The police have arrested three men on suspicion of being involved in the supply of the bomb which was used to assassinate journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, multiple reports are stating.

Adrian and Robert Agius and their associate Jamie Vella were arrested by police on Tuesday as murder suspect Vince Muscat pleaded guilty to his role in carrying out the journalist’s assassination, the Times of Malta and TVM reported.

All three of them were among the 10 arrested by police in December 2017, when Muscat and the Degiorgio brothers were first arrested, but were released without charge some days later.

The Times of Malta said that police had been hoping to arraign the trio within the next 48 hours, but that will be unable to do so because one of the three is currently sick with Covid-19.

The newspaper reported that Muscat has been cooperating with authorities to reach a plea deal with prosecutors that would see him serve a reduced sentence in exchange for a confession and testimony about his fellow conspirators.

The first inkling of such a deal being reached emerged last week, when Muscat withdrew his appeals to his prosecution for the murder.

In a statement, the police said that it received important information that confirms evidence already in its possession in relation to the 2017 homicide of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the 2015 homicide of lawyer Carmel Chircop in Birkirkara. “On Tuesday, at around 1pm, officers from the Major Crimes and Homicides Squads, assisted by the Special Intervention Unit, executed three arrest warrants. Two suspects were arrested during an operation in Baħrija, whilst the other person was arrested in Swieqi. Two of the three suspects are assisting the Police in connection with both homicides, whereas the third one is being investigated in connection with the murder of Dr Chircop."