| One of my favourite pieces of music is
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| | One second I was walking towards my bus.
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| the Sex Pistols' classic 'Holidays in the
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| | The next moment I was surrounded by a mob
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| Sun' - a song that begins with the line,
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| | led by an angry rabbi, screaming at the
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| 'a cheap holiday in other people's
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| | top of his voice. 'Go home' was the only
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| misery'. This would have made a fitting
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| | phrase I could understand. Equally
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| epitaph for my holiday in Israel, except
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| | unambiguous though were the rough hands
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| that the $3000 air ticket meant that it
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| | that were being placed on my body, the
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| wasn't exactly cheap.
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| | kicks that were landing on my legs, and
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| I went to Israel full of apprehension.
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| | the spittle that was accumulating on my
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| Just knowing what we all know of the
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| | face.
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| backdrop of paranoia and pain that hangs
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| | I didn't see any path of escape in this
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| over that land is enough to make anybody
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| | situation, so I placed my hands together
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| apprehensive, but I also went carrying a
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| | in a position of prayer and bowed my
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| dark secret - that I was a friend of
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| | head, working on the hitherto successful
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| Mordechai Vanunu's, and I was nervous
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| | strategy that if you refuse to fight
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| about the reaction I'd get should this
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| | back, guys are generally very reluctant
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| truth suddenly become public.
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| | to beat you up. It worked. A man grabbed
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| My friend Morde was completing an 18-year
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| | me from behind with both hands and hauled
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| prison sentence for doing something that
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| | me out of the centre of the mob. I made
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| most people in this country consider
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| | it back to my bus without further
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| heroic. Morde told the world about a
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| | incident.
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| secret stash of WMD's ('weapons of mass
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| | All of this would have been water off a
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| destruction') that are being developed in
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| | duck's back had Morde and I then been
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| an underground factory in the Negev
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| | able to board a plane and fly back to
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| desert. Most people I know think he did
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| | Australia.
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| the world an enormous favour, but most
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| | Unfortunately the authorities had ruled
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| people in his own country wish Morde had
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| | that this 'free' man should not be
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| kept his mouth shut. Indeed, most
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| | allowed to leave the country, nor go
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| Israelis regard him as a traitor!
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| | anywhere near a border or a foreign
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| In order to try to understand this
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| | embassy, nor have any contact with
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| attitude towards my friend, I tried
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| | 'foreigners'. The 'foreigner' restriction
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| talking to local people about their
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| | was aimed at the foreign press. Even so,
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| attitude to nuclear weapons. The response
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| | technically, I wasn't allowed to spend
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| I received was alarming! "They're only
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| | extensive time with my old friend without
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| there as our last resort" one articulate
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| | risking seeing him re-arrested!
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| young journalist said to me. "Just in
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| | We were reunited briefly on the evening
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| case we get completely overrun." "Well
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| | of that same day of his release.
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| ... what happens then?" I asked. "Well",
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| | Unfortunately I cried so much that I
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| he said, "then we destroy everybody!"
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| | really didn't get the chance to tell him
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| Tragically, this was not an isolated
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| | all of the things that I had prepared for
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| example. Almost every time I sought an
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| | that moment. All I can hope for now is
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| opinion from taxi-drivers, cafe workers
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| | that one-day we will catch up properly -
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| or hostel staff concerning Israel's
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| | perhaps over a few beers back here in the
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| nuclear capacity, the word 'Armageddon'
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| | land of Oz. I know that Morde would like
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| would come up. And these apologists
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| | that.
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| seemed quite accepting of the fact that
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| | Getting Morde out of Israel is indeed the
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| in order to strike this decisive blow
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| | next big challenge for the Vanunu
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| against their neighbours, they might
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| | campaign. I don't know how hard this will
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| indeed need to take the rest of the
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| | prove to be. I do know that I had a
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| planet with them!
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| | bloody hard time getting out myself. In
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| Thankfully not every Israeli took this
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| | my case it wasn't that they didn't want
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| position. Indeed, the 'Free Vanunu'
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| | me out (they held off the departure of
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| campaign itself had a strong local
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| | the plane until I got on board). They
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| contingent of active peace campaigners.
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| | just seemed determined to let me know
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| These local activists were some of the
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| | that they didn't want me back.
