Hunters react to allegations

The Federation for Hunting and Conservation said it was instituting legal proceedings for libel and slander against Birdlife (Malta) and all media that have alleged hunters were behind the killing of two spoonbills in the Ghadira nature reserve last Saturday.

In a letter yesterday to the EU's Environment Commissioner, the federation said no proof had yet emerged that the culprits were hunters or that the protected birds were actually killed.

Federation secretary Lino Farrugia demanded that the commissioner outline the nature of the "threat" implied in the statement made by birdwatching website Surfbirds.com that the message from Brussels was "wait until after accession, then..."