Three men this morning were charged in connection with the bomb that was placed beneath a car in Fgura last January.

Paul Farrugia, 34 from Xgħajra, 29-year old Jonathan Farrugia from Birżebbuġa, and 49-year old Lorenzo Callus from Qrendi were charged before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja and with criminal conspiracy including the planning or commissioning of explosive material aimed at killing Mario Scicluna and Elaine Galdes.

Callus was also accused of being in possession of an unlicenced firearm and of cannabis resin and heroin.

Paul Farrugia was also charged with possessing an amount of cigarettes without customs duty in a garage in Xghajra, while his brother Jonathan was charged with possessing cannabis resin with the intention of trafficking it.

The three accused are also relapsers with sentences on former cases.

They denied the charges against them and were remanded in custody after the defence did not request their release.

Prosecution in the case is being led by Inspector Keith Arnaud.

Arnaud explained that Callus had been arrested in Hal Far along with another person who was not charged. The police later arrested Jonathan Farrugia in Birzebbuga and Paul Farrugia from another location later in the day.

All three men remained silent throughout the arraignment with their lawyers pleading not guilty to all charges brought against them.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Arthur Azzopardi appeared for Jonathan Farrugia, Roberto Montalto for Paul Farrugia, and Christopher Cutajar for Callus.

Dr Mario Mifsud appeared on behalf of the parte civile, Mario Scicluna and Elaine Galdes.

They were three of four men who were arrested in connection with the case last Thursday.