Posted on 09/06/2005 10:13:29 PM PDT by Pikamax
Mayor in row over memorial service
ANGUS HOWARTH
A ROW broke out yesterday over calls for the families of the 7 July suicide bombers to be invited to a national memorial service for the victims.
Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London, said it would be wrong to turn the bombers' parents and relatives away if they wanted to share the grief of Londoners.
He was backed by the former hostage Terry Waite and by two Church of England bishops, who said the invitation would send a message of reconciliation to the Muslim community.
But furious Whitehall officials in charge of drawing up the guest list said it would be "grotesque" to invite the bombers' families to an event for bereaved relatives of the victims. London Tory politicians labelled Mr Livingstone's comments "insensitive".
The service of commemoration is to be held at St Paul's Cathedral on 1 November and will be attended by the Queen.
Bashir Ahmed, the uncle of suicide bomber Shehzad Tanweer, has said his family would be prepared to attend if invited. He added that if any of the victims' families were offended, "I will be happy to go and apologise for any pain a member of my family may have caused."
Asked whether the bombers' families should attend, Mr Livingstone said: "I think that's a matter they have to decide. If they want to come and share the grief of Londoners and celebrate the lives of those who were killed on the day, I think it would be particularly offensive to turn people away, and I cannot think anyone would want to come except on that basis."
Church leaders would like the bombers' families to attend but only with approval from the bereaved and injured.
Jack Nicholls, the Bishop of Sheffield, said: "The families should be consulted on such an issue.
"If such a suggestion were to bring more anger between communities, it would not be a risk worth taking.
"In an ideal situation, it would be good for all to be able to express their grief and sorrow together and begin to look forward to building a better future."
The Bishop of Newcastle, Martin Winton, said inviting the bombers' families would "acknowledge the wickedness of the act". He added: "I believe this has to be an inclusive invitation."
However, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which is in charge of the event, said it would not back down from its decision to exclude the bombers' families.
Brian Coleman, the Tory deputy chairman of the London Assembly, labelled the idea of bombers' families attending as "political correctness gone mad". He added: "You wouldn't invite a murderer's family to the victim's funeral."
there can NEVER be reconciliation to terrorists.
Only ONE possibility.
Islam wants world domination, it is not only a false religion, but a religion of hate and violence. These guys relatives probably helped them plan it.
Let 'em show up and then waste 'em for breeding terrorscum.
Red Ken strikes again.
A good policy:
Never trust a muslim.
Typical Red Ken.
He has never met a terrorist he didn't embrace, from the IRA on down.
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