Update 2 | Former TVHemm presenter questioned by police

Government sources say Norman Vella was caught on CCTV taking pictures of government officials in restricted airport security area.

Former TVHemm presenter Norman Vella.
Former TVHemm presenter Norman Vella.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat denied that a former PBS presenter had been arrested last night in connection with an alleged breach of security at the Malta International Airports.

"The information I have is that there were no arrests but an investigation," Muscat told journalists today.

Former TVHemm presenter Norman Vella was yesterday questioned by the Police after he allegedly took pictures of government officials as they passed through passport control.

The Prime Minister was this morning asked whether Vella's 'arrest' had been a "vindictive reaction" following the judicial protest which the former TV presenter filed against the government.

Muscat however insisted he would not be commenting on personal cases and said the Police should be allowed to carry its work free of any interference.

Vella, an immigration border control officer, was caught on CCTV taking pictures of head of government communications Kurt Farrugia and Ramona Attard, the Home Affairs Minister's communications coordinator, sources claimed.

While initial reports alleged that it had been Farrugia himself who reported the alleged incident to the Police, in comments to MaltaToday Farrugia denied the allegation.

"I only got to know about the incident when we landed at Heathrow airport," Farrugia said, unaware of allegations that Vella had photographed him and his colleague and that he had reportedly been arrested.

Yesterday evening, government sources said Vella was "not arrested" but "interrogated after he was caught taking pictures with his mobile phone in a restricted zone".

The questioning took place at the Malta Imternational Airport.

As an immigration officer, Vella falls under OMAS, the office of the manager of airport security.

In a statement, the Police said it was investigating an immigration officer who allegedly breached airport security regulations when he took pictures in a restricted zone which falls under the responsibility of the Police.

"The official was asked to give an explanation for his actions. He was approached by the Police after security footage had been examined," the Police said.

According to media reports, Vella is denying the allegations and said that he colloborated with the police. But according to government sources, Vella refused to hand in his mobile when he was asked to do so by police officers.

But speaking to the media after the police let him go, Vella said he had fully collaborated with the police and gave them his mobile. "The police approached me and I didn't know what they they were looking for. They searched through my media gallery and didn't find the non-existent photos," he said.

"In a nutshell the police received reports that I may have taken pictures of Farrugia and Attard."

Vella said a report had been filed by "more than one person".

"I don't know who these persons are, but in my four-page statement I insisted that the police investigate these two persons who want to damage my reputation," Vella said.

He also said that the police had confiscated his mobile and tablet and denied he had been suspended from work.

Around 10 communications coordinators today left Malta to London to attend a course on government image and communications.

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Dennis the penis, sewwa qed tgħid li biex tikkritika ma għandekx tkun pastaz u baxx, bizzejjed tkun Nazzjonalist.
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Hekk Titlob is-serjeta,hu il-pulizija ghamlet xoghola, hadd mu ikbar mil-ligi,issa tiftakru qa nazzjonalisti indejqin meta inthom kuntu tkeccu lil one mil media hu talqulhom il bieb! fkastilja, biex qedin tiskazaw!!
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Mur ara kieku n-Nazzjonalisti ndahlu lill-pulizija biex jarrestaw lil-laburisti ghaliex kienu jikkritikawhom fil-pubbliku. Imma l-laburisti ma nbidlux. L-aqwa li jidhru bullies halli jaghmlu sarima ma' min ma jaqbilx maghhom. Il-hsara diga' bdiet issir, u ma ndumux ma naraw affarijiet aghar minn dawn. Forsi mbaghad, meta jkun tard wisq, il-Malta Today tiftah halqha!
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norman vella who.
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@ SM Jekk qed tghid il-Vella Nazzjonalist ngandar u ahdar nahseb li int ma int xejn inqas minn xi laburist mgandar u ahdar ghax gharftu. Il-kliem li ghedt huwa iktar shame on you milli shame on him. Biex tikkritika ma hemmx bzonn tkun pastazz u baxx.
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I am sure that Mr Norman Vella is innocent. I am sure he is the Maltese 'Dreyfus' bla tebgha u bla htija! Miskin, bniedem li hu oggetiv, bla pregudizzji kontra l-labour u ma ihobbx il-karnivalati! I am sure that the Queen of bile knew what had happened seconds after the photos were shot; well? ....just by mere coincidence! Lol of for those caught with their pants down?
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I am sure that it was Mr Normnal Vella who shot the photos to be sent to the Bidnija blogger! But if it was him or an other official who works at the airport, he should shoulder know better and he should shoulder all the responsibilities and the full brunt of the law, for trying to play the fool!
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Good for Vella to realise that the PN no longer rule the roost. Any bravado, and nose sticking at rules to satisfy politico passion, must be restrained. Many examples of this kind of behaviour flow from GonziPN.
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u alla jbierek is-sahhara tal-binija kienet taf b'dan kollu qabel kulhadd! u bhall li kieku x'kienu qed jaghmlu hazin? ghalfejn kont qed tihu ir-ritratti ta haddiehor li ta bilhaqq kienu tal-kulur politiku oppost tieghek? qed tibqa tohrog il-hdura tieghek li dejjem innegajt ghal min ma hux nazzjoanlist imgandar bhalek! Shame on you! tajba ehh kien qieghed jiskarta u jihu ir-ritratti fejn mux suppost u inqabad fuq is-CCTV cameras! kemm int bravu... ahdem bhall haddehor siehbi!
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Injorawh lil dan. Dan hekk irid, publicita' halli jhossu importanti u jilghabha tal-vitma, miskien. Jekk kiser il-ligi, hu min hu, ghandu jpatti u jhallas ghal emilu. U min qieghed jaqbez ghalih, jekk jirizulta li kellu tort, ghandu wkoll jigi penalizzat. Il-ligi qieghda hemm ghal kulhadd u hadd m'hu suprem il-fuq mill-ligi. X'jahseb li hu dan, cowboy PN style jew lahaq wiehed mill-hafna spjuni ta' tal- Pieta'? Injorawh, isimghu minni, mhux worth it li toqghodu tiktbu fuqu. Dan zgur mhux xi qaddis, altru.
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X'fiha li wiehed jiehu ir-ritratti u joqghod jiharasja lin-nies fuq il-bloggs waqt ix-xoghol tieghu u go restricted areas? Jien mhux qed nirreferi ghal Mr Norman Vella miskin.
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Jekk inhu minnu li Vella ha xi ritratti f'post projbit ghandu jiehu dak li haqqu. Dan suppost qieghed hemm biex ma jhallix reati simili li jigru. Jekk ha r-ritratti biex min ghalih se jizzufjetta b'xi hadd, allura d-dnub huwa doppju u ghandu jigi sospiz min xoghlu u forsi jintbaghat jistrieh il-Bidnija fejn jista' jaqsam id-dwejjaq ma haddiehor.
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"I don't know who these persons are, but in my four-page statement I insisted that the police investigate these two persons who want to damage my reputation," Vella said. Norman, your were caught on CCTV! And as to the "damage" to your "reputation" you dot need anyone to do that - you have been, and are, doing swell!
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If the allegations are substantiated and Vella did take pictures, were they destined to be handed over to chief snooper and invader of privacy Daphne Caruana Galizia to post in her blog? It would be interesting to know.