BRIAN QUIGLEY,
Madam, - While one could never condone the horrific events in a Moscow theatre last week one must pause to consider just what led these Chechen separatists to resort to an act of such extreme desperation.
Mr Putin's facile attempt to place this event inside the aegis of "international terrorism" is a gross insult to global intelligence. Like other recent attacks, this one reflects a local issue, namely Chechnya's struggle for independence in the face of elements in the Russian army intent on murder, rape, error, mutilation and extortion in a frustrated attempt to suppress this uprising.
Ascribing these events to some sort of international Islamist conspiracy succeeds only in demonising all Muslims and further eroding the already fragile civil rights of minorities in other democracies, principally the US.
We are lucky to have in Europe and in America, a free press which can pronounce on and dispute these issues, not acting solely as a mouthpiece of the state. In the face of allegations of hysteria and anti bias, Ireland's media have been brave in exposing native corruption, in both Church and State.
In these dangerous times for democracy, not least from the government of a country professing to be the world's greatest democracy, we should be grateful for and not compromise the power of free speech. - Yours, etc.,
BRIAN QUIGLEY, New Court, Swords, Co Dublin.