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Archbishop 'uncomfortable' over Bin Laden unarmed death | Archbishop 'uncomfortable' over Bin Laden unarmed death |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams says the US killing of unarmed al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has left "a very uncomfortable feeling". | Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams says the US killing of unarmed al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has left "a very uncomfortable feeling". |
Bin Laden died in a raid on a Pakistani hideout, and the US initially said he was armed but later corrected that. | Bin Laden died in a raid on a Pakistani hideout, and the US initially said he was armed but later corrected that. |
Dr Williams said that when "faced with someone who was manifestly a war criminal... it is important that justice is seen to be served". | |
But "different versions of events" had done little to ensure that, he added. | But "different versions of events" had done little to ensure that, he added. |
The US said Bin Laden was a lawful military target and he had made no attempt to surrender. | The US said Bin Laden was a lawful military target and he had made no attempt to surrender. |
Dr Williams, asked about the death during a press briefing on Thursday, said: "I think the killing of an unarmed man is always going to leave a very uncomfortable feeling because it doesn't look as if justice is seen to be done. | Dr Williams, asked about the death during a press briefing on Thursday, said: "I think the killing of an unarmed man is always going to leave a very uncomfortable feeling because it doesn't look as if justice is seen to be done. |
"In those circumstances I think it's also true that the different versions of events that have emerged in recent days have not done a great deal to help. | "In those circumstances I think it's also true that the different versions of events that have emerged in recent days have not done a great deal to help. |
"I don't know the full details any more than anyone else does. But I do believe that in such circumstances when we are faced with someone who was manifestly a war criminal in terms of the atrocities inflicted it is important that justice is seen to be served." | "I don't know the full details any more than anyone else does. But I do believe that in such circumstances when we are faced with someone who was manifestly a war criminal in terms of the atrocities inflicted it is important that justice is seen to be served." |
A spokesman for Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, said the Church would not be commenting on Bin Laden's death. | A spokesman for Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, said the Church would not be commenting on Bin Laden's death. |
'Kill or capture' | 'Kill or capture' |
Critics have raised concerns about the legality of the operation, after the US revised its account to acknowledge Bin Laden was unarmed when shot dead. | Critics have raised concerns about the legality of the operation, after the US revised its account to acknowledge Bin Laden was unarmed when shot dead. |
But US Attorney General Eric Holder said Bin Laden was a lawful military target, whose killing was "an act of national self-defence". | But US Attorney General Eric Holder said Bin Laden was a lawful military target, whose killing was "an act of national self-defence". |
"It was a kill-or-capture mission. He made no attempt to surrender." | "It was a kill-or-capture mission. He made no attempt to surrender." |
The US has offered two different successive accounts of the killing of Bin Laden. Originally, officials said the al-Qaeda chief had "participated" in a firefight when he was shot dead. | The US has offered two different successive accounts of the killing of Bin Laden. Originally, officials said the al-Qaeda chief had "participated" in a firefight when he was shot dead. |
On Tuesday, the White House corrected this, saying Bin Laden was unarmed. But it still insisted that he was resisting capture - although it is unclear exactly how he did this. | On Tuesday, the White House corrected this, saying Bin Laden was unarmed. But it still insisted that he was resisting capture - although it is unclear exactly how he did this. |
A White House spokesman suggested the initial confusion was the result of trying to provide a great deal of information in haste. | A White House spokesman suggested the initial confusion was the result of trying to provide a great deal of information in haste. |
The former head of the British Army, General Lord Dannatt, who is a practising Anglican, defended the action of the US special forces. | The former head of the British Army, General Lord Dannatt, who is a practising Anglican, defended the action of the US special forces. |
He said that, while ideally Bin Laden would have been captured, his killing was "unfortunate but necessary". | He said that, while ideally Bin Laden would have been captured, his killing was "unfortunate but necessary". |
Lord Dannatt told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "The special forces troops going in had been briefed, perfectly reasonably, that if Bin Laden was anything other than naked, he could be assumed to be wearing a suicide vest. | Lord Dannatt told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "The special forces troops going in had been briefed, perfectly reasonably, that if Bin Laden was anything other than naked, he could be assumed to be wearing a suicide vest. |
"Unless he put his hands straight up and surrendered straightaway they had to assume that he had evil intent." | "Unless he put his hands straight up and surrendered straightaway they had to assume that he had evil intent." |