Hous e of Lords, London SW1
Hanging terrorists
Sir: Your editorial on the question of capital punishment, last week, made very important and relevant ii?Mts. It is essential, as you said, that e Public should feel that the punish itlillent does fit the crime if this is not ,e case it is an invitation for people to aae the law into their own hands. shkit it is important, too, that the public iiould have the determination to carry out sh the punishment. The IRA have rutrn themselves to be an utterly aa less organisation. What if, on the Y a terrorist is to be executed, the IRA Werp t Z-0 abduct a child and threaten to irY out the same 'punishment' on that tolld, unless the authorities agreed to DeraMute the sentence. Would the rof Britain be prepared to go on e the execution and accept the do,Jiluences or would they back is's-0 The supporters of capital pun
Ment should ponder that question.
,,t.the moment we seem to be fighting lill;•"Ited war against the IRA. Perhaps a be ited war is all the British people will at. Total war requires the full and
unequivocal backing of the people: they must be prepared to accept all the consequences that might result from giving no quarter, If that will and determination is lacking, it would be foolish to throw down the gauntlet. Butler Stuart Swinton Conservative College, Masham, near Ripon, Yorkshire.
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