Posted on 09/07/2005 10:40:26 AM PDT by aculeus
Terry Waite, who was held hostage by Islamic extremists for four years, stoked controversy over a memorial service for the London bombings yesterday by calling for relatives of the bombers to be invited.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury's envoy suggested that close relatives of the four suicide bombers should sit alongside the families of the 52 victims at the special service in St Paul's Cathedral.
His comments were echoed by Ken Livingstone, the London Mayor, who said that it would be "offensive" if relatives of the bombers were turned away from the service on Nov 1.
Mr Waite, who was held hostage in Beirut from 1987 to 1991, said in an interview on BBC Radio 2: "The parents definitely should be involved in the service because in a different way they are victims themselves."
He said that it was both "Christian and courteous" to invite the families to the commemorative service, which is due to be attended by members of the Royal Family, senior politicians and leaders from different faiths. He added: "I firmly believe the parents of the children who commit crimes of an abhorrent nature such as murder need understanding."
The suggestion was first raised by Church of England bishops at the weekend. The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Rev Jack Nicholls, said he would like the bombers' families to attend, but only with the approval of the bereaved and injured.
"The families should be consulted. If such a suggestion were to bring more anger between communities it would not be a risk worth taking," he said.
But the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and St Paul's Cathedral, which is responsible for the event, said they had decided against such a move. A spokesman for the cathedral said: "Although neither of us attaches any blame to the families of the London bombers, our first responsibility is to the families of the victims."
Brian Coleman, the Tory deputy chairman of the London Assembly, labelled the idea of bombers' families attending as "political correctness gone mad".
More ...
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."
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1900512005
Idiots.
He seems to have confused St Paul's Cathedral with the set of the Jerry Springer Show.
The left is insane no matter where they live.
You couldn’t make up such horses’ asses.
If one of my family had been killed, I'd invite the terrorists families. What a wonderful, target rich environment.
And don't search the terrorists' families before they enter. That would be insensitive. < /sarcasm >
America should ship several tons of rifles and ammunition to the Brits so they can defend their country from the invading terrorists - then later they can write their own Second Amendment that our DNC (and many rockefeller republican RINOs) hates so much.
Mega-BARF alert.
The suicide of the West continues.
This is as stupid as....stupid as the US giving the Pali's $50 million while they attack Israel from Gaza...
If they showed at my sons funeral it would be the last funeral they would attend. Stigma...Failure..Ostracism..those are the consequences of raising an animal that acts..well..like an animal. Its time to but the SHAME into these people.
600 years of not contributing to human society is one thing ..but then killing us...well that Crosses (captial C) the line.
Hmmm. Now, that is true irony.
The incident that started the Revolutionary War was the Brits wanting to seize arms and arrest some high profile revolutionary types in Lexington and Concorde.
I wonder if we still have those old muzzle loaders around somewhere? Give 'em those.
(I live in Scotland BTW)
An eminently intelligent post. You obviously know a lot about the UK. Keep up the good work!
If the muslim families come to express real regret, I would let them. Absent that, there is no way I would allow them in. It is highly probable that they are the ones that created the hateful environment that allowed their kids to get the idea that it was great to kill infidels. All I have to do is read the polling data from UK muslims.
Yes, these families should be ostracized, big time. That is an important part of the solution.
... and a place at the Memorial for their victims.
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