Madam, - Leaving aside the morality of the assassination of the quadriplegic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, this was mistaken for two simple reasons. First, it will fail to achieve its stated objective of helping the fight against terror - the gap left by Yassin will be soon filled. Second, and more importantly, it will make things much worse by rallying Palestinian public opinion behind Yassin's Hamas followers.
Of particular concern to Western countries is the likely consolidation of pan-Arab, indiscriminate, anti-Western hostility. Israel is exceptionally well defended but those of us in less security-obsessed countries would be right to worry.
Only the naïve think that terrorism can be beaten by force. As the Irish of all people should know, a terrorist organisation can be undermined successfully only through the lessening of popular support for it among ordinary people. This is a painstaking and sensitive process, unlikely to be assisted by murdering elderly cripples, no matter how evil-minded these are. Foolhardy actions such as this should be loudly condemned. - Yours, etc.,
ALAN SHEEHY- SKEFFINGTON, Dublin 4.