I read today that the "Bethlehem 13" were flown out in exile to several destinations in Europe where they will make their new homes. These 13 Palestinian freedom fighters were Israel's "most wanted of wanted men".

They were given sanctuary in the Bethlehem Church of Nativity for 38 days when Israel troops held Jenin. The all Jewish Israel forces did not desecrate the church which held Palestinians who were probably Muslims and Christians.

This is such a wonderful thing — the idea of sanctuary of places of worship. I am writing this also as a response to your report on police corruption and want to relate two incidents.

One occurred on the night of Oct 17, 1998, when the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) stormed right through into the National Mosque, thus desecrating a place of worship. These are Muslim troopers with perhaps no sense of God consciousness.

I was by the fountain with children and was shaken by the sight and noise of the FRU stomping through the mosque. As the interior of the mosque was lighted, we could see clearly the colours of the FRU personnel through the latticed walls of the mosque.

The other incident was perhaps a year or so later when I read that the FRU stormed the National Mosque grounds where a peaceful assembly was held. The FRU rushed in when opposition party politicians spoke.

A taxi driver once said to me that he was in the FRU in the 1970s and even during the 1974 siege of the National Mosque where students held a mass demonstration, the FRU would not 'invade' and desecrate the mosque. He said he is ashamed of what the police are doing to civilians now.