Will Europe ever get the message that giving in to terrorists demands only further emboldens them to commit more terrorism?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2191229,00.html
FRANCE, Italy and Germany sanctioned the payment of $45 million in deals to free nine hostages abducted in Iraq, according to documents seen by The Times. All three governments have publicly denied paying ransom money. But according to the documents, held by security officials in Baghdad who have played a crucial role in hostage negotiations, sums from $2.5 million to $10 million per person have been paid over the past 21 months. Among those said to have received cash ransoms was the gang responsible for seizing British hostages including Kenneth Bigley, the murdered Liverpool engineer. The list of payments has also been seen by Western diplomats, who are angered at the behaviour of the three governments, arguing that it encourages organised crime gangs to grab more foreign captives. In theory we stand together in not rewarding kidnappers, but in practice it seems some administrations have parted with cash and so it puts other foreign nationals at risk from gangs who are confident that some governments do pay, one senior envoy in the Iraqi capital said.
http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/05/22/opinion/opinion_30004574.php
The senseless beating of two women teachers by a group of villagers in the remote Narathiwat village of Kuching Reupah on Friday must be condemned in the strongest terms possible by all Thais, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. It is shocking that such a barbaric act was committed against defenceless teachers whose only sin was that they cared about local children's education. As much as we Thais would like to keep reminding ourselves that criminals are criminals, it has become impossible to ignore the fact that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are insurgents, who, like their sympathisers, are Muslims of Malay descent. They chose to challenge the authority of the state by meting out inhuman punishment against innocent state officials.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2190421,00.html
MORE than 230 foreigners identified by MI5 and Scotland Yard as suspected terrorists have been allowed to stay in Britain as asylum seekers. Home Office records show that nearly a quarter of the 963 people arrested in counter-terrorism operations in England and Wales since September 2001 have claimed refugee status, saying their human rights would be violated if they returned to countries such as Algeria, Iraq and Somalia. While their applications are processed, all are entitled to state benefits such as free housing and legal aid to pursue their claims that they would be persecuted in their home countries.