Hmm, I've been arrested in Malta over the alleged hijacking, my migrants in the ship, the rescue them on the twenty eighth of march twenty nineteen multi soldiers. Storm to ship has attended it It has more than one hundred migrants desperate to reach europe hijacked a ship off the coast of libya, CBS as it topped three of the migrants. All teenagers were led away in handcuffs accused of terrorism from a ship, a ship they allegedly hijacked. And one of them was a fifteen year old child, I'm not a terrorist, and I will never be a terrorist. I'm not a tourist, and I will never be. I will never be a can, never be a authorities. This is a silent on the BBC world service kind, jean mackenzie, it s easier, correspondent and the month,

I've been investigating what happened that day and how a child ended up a cue, such a serious crime. The story we ve uncovered is very different to how it first seemed hello, one tonight, yes, thank you they mean is seventeen by the time we meet as he checks in the police station. It's been more two years since he was arrested and he's now out on bail. This is the first time he's agree to have, story recorded and because,

still a minor. We using the name given to him by the court ever gap, the competent bodies set up by the office. It doesn't look up. She checks him off her list, so one can live like mine, my my name, and I would never forgot one. Can I animal LE means actual name is printed on. The back of the real Madrid shirt he's wearing he's mad about football. He hoped he played professionally, not must perform He ran away from his home in guinea in west africa when he was thirteen. I am struck by how small he is short and slight. and he's quiet. This is singly here. This is the place. Where would you spoke? We ve walked down to the harbour, but we can't get within fifty meters of the war.

This is another of his many pale conditions say this was the point over here where you are down where you were arrested, arrested and disappeared. It didn't direct approach, what's it like. Remembering that day, when you were taken off the ship in handcuffs

I remember I mean it remind me that I was dating my life to tell the truth. I was so scared because I thought that it was a misunderstanding and if they understand that they were free to give our freedom was not that afraid. At what point did you hear that they were accusing you of being a terrorist? My lawyer, who told me that they're accusing us of being terrorists- I was surprise, surprise I tories, but why? Why why they call it was true. I was actually way athletically and the one after the attack in the one. I didn't. I didn't fight in one

in so also friends say what did happen on the ship and how did the maltese authorities land on this charge of terrorism? Let's begin this, as the main leaves the coast of libya in the middle of the night cry. Amd into a rubber dinghy with men, women and children all hoping to reach europe. Before long They start sinking into the waters of the mediterranean. is how they mean remembers what happened next I was crying to daddy. I was crying. Oh cried thinking that I'm going to die. People was great everywhere. There was no one in that ship that wasn't right, because we decided we knew that we're going to die, but for now they were in luck. They ve been spotted by an

you patrol plane which radioed a passing oil tanker? The ship was called el hippie one named after it's captain, Nada l. He blew, he was heading to libya, but he came to their rescue, someone us Europe or what you say europe, europe, then I was the first to get in doubled because I was sitting right in front of us. Naughty people started claiming to get in the boat. Those migrant was speaking captain? I wouldn't want to stand in your speaking english. That's limine understood everything his mother had sent. Into an english speaking school back home in guinea, something she hoped would give him opportunities, and so he began to translate the little english to demonstrate. Put me in this.

big problem, he relayed the captain's message: more boats were coming to pick them up and take them to europe. People was happy was shouting to dancing in the ship, including me. We always sought shouting with dancing. let's see, if not, they settled down and went to sleep, but the boats never came and during the night for reasons that are unclear, the captain continued his journey back to libya. As dawn broke, people recognise the harbour. A people would shouted in the city to libya It is women that decide. I say no leave me be, but for me I was confused what is happening, and I didn't know if it is libya or not. the shouted shouting, no libya, nor libya. No libya. There are countless reports.

By very considerable human rights organizations, including the eu and the? U n that speak about the atrocities going libya against migrants, it's very well documented neil thousand boys defence lawyer. He shoot suited unused sporting aviators and he's been with them, since the harry beginning and the documented trust these he speaks of include migrants, being beaten rate, tortured and even killed in the country's neutral. Various detention centres, which is why this part If the story matters so much so essentially what the hundred people one hundred plus people were fleeing from is a hellhole. They were fleeing for their lives from libya. What they did was the the natural, the natural thing anyone would have done to save themselves and to save the other people on board. Get away from libya as as best as possible. Neil says that by demanding they not be taken back to libya, those on board were act

in self defence to save their lives, but this is things get a little messy. Where accounts start to very. What we know is people on board panicked. They were screaming, the children were crying, some people were threatening to jump overboard. People were seen, it would prefer the high in this then going back to libya was anyone violent on board the ship now some people, those born of because there was shouting heating judges that you want to die. He d prevented that india, what to think but the navy lean says at this point: the captain came out of his cabin to find him when he couldn't come out and acts. There was a boy, who was speaking english year ways he

