Richard Reid's Father on 'Obama the Merciful'

Richard Reid is a British-born Muslim convert currently serving life in a U.S. jail after trying to blow up a transatlantic jet with explosives hidden in his shoes.

His father has released a letter to the British press in which his son brands Obama as no better than Bush, insisting that the only difference between the two men is the fact that Bush 'was more open in his enmity towards Islam'.

Of course. I quite clearly remember Bush taking the opportunity of all eyes being upon him after 9/11 to declare that Islam, the religion in whose name 3,000 of his own citizens were slaughtered on their own soil, was 'a religion of peace, love and tolerance'.

Harsh words indeed.

Reid's father sounds almost as crazy as his son:

Robin, 59, who lives near Southampton, said: "They've censored part of the letter where he tells me the reason he is on hunger strike.

"But I know from earlier letters that all he ever does is study Islam - so he must be protesting about something to do with that.

"It must be because they are stopping him getting the materials like books he needs which is infringing his human rights."

He added: "I don't want my son to die. Islam is all he cares about, not himself.

"Personally, I don't agree with his view of Obama and I think he is a breath of fresh air after Bush. But he is right that we should be wary of any new president.

"I'm writing to tell him that he should have more faith in Obama, though. I haven't been allowed to visit all my son in jail and maybe my only hope of ever seeing him again is if someone merciful like Obama realises he's that just an idealist who never really wanted to kill anyone."

He said released the photo "so Richard does not get forgotten about and people hear what he has to say".

Mr Reid insisted: "I believe he deliberately made a hash of it on that plane and tried to get caught before he hurt anyone. If he had been serious, he'd have gone to the toilets to set off his bomb.

"He was convinced of his cause and sure that American policy under Bush was wrong - and he tried to make a dramatic statement. But I will never believe he was serious about killing anyone."

Reid has made it quite clear that his Islamic faith is fuelled by hatred and murderous intent, ranting about Bush against all facts and logic when Islamic hatred of America and the entire non-Muslim world is rooted deep.

Why should the prison authorities not prevent his studies on that basis?

To call a man who wanted to kill as many innocents as possible 'an idealist' is simply an insult.

What interests me is the fact that Robin Reid seems to think that Obama might somehow have some empathy with his son - where could he have got an idea like that?

As much as I dislike Obama and disagree with pretty much all he has said and done to date, I'm not sure even he would be brave enough to publicly show solidarity with Reid or his sordid cause.