I refer to the editorial in TMID of 5 January. While it made interesting reading, and the editor is to be commended for advocating “Journalism and Reporting based on facts”, the fact remains that it was TMID that reported what Angelo Xuereb had to say regarding the Sliema tragedy.

Mr Xuereb – if I remember correctly – was quoted as saying that Nicholas Gera was an intruder of originally Bosnian nationality; that this intruder came with the intention of killing his daughter and grandchildren and that his son-in-law died a hero defending his family. These are all assumptions based neither on fact nor in law. Mr Xuereb, as the father of the widow, is emotionally involved and his sole objective is to protect his family – a father justifiably grieved, but biased.

However, it is legally and morally reprehensible of him to make these statements. He was not present at the scene of the crime, and the victim, Nicholas Gera, is not here to defend himself. Raising the issue of nationality is merely a ploy to win sympathy and empathy from a Maltese audience. I talk from my own personal experience – a Maltese national with a foreign name and surname.

Finally, and most importantly, the reason why there is so much gossip and speculation is that there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding this tragedy and a general perception, amongst most of the intelligent public, that they are not being told the truth and that they have been presented with a ‘stage-managed scenario’ of events.

I suspect that the truth – and this is my personal opinion – will remain buried with the two young victims. May God have mercy on their souls and may He offer solace to their grieving mothers.

Milica Micovic

SLIEMA