He asked le mean and two other teenagers to come inside. He said george bush, three people come in Dublin. He has proved off if they come down, he would take us to you, but to give us a europe used a golden italia. What's the matter we didn't matter, he said that he would take us the volatile, my friend with valid, but it s a kind of matter In the look too much I swear to you if it is european, alter them. They'll be happy, and so spite never having heard of Malta. Levine left the cabin to relate the message, and after two days at sea, not a l. He blew changed his course and headed for europe But ass he came to shore, he told the authorities across his radio that he was

in control of his ship. Did you hijack the guy? I did not. I did not detect in the control of the boat controlled the book I do for adopting this shot at him. Talking to captain s, bringing the captain I went online need grain with tears. He was not here, but he felt sorry. He felt sorry, but I think that was the politics to save his sheep than to put the problem in us on the shore frenzy was building, there was talk of pirates and then of terrorists.

by the time the ship arrived police were waiting ready to take the teenagers away. They were to become known as the el he blew free for many of the migrants who attempt the treacherous crossing from libya to Europe. Malta is the first. face. Then we are not a small boat just off the coast and ass. I approached the letter by sea. It looks like it surrounded

the sandstone walls, tens of meters, high topped with four watch towers. It's clear that this island has a long, long history of trying to protect it's borders. The say we're standing in front of big block locked so when the migrants are brought to show that taken then, yes, This is where people who arrived in Malta on the boughs com- and it is wiser here they will start- goes with the asylum process. I mean maria pisani, a lecturer at the university of Malta she's been working migration issues for years, the last twenty years Walter. I say the last fifteen in particular physicians around asylum and refugees have been couched in one of racism, fear, anger and frustration when anything,

goes wrong in Malta. Are asylum seekers are blamed people of color outlined? This is successive governments have been doing and has become a part of maltese, daily debate in the spring of twenty nineteen, the move towards migrants was particularly hostile you search and rescue by said: stop patrolling the mediterranean and Malta, along with italy, was refusing to take in people. We ve been rescued at sea they were angry with other european countries for not giving them enough support. This is how it is. spiraled into this situation, a sense of malta feeding and and and to a certain degree I think there might be some application for their anger and frustration, This is one particular case out of many in Malta, where asylum seekers and refugees have been used to escape, goes origin punishing bags, and we should be able to express their anger frustration with the EU.

The member states, no mother, it's a gene evening and the european championship system in play and lemon has taken me too. What portugal versus France? with the two other young men arrested with him. On that day, I've done It is the oldest he's twenty one. Now he made the journey together with his wife and they have a baby daughter. He worries about them a lot. He doesn't like to talk about the case because he deserves a comfortable margin than misery. It's very hard it just so very hard. It's like someone has looked me know and foreigner with a key actor is just a year older than me. He's the full of energy, but he gets upset when he thinks about the years of his life he's losing come here. When I was six years old and I get

seventeen years. He was in prison now dating goes on from sixteen years old tomato, always something I dunno. What he's doing on the team, the team with seventeen? What do you love to do what you want today? He wanted to maintain the all three of them work now, but other than that they seated themselves. Levine doesn't like to leave his room. He says scared to go out in case something else. Bad happens other misunderstanding this. This is something that destroy me totally costs is like. I cannot concentrate on anything, not concentrate on em for just ten minute and saw it. It is written on

Clearly me inside. They all tell me the same story about what happened on board that day, but there were a hunt Britain, five other migrants rescued with them, and I wanted to hear from some of them. You have now left the island or disappeared, but eventually I tracked down three of them and convince them to talk to me. I like three: when we meet at their part, its small stifling the hot when we sit together on a sofa in the corner of the room.

Asia they're they're they're, pretty fair salute, but all that because they were small pieces of iron on the boats, coffee, similar to keys, and we did not break any singer left, but we pick tubs of small pieces of iron to hit on the boat ramp. This is bacary as he speaks a cockroach scurries out from underneath the sofa and he kicks it away with his foot with the guinevere to live by to talk to somebody about it, we told the captain to stop the board We told aims at nobody was going back to libya. Such we would rather all die here at sea. The scene he's describing is an intern dating one of more than a hundred people hell bent on not returning to libya. But when I ask about the three teenagers, it's a different story: did the three boys hide

the vote did they did they take control of it or force the captain to bring you to You laughed when I, when I ask that question. Why did you lie is everybody jerry? I laughed because if it wasn't for these three boys we wouldn't be here speaking- would probably all have died, because actually two tree boys were protecting the captain against the young girl of our group. We were hundred people so dizzy spirits hungry. We were ready to do anything not to go back to libya. These three boys were actually squadrons. There's a one protected him

from being harmed is one we saved everybody from being harmed. They go on to tell me that they tried to speak to the authorities to give evidence that have not been able to in the days after the tanker came to shore the police rush to take evidence. captain and crew before letting them leave the island they didn't speak to a single one of the other migrants but funded them when no one was a witness, all the media, all the judges that are persecuting them? There were there, just god and us, but all words are pushed aside. This is chemists. Okay and as he speaks, he starts to cry escape from the cycle pets on for a matter that involved more than one hundred people. There are destroying three people's lives. It hurts for me for my body time he finishes? All of them are in tears

