Video | Maltese escape from Tunisia prison

Video | Shots heard as prisoners escape from Messadine prison, amid popular uprising

See pictures below of prisoners escape and celebrations

Thomas Camilleri of Gzira and Glenn Paul Xuereb of San Gwann – both 22 years-old - were detained at Messadine prison since July, after being arrested by police in connection with a haul of 70 kilogrammes of hashish.

Senior diplomatic sources have confirmed that the two Maltese youths were nowhere to be found, while Tunisian media have confirmed that the prison has been emptied of all prisoners who have been set free by the warders, following last Friday’s escalation of events that led to President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali to flee the country.

The whereabouts of the youths remains unknown.

Meanwhile, two other Maltese nationals, also held in Tunisian prisons have been accounted for.

33 year-old Tano Farrugia from Msida, who has been held an Mornaguia prison for the last year, was until yesterday still within the prison compound, although half of the inmates were set free.

Farrugia was arrested in January last year in Nabeul in connection with the attempted export of 50 kilogrammes of cannabis resin.

Authorities have also reportedly received confirmation that Libyan born Jassem Jamel Ajjali Tahar, and holder of a Maltese passport is also safe and accounted for at the Tunis prison.

Tahar, 27 of Swieqi was arrested at Tunis-Carthage airport last month together with Latvian national Meiris Atis after a large quantity of drugs was discovered in a luggage shortly before they travelled out of Tunis to Malta via Rome.

Jassem Jamel Ajjali Tahar was released from Corradino prisons last August after serving time for assaulting a police officer.

Amid the confusion that has ensued since the ousting of President Ben Ali, the Maltese embassy in Tunisia has been closely monitoring the situation at the prisons.

The prison at Monastir has been set alight as inmates staged a revolt at the height of the uprising. At least 43 inmates are reported to have lost their lives in the blaze.

Prison warders are reported to earn not more than €100 a month, and corruption is rife within all prisons where inmates have to finance themselves to guarantee survival.

The prisons revolt went hand-in-hand with the national uprising, and prisoners were shown sympathy from the masses that were demonstrating and confronting the corrupt regime.

Tunis is host to 120 Maltese passport holders, many of whom have travelled to France. Tracing all and ensuring they are safe by the Maltese embassy has proven to be a daunting task, while business travellers have been guided to express caution on the streets as the military has imposed a night-time curfew until the situation returns to normal.

A number of Maltese businessmen, mainly connected to textile factories and two hotels which are based in Tunisia, will be travelling back to Malta this morning.

Meanwhile, further tension has gripped the capital Tunis as police in riot gear fired volleys of tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators that gathered on the Bourguiba Boulevard to protest against the inclusion of Ben Ali’s allies in the newly formed government headed by Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouci.

The protests led to the resignation of three of the newly-appointed government ministers, deepening the political crisis for Ghannouci, who is struggling to find the right balance after the power vacuum caused since Ben Ali fled the country.

SEE PICTURES