Al-Qaida’s roots are much closer to home

DID a handful of Morrocans red in tooth and claw and armed with a few pounds of plastic explosive, detonators and mobile phones, cause the havoc in Madrid? Perhaps.

And influence the outcome of the Spanish election?

Probably.

And change the course of history?

No.

History was changed and the genie was let out of the bottle on 9/11. And, in the immortal words of Frank O’Connor, anything that happened after, nothing ever seemed the same again.

But modern terrorism has its roots a lot closer to home: the IRA.

The new Al-Qaida affiliates are using the wicked sophisticated methods pioneered by the IRA (including the remote detonation of bombs by mobile phone), plus an evil determination to concentrate minds by disintegrating bodies in the heart of our cities.

So, how do we get these guys off our backs? By starting with the IRA.

If they are not stood down and every last ounce of Semtex destroyed by Easter, let’s say, then Sinn Fein should be excluded from contesting any further elections until the courts have ruled on the legitimacy of their armed wing holding as sacrosanct a constitution which overrides the constitution of the Irish Republic, for a start, as well as overseeing the development of terror tactics which have provided a template for the wicked of the world to emulate.

Whose track record has shown an inordinate respect for the works of the devil, rather than the law of God?

It’s time to vote off the weakest link, before they consign us all to stardust.

Richard Dowling,

Patrick Street,

Mountrath,

Co Laois.