11 FEBRUARY 2006, Page 19

Worse than Hamas

From Ralph Blumenau Sir: Your leading article (4 February) says that Hamas has power over its suicidebombers and could, if it wanted to, control them. Maybe, but don’t forget that Islamic Jihad, with its own suicide-bombers, did not take part in the elections. In the unlikely event that Hamas were to renounce suicide bombing, it would risk defection from its own ranks to Islamic Jihad.

Ralph Blumenau

London W11