Shots in the night... or in the foot?

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit is set to archive her inquiry into an alleged shooting in the vicinity of Girgenti Palace in the early hours of Tuesday, heeding the suggestion by police and army officials that the reported shots were more than likely to have been fired by an air gun in a hunt for wild rabbit.

Police and military reinforcements were rushed to the Girgenti Palace at 1.45am of Wednesday, after a soldier who stood guard at the gate of the one-time Inquisitor's Palace in open country-side on the outskirts of Siggiewi, telephoned the Armed Forces control room to report "shots in the vicinity".

While Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and his wife slept through the cold and windy night, the dark surroundings of the Girgenti Valley were suddenly illuminated by blue beacon lights, and later by bright halogen beams which  were used to help carpet search the area for any spent cartridges or traces to the alleged shooting.

The search continued through the night and early morning, but nothing was found as duty Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit was called in to conduct an inquiry, and appointed a number of court experts according to protocol when firearms are involved, most especially when the incident involves the Prime Minister.

The guard who reported the shooting was heard by the Magistrate and his testimony was transcribed by her clerk.

What was interesting is that the guard allegedly told the Magistrate and investigators that he was more than certain that the shots he heard were not from a shotgun but from a "gun".

Although this detail alarmed the authorities, it was later theorised that the noise very possibly came from an air gun, which has a very similar sound as a pistol when fired.

With every inch of the 1625-built Palace walls carefully searched for any traces of bullet or pellet markings, investigators have dismissed the incident and are close to concluding that it was a case of illegal night hunting for wild rabbit.

Experts have said that the shooting didn't even occur in close vicinity to the Palace, adding that on that night, the strong winds were blowing from the North West, amplifying the sound of three gunshots in the dead of night in open countryside.

According to the sources, it was more than probable that the shots were fired in the underlying fields at the foot of a miniature precipice situated at the far end of the Girgenti Palace.

Statement

The incident was made public in a statement issued from Castille late on Wednesday morning as the media struggled to cope with a barrage of comments made by PN backbencher Franco Debono - who apart from standing his ground on for having the Prime Minister split the Justice and Home Affairs Ministry - also fired a broadside on the party over its alleged inaction to Marsaxlokk party activist Herman Schiavone, who three years earlier had pointed his fingers towards him as the person behind an anonymous letter which had pulled him off the PN candidates list in the 2003 general elections.

Castille went as far to say that "unidentified persons fired a weapon in the vicinity of Girgenti Palace," adding that the Prime Minister and his wife were inside the Palace at the time.

The statement was taken seriously by all newsrooms and topped the news on the hour until the details of the alleged shootings started to emerge.

Commentators on news websites were the first to suggest that the area is traditionally known to be grounds for wild rabbit hunting.

The statement by Castille turned odd when it hit home that the area where Girgenti Palace is situated - the oustkirts of Siggiewi - is very popular with bird hunters, and albeit a regulation that no shooting can be done within 500 metres of the Palace, the sound of shooting is an everyday happening in the area.

Gunshots are heard even when the Prime Minister hosts guests at the Girgenti Palace.

But while such an incident cannot be dismissed by the authorities, commentators were baffled as to why the statement was issued, when it was obvious that the Palace was not involved in the incident.

Open season

Hunter's federation president Lino Farrugia confirmed that the area around the Girgenti Palace is a popular hunting spot for wild rabbit.

Although illegal at night, Farrugia expressed dismay at the fact that the authorities didn't know that the rabbit hunting season is open and was so until yesterday (31 December).

Air guns

In 2008, the police received applications for the hunting of wild rabbits by hunters using air guns. In a statement, it explained the procedure for hunters to be granted a licence to hunt rabbits.

The hunter's federation explained in a statement back then, that hunting of wild rabbits using air guns was a popular practice abroad, especially where large numbers of rabbits could be found. While it appreciated that Maltese hunters could now practice this sort of hunting, it insisted that this could never be considered as a substitute for the "Maltese socio-cultural tradition of hunting".

Hunting for rabbits in Malta

In his blog 'Rabbit hunting with the kelb tal-fenek in Malta' Peter Gatt writes that "a dark sky with a good breeze, preferably from the north," are good conditions for a night hunt for rabbit.

He explains that the 'fenek' (rabbit) has excellent eyesight with optimum sense of smell and hearing. "A dark, windy night does increase, to some extent, the chance of the Pharaoh Hound (Kelb tal-Fenek) to catch its prey.

On the contrary, a moon-lit night would allow the 'fenek' to see its predator well in advance, thus enabling it to flee, well before the dog has caught sight or wind of it. When working against the wind, the dog has the advantage of scenting the prey well ahead, and this without the rabbit having a clue that the dog is on its tracks.

The hunt is done with the aid of a ferret (nemes), which is usually placed inside a 'garzella' - a round basket made locally out of wicker. With long canvas straps, this is held slung over the shoulder. The 'xbiek' - strong nets of varying sizes - are placed into a sack.

The search is conducted in almost pitch darkness and the only guide for hunters is the so-called 'kurriera' - a crying, barking sort of sound typical of the Pharaoh Hound breed.

Hunters follow the 'kurriera' and when the cry becomes a bark, they lay out the net and  reach for the 'nemes' placing a 'gongoll' (a little bell, not much different to that worn by domestic cats) around its neck.

The ferret is then placed into the spot - usually a burrow - indicated by the dogs.

From now on it's a waiting game with the dogs, attentive of for the bell sound as the rabbit tries to make its way through the rubble. As soon as the rabbit attempts to escape, it runs into the net followed by the ferret.

The dogs would immediately pounce onto the net, killing the rabbit.