on a sweltering morning, the boys defence lawyer, Neil thousand, has gathered them outside the court house. In the latter, for a rare hearing. There's some here

once a month, while the authorities gather more evidence. So far we haven't seen evidence of terrorism and requested the ability of the persecution to bring such evidence, but we have to wait and see what it had been once the former charges are brought. This could take years, but if they are found guilty of trial, they could be sent to prison for life, as we had in size looming helps abdel with his tie before tucking his shirt and his genes and noticeably nervous. We ve just got out of court hearing lasted for four hours, and today the court heard evidence from one of the other migrants who was on board and his testimony. Matched with what

told me throughout the week that the captain called the three into his cabin at no point where they violent would weaken the two and a half years and its only now that we get a full version from somebody else who was on the ship? I will be seen them change the way I see it when I talk to them, and I see that they're having difficulty socializing to having difficulty having a normal life over in the very beginning of the case, the main reaction was and was one of shock and surprise. They were just wondering why they're being accused of something so terrible when all they did was that perspective saved the lives of over one hundred people, but they were just overwhelmed by the shock and surprise. Why is this happening to us now that two and a half years have passed and they're doing the

best cooperated to criminal process. They just keep wondering. Why is it taking so long if it really is so serious with the maltese state, if they really are such serious crimes? Why is it taking so long invalid, say you can't for more than a minute without discovering a church, and in this deeply catholic country the church has a powerful voice. This summer, it decided to use it. The archbishop, charles, due to cleaner, publicly criticised the case and called for the charges to be dropped to the chorus of criticism from human rights organisations and the? U n I've come to meet? The archbishop makes person on migration reverend anton de matter on a rooftop, overlooking the harbor

honestly, we can't understand why three teenagers, who were acting as interpreters between the crew and and the migrants could have been accused of terrorism, and migration is not illegal. Migration is not a crime, and even though there could be irregularities in the way, one crosses one board or another, but it's not a crime. Should be punished as a crime, let alone charged with with the heavy burden of terrorism charges

Why have the authorities charged them with terrorism? What grounds are they using? I don't know why, two years ago, these charges were placed under the. I don't know, honestly. I don't know why. Why why the exaggeration? No, it was to to give an example you should ask the inspectors in the attorney general's office. I. Finally they would talk to us round the corner. So for my right it's been a really frustrating weak because nobody form

the police or the prosecution. We'll talk to us either on the record off the record. We we've been trying for over a month now assume as you mentioned this case, the shutters Islam down. We can't get an answer: to a single one of our questions from anybody. so I'm on my way to meet Malta's foreign minister, he's my last shot at getting any answers on what's going on. This was not the bedroom you in the historic seven days of his people of this building, which was there ever spotter low, is enthusiastic, as he showed me around his office seat in history, he's

enthusiastic. When I press him about the case, is this case really justified? I told you I'm not in a position to go into the specifics of the gates and I'm not trying to simply avoid avoid your worship. People are telling us that these three people have been caught up in a political game. That this case is the product of politics. I don't agree with that interpretation and the self righteous people should try to understand what pressure we are faced with and what it Install carried the responsibility on our own to deal with the central mediterranean Do you really want to be the country that is responsible for charging? fifteen year old child of being a terrorist told. You can go to the spirit of the case, but we ve done our part and we're doing or about. We have saved taos

So it's ok, it's ok! It's ok! I'm saying that I think it's on fur to focus only on a case which deals with report in this story. There is, of course, one person left to speak to the captain. Nata l, he blew after all, he's the one who said he wasn't in control of his ship. and the only other person who really knows what happened I have so many questions for him. Why did he take them back to libya and why then did he change his mind? Was he scared or did he feel sorry for them have got hold of the number for the captain's brother now he's actually the one that owns the l. He blew ship and I'm hoping we can get through to him and speak to his brother hello that sailor had blue hello. My name is John Mccain.

See, and I'm hoping you can help me. I work for the bbc and were interested in the story of the ha l hippy ship from twenty nineteen, and I just wondered if he'd have a few words with me about about what happened. I just really like to ask nutter couple of questions. I wonder if he just talked to me for a couple of minutes, shall I call back Time is good, solid answers. He tells me to call back later when he'll be with matter. After this I call a message: easily but solid tells me not a is unavailable, but the boy was as Portugal and france fight it out. On the pier the boys shouted the screen and demolish burgers and chips tonight for a second, they look like any other teenagers. They forget that better.

In europe the place they risk their lives to reach has cost them their freedom written on the living alive, I'm still in prison three years now, so it's like you adapted directed, was slowly slowly slowly, slowly of special to me, the precious too much too much That's all from this edition of assignment I'm jean mackenzie, the producer was kate Vandy. the mole stories just type bbc assignment into your web browser, or you can scribe to the documentary podcast from the BBC world service.