The Maltese police are issuing an International Arrest Warrant for the partner of a woman who had her baby forcibly aborted last April allegedly by him and three accomplices, a police spokesperson has informed this newspaper.

“The police force is doing all that it is legally and physically possible to trace and bring back the partner of the victim to Malta,” the spokesperson said.

The police believe that the Libyan national, Ashraf Ammar Marghami, had fled to Sweden after the atrocious crime on his partner. He admitted his guilt after The Malta Independent on Sunday published an exclusive interview with the victim days after she was attacked and the child she was carrying forcibly aborted by her partner and at least one accomplice.

While a European Arrest Warrant had already been issued, the police fear the perpetrator may have fled the European Union altogether, fears which have prompted the police to issue an international warrant for his arrest.

In the meantime, Nizar Gwelleg, the man facing charges for his alleged involvement in the forced abortion was extradited to Malta from Sweden, a spokesperson from the Ministry for Home Affairs and Internal Security confirmed.

Earlier this week Gwelleg appeared in a Maltese court after his extradition from Sweden and served with a bill of indictment – formal charges which will be brought before a trial by jury –accusing him of attempted murder, grievous bodily harm resulting in an abortion, administering poisonous or harmful substances, holding the woman against her will and aggravated theft.

The accused was extradited to Malta from Sweden following a European Arrest Warrant that was issued by the local competent authority on 4 August. He was subsequently arraigned in court within the next 48 hours by Inspector Nicolai Sant.

The victim has already testified in the court case against him and the court case is still sub judice.

The victim, a Moroccan woman, told the court, which was presided over by Magistrate Joe Mifsud, that she had recognised the accused from the tattooed 'M' on his right hand.

She said that Gwelleg, who was allegedly the most violent during the ordeal, had inserted pills in her genitalia and also rifled her handbag and stolen some items.

The woman had recounted her harrowing experience to The Malta Independent on Sunday last April, which not only resulted 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 allegedly committed by four men, including the woman's former boyfriend.

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

Marghami spoke to the Libyan newspaper The Observatory following the publication of this newspaper’s disturbing interview with the victim, and confirmed that he had in fact committed the attack.

However, he maintained 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 denied stabbing her.

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

Anyone with any information on the exact whereabouts of Maghrami, as shown in the photograph, 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.

Also read: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-04-09/local-news/They-left-me-there-to-die-after-killing-my-baby-survivor-recounts-barbaric-attack-by-partner-6736172737