A chara, – The headline on your editorial thoroughly and rightly condemning the killing of Steven Sotloff reads "A barbarous execution" (September 4th). Barbarous, yes; but an execution, no. Mr Sotloff was kidnapped by terrorists, held captive against his will for over a year in horrible conditions, and then forced to read an ideological spiel justifying the actions of his tormentors before being hideously murdered by them on camera. His murderers refused to even allow him dignity in death and posted the video of his brutal murder online.
Let us give not even the slightest hint of cover to these truly barbarous people by using the legal-sounding term “execution” to describe their evil actions. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny.