True democrats would support the decision of the Spanish people

IT’S reassuring, isn’t it, to hear Taoiseach Bertie Ahern declare unequivocally that Ireland is an al-Qaida-free zone?

In the aftermath of the horrific carnage in Madrid, Bertie Ahern appears to have the inside track of the mindset of the international terrorist group, at least to the extent that he is confident this country will not become a target.

We hope he’s right, but it’s amazing how a man whose endeavours to find traces of Ray Burke in North Dublin failed abysmally is so far ahead of the western world’s intelligence organisations regarding al-Qaida’s intentions.