WITH the recent beheading of Stephen Sotloff I’m writing to remind people that these terrorists are only using religion as a cloak to mask their own evil ends.

Stephen Sotloff was an expert on Arab culture and Islam. He spoke a fair bit of Arabic.

I find it ironic that he knew an enormous amount more about Arab religion and culture than these fools who are going around murdering people in the name of Islam.

That’s the horrible irony.

These idiots know nothing about the Koran.

They know nothing about the wonderful scientific, literary and poetic tradition of the Arab culture.

The role that poetry plays in Syria and Iraq is astonishing.

These guys wouldn’t know a poem or metaphor if they came across one. Is it any wonder they interpret the metaphors in their holy texts as literal?

One of the counter-terrorist experts at Kings College London discovered that two of the most popular books that most of these young Brits going out to fight in Syria order before they set out on ‘holy war’ is Islam for Dummies and The Koran for Dummies – the beginners’ guides.

These men are not Islamic devotees; they are young men looking for a cause. These lads are not reading advanced Islamic theologyDon’t blame religion. If they were really religious they would show compassion. God bless you Stephen.

Garry Hammond Latchor