The government failed in its fundamental duty to protect national security, activist group Repubblika has said over the news that the authorities do not know the whereabouts of Jomic Calleja Maatouk

Calleja Maatouk was jailed for five years in prison in July after a magistrate concluded that he was guilty of importing explosives, document forgery, using that forged document, breaching previous bail conditions and relapsing. A court had heard evidence of how Calleja Maatouk had tried to buy lethal doses of radioactive material Polonium-210, highly toxic poison Ricin, killer drug Fentanyl and C-4 explosive off a darkweb marketplace. But he was allowed out of custody after being convicted. According to Maltese law, people who are found guilty of a crime and sentenced to prison time by a magistrate's court are allowed out of custody if they appeal that decision, pending the final outcome of those proceedings.

Last week it was reported in the Times of Malta that the Maltese police were in the process of issuing a European Arrest Warrant for Jomic Calleja Maatouk, who went missing after appealing the court conviction. It reported that police believe Calleja Maatouk and his partner, Marzia Miramar Maatouk, may have left Malta by private boat to evade justice.

Government must provide an account of what happened for Jomic Calleja Maatouk to have been able to flee from Malta as though nothing had happened, Repubblika said.

In a statement, Repubblika said that the news has for days been asking what measures the government had taken to ensure public security while Calleja was running around outside after the court conviction. "Jomic Calleja is a clear threat to the victims who we know he had in mind, and a threat to the country's security."

"The government failed in its fundamental duty to protect national security when it knew that a dangerous person like this was allowed to circulate and leave Malta without anyone noticing," Repubblika said.

Repubblika said that whether this was either through carelessness or due to a lack of resources given to the competent authorities, "this government's failure puts many people in clear danger."

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri and Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa mush explain themselves and carry responsibility, the activist group concluded.