a blaze of bullets, they said

a mundane building was the hideout, looking like any brick facade

he was to be taken alive

but Death had other ideas

three children, three young soldiers and a Rebbe are the dead man’s alleged victims. He also shot and wounded two policemen in the standoff

more poignant than the ‘blaze of bullets’

were the tears and weeping over the yellow wooden caskets of the children, the Rebbe, the soldiers, most of whom, for religious reasons, had to be buried within another day.

The mourners may still be sitting shiva.

I wonder where is the mother of the alleged Islamic militant; and who will come to claim her son’s body, and who will mourn, and for what. There is more than one thing for a mother, a father, to mourn about Mohammed Merah, besides his suicide by special anti-terrorism ops.

May the families of the children and the rebbe and the soldiers of blessed memory, be comforted. May the family of Mohammed Merah find peace.

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