FBI Agents Say SIM Card Used To Kill Caruana Galizia Was First Tested Nine Months Earlier

Two FBI agents who helped investigate the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia testified in court that the SIM card which was used to kill the journalist was tested twice before it was activated.

Special agents William Shute and Richard Fennern said that the SIM card was first used on 10th January 2017, then again on 21st August, and finally on 16th October, when it was used to trigger a bomb that had been placed in Caruana Galizia’s car.

Shute and Fennern testified in the ongoing jury trial against Robert Agius (Tal-Maksar) and Jamie Vella, who have been accused of supplying the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia in 2017. Agius’ brother Adrian, Vella and George Degiorgio have also been charged with the 2015 murder of Carmel Chircop.

The two agents were involved in analysing cellular activity on the day of Caruana Galizia’s murder. During 2:50pm and 3pm, a total of 53 devices were connected to the closet cellular tower. One of these immediately disconnected after receiving a text message and was not active again during the day.

It turned out that it was the device attached to the bomb, and that the SMS was used to detonate it.