Other

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Assignment

Factual

Investigations and journeys into the heart of global events from BBC correspondents.

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service East Asia

Assignment: Malta and the El Hiblu 3

Documentaries

News

Malta and the El Hiblu 3

05/08/2021 GMT

BBC World Service - Assignment, Malta and the El Hiblu 3

The story of how three teenage refugees ended up being accused of terrorism in Malta.

The story of how three teenage refugees ended up being accused of  terrorism in Malta. If found guilty, they face life in prison.

This is the curious story of how a child refugee ended up in Malta accused of the most serious crime - of being a terrorist. Lamin was 13 when he ran away from his home in Guinea in search of a better life. He had never even heard of Malta. But after attempting the perilous sea crossing to Europe, he and two other teenagers were accused of hijacking the ship, the El Hiblu, that rescued them and brought them to shore. If found guilty he and the young men could face life in prison. Two years on the case has still not been taken to trial and the three remain in limbo. For Assignment, the BBC’s Europe correspondent Jean Mackenzie travels to Malta to hear Lamin’s story, as she searches for answers about what happened on board the ship that day and why Malta is taking such a tough stance on these young migrants. 

Producer Kate Vandy.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Assignment

Malta and the El Hiblu 3

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

About BBC World Service