From Mr Randhir Singh Bains

Sir: Professor Trevor Hartley rightly states ("Judgment on the Rock", 28 December) that the wild criticism of the European Court over the Gibraltar killings is unjustified. However, the court decision needs to be seen in a wider context, for human rights are no longer the moral issue they were when the UN Convention was signed in 1948.

Since then the issue of human rights has become highly politicised, thereby providing terrorists, secessionists and other radicals with a new mechanism to legitimise violent campaigns.

One only needs to see how the number of human rights organisations has grown by leaps and bounds, especially in countries that are facing an armed rebellion or terrorism.

Some of these organisations are genuine and are doing wonderful work, but many were set up by terrorist sympathisers.

These organisations highlight the violation of human rights by security forces with great ferocity, but mention the atrocities committed by terrorists only in passing. Sometimes they even manage to get Western human rights groups involved in their campaigns by giving false information.

By condemning Britain rather than the terrorists, the court's decision has confirmed that the movement for the protection of human rights has not only lost its original purpose but has also been hijacked by men of violence.

Under these circumstances, the only honourable option open to Britain should be to withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights and introduce its own Bill of Rights.

Yours faithfully,

Randhir Singh Bains

Gants Hill,

Essex

1 January