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| most impressive people I met during my
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| | I had been warned by the other peace
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| stay in Israel. Even in Australia they
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| | activists of intimidation tactics
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| would have been impressive - mainly
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| | employed by airport staff. Ironically, I
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| young, idealistic University students,
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| | initially made it through all four
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| with a commitment to world peace and
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| | security checkpoints without being
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| global disarmament - impressive but not
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| | stopped. It was only as I proceeded to
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| extraordinary in our context. In this
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| | the final gate that a young man in a suit
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| context though, growing up in an
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| | caught up with me and said, "Excuse me
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| environment so overshadowed by violence
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| | sir, but can I see your passport." He
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| and fear, these brave young souls stood
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| | then told me that there had been a
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| out like shining lights.
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| | 'problem' and that he would need to
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| The violent side of Israeli culture was
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| | retain my passport until the 'problem'
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| never more tangible to me than it was on
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| | had been resolved. I was then shuffled
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| the day of Morde's release. I had
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| | into a small room to begin a three-hour
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| traveled many thousands of miles to be
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| | process of interrogation, body searching
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| reunited with my friend on the day that
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| | and luggage examination.
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| he walked free. In my dreams I had
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| | In the end the verdict was that I was
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| imagined our reunion countless times.
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| | free to go and that there was nothing
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| Morde would walk through those gates with
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| | suspect about the contents of my bags,
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| his belongings in one hand, and me and a
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| | but that the bags themselves were suspect
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| few friends and family would be there to
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| | and that none of them could be taken on
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| embrace him and lead him away. I didn't
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| | board as hand luggage. This meant that I
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| really realise until I reached the prison
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| | could carry with me my camera, but not in
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| just how far from reality my imaginary
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| | my camera case, my laptop, but not my
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| depiction of that scene would prove to
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| | laptop case, my video camera, but not the
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| be.
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| | bag with the shoulder strap that I lugged
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| There were hundreds of us at the prison,
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| | it around in, my toothbrush and paste,
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| and the vast majority were not Morde's
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| | but not my toiletries bag, and even my
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| friends. As the time of his release drew
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| | Palm-pilot portable keyboard, but not the
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| near, I tried to move towards the prison
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| | little vinyl dust-jacket that I kept it
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| gate where I had always imagined myself
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| | in. I could take what I liked, so long as
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| standing as Morde walked out. I soon
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| | I carried it in my arms.
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| found myself squeezed into the middle of
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| | It was just a game, though they managed
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| an angry mob.
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| | to keep straight faces throughout the
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| It was certainly one of the nastiest
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| | whole ordeal. For my part I refused to
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| experiences of my life. The whole mass of
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| | get on board without the bulk of my
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| men seemed to seethe with aggression, and
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| | carry-on items. In the end they agreed to
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| each individual was competing to claw his
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| | give me a large cardboard box to put them
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| way to the front, for what exact purpose
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| | in.
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| was not entirely clear. Thankfully I
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| | And so my cheap holiday in other people's
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| could not understand the chants that were
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| | misery came to an end. But now the real
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| being sung to the tune of 'here we go,
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| | work begins. For I returned home, but I
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| here we go, here we go', but I was told
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| | left my friend inside the confines of St
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| later that the words for 'death' and
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| | George's Cathedral in Jerusalem, where
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| 'traitor' had been central to all the
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| | the good bishop has offered him
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| mantras that were chanted that day.
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| | sanctuary.
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| On reflection I now think that it was a
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| | Morde can't leave the Cathedral grounds.
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| good thing that by the time Morde came
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| | He has at least two reporters on every
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| through those prison gates the police had
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| | exit, taking shifts to cover his
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| packed us together so tightly that I
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| | movements 24-hours per day. If Morde
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| wasn't able to move a limb. What
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| | tries to walk out into the street, he'll
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| prevented me from running out to embrace
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| | be immediately surrounded and identified,
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| Morde also prevented my neighbours from
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| | and given the number of locals that would
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| reaching him with more sinister intent.
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| | count it as a point of pride to be
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| Thankfully the car with my friend in it
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| | responsible for his death, Morde's life
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| got away with no more than a dented panel
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| | in the open probably wouldn't last more
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| and a shower of eggs. One antagonist did
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| | than a few minutes.
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| manage to mount his motorbike in time to
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| | I'd like to see my friend back here in
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| catch the car, but after slamming into
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| | Australia. I wonder if the Australian
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| the side of the vehicle he lost his
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| | government has the courage to offer him
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| mount, and the 'free man' was able to
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| | citizenship?
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| proceed in peace.
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| | Rev. David B. Smith (The 'Fighting
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| Back at the gaol things then started to
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| | Father')
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| unravel. With their anger unresolved, the
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| | Parish priest, community worker,
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| mob started to vent their aggression on
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| | Martial arts master, pro boxer, author,
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| other targets. I found myself swept up in
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| | father of three
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| this like a wave breaking over my head.
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| | Rev. David B.
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