Russian children not the first young victims

WITH regard to your editorial about the Russian school siege (Irish Examiner, Sept 2), while I agree that this kind of action is indeed vile, I would like to point out that it is most definitely not new.

On May 15, 1974, terrorists from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine crossed the Lebanese border into Israel and broke into a high school in the town of Ma’alot.

They immediately killed a security guard and some of the children, and took the remaining children and teachers as hostages.

The so-called liberators demanded the release of terrorists from Israeli prisons, or all the children in the school would be killed.

Eventually, Israeli soldiers stormed the school and released all the hostages, but only after the terrorists had already killed a total of 21 schoolchildren and five teachers.

I wonder if terrorists really think that their aims will be achieved by carrying out such acts.

Jonathan Baum

53 Dargle Road

Blackrock

Co Dublin