Death threat over kitten killings

German police are investigating an anonymous threat against Berlin Zoo's director after he admitted once killing four kittens.

Bernhard Blaszkiewitz said he had killed the wild kittens in 1991 becuase they posed a threat to the zoo's animals by carrying disease.

"The zoo reported a threat and we are investigating," a Berlin police spokesman said. He declined to give more details.

Mr Blaszkiewitz defended his decision to kill the kittens in a newspaper interview published today. "I
still think it was the right thing to do," he told the Die Welt daily newspaper.

"Wild house cats are a big danger for people and animals and therefore they cannot be tolerated," he said.