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| Middle East |
| Families of 13 Exiled Gunmen Protest in Bethlehem |
| 2002-05-20 |
| Families of 13 Oh, fate worse than death! Fatima Abayat, 65-year-old mother of Ibrahim Abayat, told Reuters: "We want our sons to stay together, not be sent to different countries." "I mean, how are you gonna carry out big-time assassination operations and bombings and extortion and stuff if you can only do business by phone and computer?" Families erected a large white marquee in Manger Square opposite the church. Dozens of people sat inside while children held up photographs of their fathers. Banners attached to the tent said: "Our sons are heroes, not criminals." "One man's hero is another man's crazed killer," as Reuters might say. In Cyprus, the European Union's Middle East envoy, Miguel Moratinos, said a deal on dispersing the militants was within reach, but final word would come from Brussels Tuesday. "We are continuing our efforts to finalize this sensitive issue. We are very close to an end," he told reporters as EU representatives held more discussions. This is a very important issue, right up there with cheese standards. Well, maybe not quite that high, but up there. The 13 are being held in a hotel in the Cyprus resort of Larnaca. Where they can ogle half-naked babes on the beach and abuse room service. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |