Imperium Ewropa leader Norman Lowell today filed an appeal after a court rejected his claim that he was defamed by a series of articles published by Malta Today in May 2006.

The far-right leader had filed a libel suit claiming that three articles published in the same edition contained false an libellous information aimed at tainting his reputation. 

These included allegations that Mr Lowell had been involved in an arson attack on the house of columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

In his judgment Magistrate Francesco Depasquale had noted that Mr Lowell harboured harsh views on migration and those involved in the defence of immigrant rights. By right, therefore these views certainly evoked a similar harsh reaction against him and his organisation, the court had said.

In his appeal, filed by lawyer Emmy Bezzina, Mr Lowell argued that the court did not address the content of the articles to determine whether they were libellous or not, but based its judgment on other matters.

He also contested the court's ruling which deemed the views expressed in the articles as a "fair comment".