Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Carmelo Abela has told The Malta Independent on Sunday that he will ask Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar for feedback on how the case regarding the Moroccan woman who was the victim of a forced abortion is progressing. 

The Minister went on to say: “If the police need political intervention by me speaking to my Swedish counterpart for assistance, I am willing to do so."

When asked whether or not he has contacted his Swedish counterpart, the minister said that he is yet to do so but insisted that he would “if need be”.

The woman had told The Malta Independent on Sunday about her harrowing experience, which not only resulting in her losing her child but also being left for dead after having suffered multiple stab wounds to her forearm and thigh. 

The attack, which took place on Sunday, 2 April, was committed by four men, including the woman’s former boyfriend, Ashraf Ammar Marghami, who kicked her in the stomach violently while the makeshift doctor conducted the operation.

The woman, who was three months pregnant at the time, had spent the day shopping with her former partner for maternity clothes.

Mr Maghrami has since spoken to The Observatory, a Libyan newspaper, where he confirmed that he committed the attack. However, he maintains that it was not a premeditated attack as implied by the woman, but rather an instinctive violent reaction since pregnancy out of wedlock went against his religious beliefs.

He also said that, contrary to what is being claimed by the woman, his friends did not take part in the attack.

However, sources have told The Malta Independent on Sunday that it is believed that two of the four men who committed the offence have turned themselves in to St Julian’s Police Station. 

The Police have yet to confirm whether or not this is true. 

It is also believed that Ashraf Ammar Marghami, and the makeshift doctor, are still on the run but have gone their separate ways. One of the men is believed to be in Stockholm, Sweden, while the other is believed to be in Germany.

Speaking to The Malta Independent on Sunday, a police spokesperson said: “The Malta Police, with the assistance of overseas colleagues, are doing their utmost to identify, trace and arrest all those involved in this alleged criminal offence so that they can be brought to justice.”

The spokesperson also confirmed that two of the alleged perpetrators left the island as they had a booked a flight on the same day of the incident just a few hours following the alleged commission of the offence.

“We are still trying to identify the third person involved,” the spokesperson said.

It was also confirmed that the relative European Arrest Warrants have been issued according to law.

A Magisterial Inquiry is still ongoing about this case and investigating this case are the District Police and the Vice Squad.

Speaking to this newsroom, the brave woman victim expressed her incredulity as to how they could “kill my baby and travel through Europe so freely?”

The men’s ability to travel freely throughout Europe has raised questions about the Schengen Agreement. In spite of numerous assurances from politicians, wanted criminals are still able to travel across European boarders with little or no security.

Faced with this question, Minister Abela said that while he acknowledges that the Schengen Agreement may have its faults, as was also evident in the case concerning the Berlin Christmas terrorist attack, which saw the perpetrator travel from Berlin to Milan with no restrictions, he felt that it is “important to preserve Schengen”.

He explained that it was important to note that millions of people use Schengen rules on a daily basis, and that the Schengen agreement also extended to a number of other freedoms that Europe needed to protect. 

“We need to take measures to protect our people but it this does not mean that we must question Schengen. We have to take other initiatives to ensure stronger boarders while also closing loopholes.”

Mr Abela made the point that “When the police force have hits on certain people, we take action immediately.”

 

Anyone with any information on the exact whereabouts of the men, as shown in the photographs, is requested to contact the relevant authorities in Malta or Sweden. They can also contact this newspaper in complete confidentiality and the information will be passed to the relevant authorities.