Bulger killers face website 'death threats'

A series of death threats against child killers Jon Venables and Robert Thompson have been posted on an internet site.

The threats are made on a website featuring a "Justice for Jamie Bulger" petition, which has already been signed by more than 2,200 people around the world. The site has no connection to James Bulger's family's own website.

The petition's female author, who is based in Florida, calls for Venables and Thompson to spend the rest of their lives in jail, or at least for their new identities to be revealed to the public.

Signatories include people in Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and Israel.

In the petition, she says: "I am not calling for their blood - just their lives behind bars. If they will not serve more than eight years then at least tell us who they are so that we may protect our children and other children as well."

Many of the comments by signatories of the petition go much further than that, calling for the boys to be hunted down.

However, some comments do call for a less extreme response. One man says: "The majority of people at this site are unthinking, self-righteous idiots. And yes, I am a parent."

James's father Ralph Bulger, has called for restraint to be shown by the public and the media. He appealed for the system set up to deal with the release of Venables and Thompson to be allowed to take effect.

There are fears that the internet will be used by vigilantes to expose the pair's new identities but the website contains no such details.

Internet service providers have been warned they face heavy penalties if they breach the injunction protecting their anonymity.