Why Spielberg should avoid Malta

A DEBKAfile Exclusive Counter-terror Report states why film director Steven Spielberg should avoid Malta this week. Spielberg is already in Malta filming a controversial fact based terrorism drama dealing with the 'Black September' massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics. From DEBKAfile:

DEBKAfile's counter-terror experts comment that, while these aspects of the film are compelling, the filmmakers' security also requires proper attention to the defining elements of terrorism, prior intelligence. Our sources say this is not a good week to start shooting in Malta. The director of the War of the Worlds and his crew would be well advised to give the Mediterranean island a wide berth for the moment because of certain events that might even place them in harm's way..

The Palestinian Jihad Islami plans this week to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its founder, Fathi Shikaki's assassination in Malta. He took five bullets from two motorcyclists as he stepped out of his Malta hotel in October 1995. The killers identified their quarry although he had shaved off his beard and wore a large wig. Israel has never either confirmed or denied that the killers were Mossad. Under Shikaki's leadership, Jihad murdered dozens of Israelis in terrorist attacks. This murderous campaign continues under his successor up until the present day.

According to our sources, US and Israeli security authorities are worried that the Jihad Islami may typically decide to mark its commemoration date by hitting American or Israeli targets somewhere in the Middle East. Jihad has more than one reason for lashing out in the coming few days.

DEBKA-Net-Weekly 209 of June 10 relates how in 1990, the dead leader's successor and current chief Abdallah Ramadan Shalah was brought over to America by al-Arian who helped him find a lecturing post at South Florida University and a place on the American academic scene.

It is worth considering the possibility of the concatenation of date, US trial, and the filming in Malta of an American movie whose theme is an episode of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict striking the Jihad leader Shalah as a timely setting for a terrorist attack on an American target famous enough to shake the world. That is, if the target is placed in easy range on Malta...

Spielberg begins Malta filming of 'most controversial project ever' - MaltaMedia