Left to Fend For Themselves
First published in The Times, 1 September 2006.
Last week, more Britons were involved in terrorist bombings
while on holiday, this time in Turkey. The reality is, British
tourists are easy targets and will continue to be on the "front
line" in the fight against terrorism: 67 were killed in the
destruction of the World Trade Centre and since then a further 43
have been killed in other attacks around the world. The numbers
injured, of course, were much greater.
What many people do not realise is that the families who lost
loved ones to those attacks — in many cases families lost their
breadwinner — have received little or no financial support from the
Government. The same goes for those that were seriously
injured.
The victims of the 7/7 bombings in London have received some
support from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
The amounts on offer have been strongly condemned by those who were
injured and a review of the scheme is currently underway, but they
at least got something. But CICA covers only crimes that occurred
on UK soil; Britons affected by terrorism abroad cannot approach it
for help.
Tony Blair indicated last year that the Government was looking
to establish a scheme that would provide support to victims of
terrorism abroad, but no such scheme has yet emerged. As I
understand it, there will soon be an announcement from Tessa
Jowell's department that, aside from a modest initial sum, there
will be no long-term financial support offered.
The Red Cross has been asked to contact the victims of the
Turkish bombings and offer them a cheque for £3000, but this will
not last long and those seriously injured will be left cut off,
unable to work, wondering how to pay their mortgage and bills.
This failure to act on the part of the Government merely
furthers the aim of the terrorists. Terror is a tool of
intimidation, its aim to unsettle and infiltrate society. Causing
injury is the first step, creating economic fear the second.
Countries such as France, Australia, USA, Italy and Israel have
recognised the need to assist their own citizens involved in
terrorism abroad. All have schemes in place which provide financial
support in such circumstances, providing a level of comfort.
The Government's failure to provide financial support is even
more difficult to understand when you consider that a terrorism
fund of at least £1.6 billion already exists. The "Pool Re" was set
up in 1993 following bombings by the IRA to provide reinsurance
mostly to commercial property, with the Government in turn
reinsuring the fund through a Retrocession Agreement with the
Treasury. The Treasury, therefore, is the insurer in the last
resort.
Pool Re's remit was extended after 9/11, but not to cover
civilians. The scheme could be extended to cover victims of
terrorism abroad and the sums that would be paid out would be
modest in comparison to the size of the fund. No doubt there would
need to be an agreement with the insurance industry to do so. This
is the same industry of course that regularly uses the terrorism
exclusion in the travel insurance policy to avoid payment to those
most in need.
It is one of many options that have been put to the Government
that appear to have been dismissed. Ignoring British citizens in
such desperate need is fundamentally wrong and a real failure on
the part of the Government to recognise its responsibility to
protect its people. Terrorist attacks against tourists will happen
again. How many more people need to be maimed and killed before the
Government takes action?
Jill Greenfield, personal injury partner is currently assisting
victims of the 2005 Sharm el Sheikh and Kusadasi bombings.
If you would like to find out more information about our
Personal Injury Practice, please visit our personal injury section.