In his letter (The Sunday Times of Malta, November 9), Charles Xuereb claims his research shows that no pillaging was ever officially sanctioned during the French occupation.
Yet valuables from convents that were the proceeds and offerings by Maltese over hundreds of years,were allowed to be plundered by the French. This was after Napoleon had made a promise to the Maltese under Art. 7 of the Convention of June 12, 1798 – “your honour, property, religion and privileges will be respected, and no extraordinary contributions shall be imposed”.
That was pillaging.