Waite calls for bombers' families to attend service

Interesting one, wonder what you guys think about this? FWIW, my take is that it depends on the attitudes of victims' families, they should have a veto, but if they're fine with it, then go ahead.

Oh and Livingstone yet again takes the "utter shite" trophy with his "offensive" comment.

Waite calls for bombers' families to attend service
Telegraph
07/09/2005

Terry Waite, who was held hostage by Islamic extremists for four years, stoked controversy over a memorial service for the London bombings yesterday by calling for relatives of the bombers to be invited.

The former Archbishop of Canterbury's envoy suggested that close relatives of the four suicide bombers should sit alongside the families of the 52 victims at the special service in St Paul's Cathedral.

His comments were echoed by Ken Livingstone, the London Mayor, who said that it would be "offensive" if relatives of the bombers were turned away from the service on Nov 1.

...

The suggestion was first raised by Church of England bishops at the weekend. The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Rev Jack Nicholls, said he would like the bombers' families to attend, but only with the approval of the bereaved and injured.

"The families should be consulted. If such a suggestion were to bring more anger between communities it would not be a risk worth taking," he said.

But the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and St Paul's Cathedral, which is responsible for the event, said they had decided against such a move. A spokesman for the cathedral said: "Although neither of us attaches any blame to the families of the London bombers, our first responsibility is to the families of the victims."

Brian Coleman, the Tory deputy chairman of the London Assembly, labelled the idea of bombers' families attending as "political correctness gone mad".