The Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) has taken steps toward resuming executions as part of a campaign to halt lawlessness and prevent revenge killings, despite the risk of European condemnation, legal and religious officials said.
A top Muslim religious official said President Mahmoud Abbas, responding to public pressure to crack down on crime, had asked him for Islamic legal rulings that would pave the way for him to carry out 16 death warrants, some issued years ago.
The move has worried human rights activists and threatens to make waves with the European Union (news - web sites), which is staunchly against the death penalty and is also the top donor to the aid-dependent Palestinian Authority.
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"The people ... demanded the Palestinian Authority president carry out the death sentences on those who killed innocents to prevent future crimes and acts of revenge."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20050224/wl_nm/mideast_executions_dc................................................................
suddenly the PA wants to "to prevent future crimes and acts of revenge."
you cant make this stuff up.