Tim Blair

Doesn't seem like they're in a hurry to arrest anyone.

The BBC's article http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3149030.stm, quoting Scotland Yard, carefully notes that "honour killings" "were not restricted to Muslims, but also occurred in Sikh and Christian families." Which is probably worth mentioning.

Scotland Yard, carefully notes that "honour killings" "were not restricted to Muslims, but also occurred in Sikh and Christian families."

Yes, back in my neighborhood in good ol' U.S. of Puritan A., I remember seeing the bodies of honor-killed teenage girls lying dumped in the suburban streets on Sunday mornings...

Oh, hang on, that's an alternate universe I'm thinking of, never mind.

Probably meant Christian Arab honor, not Christian tout court.

How long is "life in prison" in the U.K.? About 3 years?

Good onya.

I'm sure the cops just wrote off a body with a knife hanging out of it as an accident. And Slatts, what a remakable observation, "Doesn't seem like they're in a hurry to arrest anyone" Must be nice to be able to make observations into Police investigations based on this report only. Actually you should become a detective if you have some insight into how to gain a conviction without physical evidence, witnesses or confessions - with nothing more than some wishy washy, 'I reckon there might be 12 of these a year'

Same thing happens regularly in the Netlerhands. On August 18, a father shot his daughter with a gun. Father took his daughter to Turkey for a holiday and murdered her there.

It's possible that some Christians living in Muslim countries have adopted the cultural practice of 'honor killing'. However, I can't recall reading about a single instance.

If the Scotland Yard officer was not just being PC, then I trust the local Christian cleric clued the guy in that he committed murder. I also trust the Christian clerics preach a lot against such practices.

What's more terrible Tim? The killings or the fact that -- god forbid -- they're muslims? Do you have a whinge every time someone dies at the hands of a white anglo-saxon? Or are you saying that Christians never do bad things?

Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

If they formed a special squad to tackle the problem of Muslim honour killings (or female circumcision or druidic sacrifices or ANYTHING culturally sensitive) they would be pilloried as racists.

Welcome to multicultural paradise.

Did you even read the item you're commenting on, Adam?

This turd was upset that his daughter was adopting 'Western' values. Then why the fuck did he move to Britain? You come to my house, you follow MY rules, scumbag. Saddam's welcome to gas this piece of crap.

Yes, Adam, let's reflect on Anglo-Saxon honor killings. We should expose the worst elements of all of our cultures equally, especially those that have an inequity in honor killings. Shall we increase the number of honor killings in Anglo-Saxon culture or decrease the number in Islamic culture? I'm kind of on the fence, myself, but please, say your piece!

It's possible that some Christians living in Muslim countries have adopted the cultural practice of 'honor killing'. However, I can't recall reading about a single instance.

Something similar was customary in Corsica until quite recently. Actually, thinking about it, there was something in my local paper about a husband who killed his four kids when he discovered one of them was illegitimate. I daresay if he'd been a few shades darker they might have called it an "honour killing". Note further that the father in this case immediately slit his own throat and jumped off his third floor balcony, so one shouldn't exactly get a mental picture of a grinning executioner here.

You might also note that Christians come in colours other than white these days; IIRC, the Met spokesman is actually referring to our African community when he talks about Christian honour killings.

And Tim: It's devilishly hard to "interview the family" when there is no way of identifying a Muslim girl because there is no record of her ever having existed, as is the case in a lot of illegal immigrant families. Don't be such a prick to the Scotland Yard boys, they do a good job.

Perhaps it's more of a case that while Islam may be more prevalent in such cultures and not responsible for such barbaric practices, doesn't vigorously oppose them. A bit like the practice of Suttee (burning widows alive) in India until the English got really pissed off & started putting a bit of stick about....

THere's a famous anecdote that Lord Napier, British G-G over India, made a decree banning suttee. Some Indian men visited him to protest this act of culturally insensitive imperialism. It was their custom

Fine, replied Napier. And in England, we have a custom that when men burn women alive, we hang them in punishment. So you build your pyres -- and we'll biuld our gallows. After all, everyone has to follow the customs of their own people!

"This turd was upset that his daughter was adopting 'Western' values. Then why the fuck did he move to Britain? You come to my house, you follow MY rules, scumbag. Saddam's welcome to gas this piece of crap."

You said it all David.

I agree, something seriously has to be done about all these 'honour killings' as they seem to be called. However, what about all of the extremists that don't seem to care much for the laws in certain countries? Many of them don't seem to even care about the punishment (whatever it may be) for conducting one of these 'honour killings'. People say that capital punishment is not the answer because it is too inhumane. Well, i say that if a man (and i use that term very loosely) wants to brutally kill his own daughter, because she wants to live her own life (not hurting anyone, by the way) then THAT is totally inhumane!! Ever hear the phrase, make the punishment fit the crime? well that is exactly what is called for in cases such as these. However, as i mentioned earlier, you also have these idiotic extremists, and i would gladly welcome any worthy ideas as to how they can be spotted and stopped. Authorities need to take this matter seriously, or we may lose a lot of decent people who just want to live a 'normal' life, the way they choose, and not the way a certain culture dictates.