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British victims of terrorism abroad angered by advice to sue attackers, Real Story reveals
British victims of terrorism abroad are angered by advice to sue the attackers, 91Èȱ¬ ONE's Real Story reveals.
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The programme talks directly to families affected by terrorist attacks abroad and talks to Fiona McTaggart, the minister in charge of looking after the welfare of victims of crime.
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British holidaymakers and travellers abroad who become victims of terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, have been advised in a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions that they should "seek compensation from the perpetrators".
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Since 9/11, 45 British travellers have been killed in terror attacks and scores more received serious injuries.
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However, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) only compensates victims of terrorism on British soil.
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Trevor Lakin's son Jeremy, and his son's fiancee Analie, were both killed in the Sharm-El-Sheik bombings, in Egypt, in July last year.
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He says: "The Government said to sue the perpetrators but you know you just can't go off and sue suicide bombers can you, it's just stupid.
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"Who on earth ever put pen to paper in that respect... beggars belief really."
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Lakin has taken up the cause of scores of families whose loved ones have been injured, killed or affected by terrorism abroad who are struggling to cope financially and are in desperate need of help.
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He says: "One family, the Salvation Army had paid for the funeral because they literally did not have the funds.
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"People running into debt, you've got enough problems, you're in trauma, your body's in a shell, you're not thinking and all you know is that you've got money going out, and out and out and there's nothing coming in."
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Last July, the CICA was criticised for the amount of money it paid in compensation to victims and relatives of victims of the London bombings.
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However victims of the Sharm-El-Sheik bombings and the minibus suicide bombing in Turkey in the same month were not able to get compensation at all.
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Although some insurance companies have made ex-gracia payments, many have exclusion clauses that mean they will not pay any compensation resulting from acts of terror.
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Real Story talks to direct victims of terrorism abroad.
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Toni Punshon, her partner Mickey and their family were passengers in the minibus blown up by a suicide bomber in Turkey last July.
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Toni's niece Helyn was killed in the explosion. The rest of the family sustained serious injuries including a fractured skull, punctured lungs, shrapnel damage and Mickey's leg had to be rebuilt using part of his stomach - it remains held together by a metal brace.
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In the last eight months their family have had to make more than 200 hospital visits and paid nearly £2,000 in medical expenses.
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Mickey says: "We don't even get our prescriptions paid for. The dressings for me leg, this has to be dressed every day - I have to pay for those dressings. We've got to pay for all our medication."
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Unable to work since the attack, the family have now spent their life savings and are relying on financial goodwill from friends, family and employers.
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Personal injury lawyer Jill Greenfield is trying to find help. She was told by the Government that including the victims foreign crimes as recipients of compensation would expose the fund to fraud.
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She says: "I actually think that is nonsensical. It is quite apparent if someone is involved in terrorism abroad you know they've been involved.
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"There is no dispute I don't think about the Sharm el Sheik victims or Turkish victims... being involved in terror."
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Fiona Bruce spoke to Fiona McTaggart, the minister in charge of looking after the welfare of victims of crime.
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Transcript
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Fiona Bruce
The advice from the Government at present is that they sue the perpetrators, how are they supposed to do that, they are suicide bombers?
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Fiona McTaggart
Let's be very clear, that one of the things that we need to be clear is that the person who is responsible for this dreadful and criminal act is the criminal, it isn't the state in which it occurs or the British state.
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Fiona Bruce
But the victims can't sue the perpetrators can they?
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Fiona McTaggart
But what we need to do is two things. First of all to make sure these events are less likely to happen, that's one of the reasons the Foreign Office provides advice to travellers about where they should travel, provides practical help.
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Fiona Bruce
Fiona, in all fairness that's all very well but when you are a victim of an atrocity when you are aboard and the advice you get from the Government is to sue the perpetrator, what are they suppose to make of that?
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Fiona McTaggart
I'm sorry I don't believe that the Government is giving advice to sue the perpetrator, what the Government...
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Fiona Bruce
Well I've got it in black and white here. British nationals or residents injured aboard should accordingly look for compensation to the perpetrator. These are suicide bombers.
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Fiona McTaggart
I'm sorry that is a general piece of advice in terms of.
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Fiona Bruce
No this letter is specifically in relation to terrorist bombings and that is the advice from the Government. What are they suppose to make of that?
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Fiona McTaggart
I'm sure that it stems from first of all an understanding that the person who is responsible is the perpetrator, secondly and we must remember that and we must also remember that the job of governments in that is to make these events less likely to happen.
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Fiona Bruce
But families who were victims of the Sharm-El-Sheik bombing were told, as was their solicitor, that if they wanted money to help them out of the situation they find themselves in they should try and sue the perpetrators, that clearly is ludicrous advice isn't it? What do you make of it?
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Fiona McTaggart
Well I'm not aware of anyone advising anyone specifically to sue, you tell me that they have and I'm not going to disagree with you.
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Real Story with Fiona Bruce will be shown on 91Èȱ¬ ONE tonight (Monday 13 March 2006) at 7.30pm.
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