MP'S BOMBER SYMPATHY

www.sky.com ^ | Thursday January 22, 2004 | sky

[pau1f0rd]

A Liberal Democrat MP has stirred controversy by saying she understood why some people became suicide bombers.

Jenny Tonge said suicide bombers were "born out of desperation" and she might consider becoming one herself if she lived in Gaza and the West Bank.

But the Richmond MP stressed she did not condone their actions.

"From minor things to major things their life does not feel like it is their own," she said.

"I do not condone suicide bombers. No one can condone them ... but I do understand why people out there become suicide bombers."

She added: "It is out of desperation and I guess if I was in their situation, with my children and grandchildren, and I saw no hope for the future at all, I might just think about it myself."

Ms Tonge originally made her comments to a pro-Palestinian lobby in the Commons on Wednesday.

The comments have sparked an angry reaction with Labour Peer Lord Janner calling the comments were "disgraceful" and "wrong".

"She is saying that she supports people who are suicide bombers, which means murderers and terrorists," he told Sky News.

"To say in any way that you understand it, or ... that you approve of it is totally disgraceful and wrong."

More than 1,000 Israelis have been killed in some 100 suicide bombings since the start of the Palestinian Intifada in September 2000.

The Prime Minister's wife Cherie Blair was forced to apologise to the Jewish community when she told a charity event in June 2002 that Palestinians felt they had "no hope" but to blow themselves up.

Her comments came hours after 19 Israelis died and over 40 were injured in a suicide bomb attack on a bus in Jerusalem.

[pau1f0rd]

Nobody with an ounce of morality would say what she has said. The Lib Dems have taken over from Labour as the party of the loony left.

[petuniasevan]

she might consider becoming one herself

By all means walk the walk, filthy little b*tch. Go right ahead. We'll let the Israelis know you're on the way.

[RonHolzwarth]

Does she also understand why some guys rape women?

Does she also understand why some guys molest children?

Does she also understand why some guys play "sniper" on the highways?

Maybe if she got nailed in an alley, or watched her child ripped into shreds in front of her, she wouldn't understand quite so well,,,