HOW can we ever rid ourselves of terrorists when there will always be a minority of people such as K Barnes of Catterton who seem to think we should be lenient with them.

Let us not forget that terrorists are willing to maim and kill for the sake of their misguided cause and, in many cases, they die because of their actions and, unfortunately, become martyrs to their followers.

What a sad, soft world we live in, when armchair do-gooders try to stop the people having to deal with these terrorists from punishing them appropriately.

I should be very interested in other readers' views on whether the prisoners from Afghanistan should be put up in four-star hotels in Cuba. Or should their punishment be more appropriate to match the crimes and atrocities these terrorists have carried out?

Cynthia Berry,

Far Ings,

Wigginton Road,

York.

Updated: 10:46 Wednesday, February 06, 2002