Dutch police assisting in Caruana Galizia murder investigation, FBI in Malta on Thursday

The American FBI forensic team that will be assisting in the investigation into the bomb blast that killed blogger and investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia will not arrive in Malta until Thursday afternoon, MaltaToday has learned.

When the Maltese government asked the US government for assistance immediately following news of the bomb blast, they were told the team would be in Malta in 72 hours.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said in his public address 90 minutes after the car bomb exploded that he had asked the US for assistance in the investigation.

It is understood that the FBI will – in fact – be leading the investigation and Maltese forensic teams and experts have so far limited themselves to preserving the site of the crime, covering the remains of the car and the human body remains scattered around the site.

The scene of the crime has been preserved to protect the remains of the car and the victim's body

In the meantime, a Dutch team reached Malta this morning, having been asked for assistance by the Maltese government.

Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia took to Twitter early this morning to announce the arrival of the team from the Netherlands.

“Would like to also thank the #USA for accepting to send #FBI officials to assist the #Malta #police in the investigation of dcg murder,” he tweeted. “We will leave no stone unturned. We will do whatever it takes to get to the persons behind this murder.”