Hunters' online forum shut down temporarily

The hunters' federation has temporarily shut down its online forum following a series of threatening messages posted on the webpage for a while which prompted calls for a police investigation.

Instead of the link to the forum, visitors are now greeted by a statement issued by Fondazzjoni Kaccaturi u Nassaba Konservazzjonisti (FKNK) administration which says the forum has been closed in a bid to make it "safer"

Last Monday, BirdLife filed a police report, backed by a 29-page document containing a list of threatening messages inciting hunters to violence.

Following an exchange of such messages, someone posting under the pseudonym Sharp Shooter proposes to others to employ "terrorist" tactics such as "bombs and vandalism" only at the right time. "More importantly, only against those who deserve it," he says.

The messages were withdrawn after several days.

BirdLife lawyer Franco Vassallo said such threats implicated both the people who posted the messages and the moderator of the site. When contacted, FKNK secretary Lino Farrugia denied that the site had been shut down because the federation was given similar legal advice on the organisation's responsibility.

"That's what BirdLife is saying," he commented. "We shut the forum down temporarily because we said we would. We are in the process of creating a safer site where we will have more control over who submits comments and who doesn't."

As far as he knew, he said, the police had not yet approached the federation.

The police were asked to state whether investigations were taking place and whether anyone would be prosecuted, but no reply was forthcoming.

The statement announcing the closure of the site says the refurbishment was intended to protect "genuine members".

"The forum has become so popular," the message says, "that our enemies are trying to stop genuine hunters and trappers from expressing their opinion."

Asked whether the use of "enemies" to describe BirdLife and others who reported the content of the messages was appropriate, Mr Farrugia said it was an open secret that BirdLife was the hunters' enemy. "They want to destroy our right to practice our hobby. What are they then?" he asked.

He said the federation had condemned the messages and reiterated that the organisation had always done its best to weed out certain messages.

"But sometimes, some messages got through," he said.

BirdLife executive director Tolga Temuge said the attitude of those whom he termed "illegal hunters" just went to show how spoilt they were.

"The threatening, the bullying and the illegal practices are over. We expect the police to take all the necessary measures immediately," Mr Temuge said.

Earlier this month The Times reported that the police had been asked to investigate messages posted on the forum, which contained threats against Environment Minister George Pullicino and urged hunters to take the law into their own hands.