be. Busuttil's silence reflects the di- lemma Maltese politicians have had over the years when it comes to stat- ing their stand on hunting. Though a larger segment of Nationalist party voters are against hunting, there are important pockets, such as in the North and Gozo, known for their vo- ciferous support for the blood sport. Busuttil faces a quandary, which will only worsen if he decides to pro- crastinate further. The Labour Party yesterday hit out at him, accusing him of not being able to take a deci- sion. The PN retorted that it was not a communist party and debated its decisions. On the hand, Joseph Muscat has declared his stand: he will be vot- ing 'yes' for retaining the derogation (exemption) that allows hunting in spring. Malta is effec- tively the only country in the European Un- ion which allows spring hunting. E nv i ron m e nt a l i s t s are against the provision, saying that wildlife would be crossing to its breed- ing grounds in spring, to breed. A government spokesman said the Prime Minister's deci- sion is not surprising: "The govern- ment is duty bound to defend a dero- gation to the birds' directive that it itself imposed." The Coalition Against Spring Hunting, headed by BirdLife Malta, faced its first hurdle when the ques- tion to be put at the referendum had to be changed to a 'No' from a 'Yes' – 'no' is now not to allow hunting, 'yes' will be what hunters will want. Bizarrely the situ- ation was forced on the coalition because the Ref- erendum Act of 1994 had different texts in the Eng- lish and Maltese legislation. Cathy Farrugia Simon Busuttil