I live too far away to be able to offer any comment on this particular issue. But you might find the following story from South Africa of relevance and interest.
Shortly before the transition to democratic government, there was a terrorist attack on a church, not far from me, during the Sunday evening service. Several people were killed and others badly injured. Some visiting Russian sailors were amongst the casualties. The news spread rapidly and within a short time media reporters had inundated the place. One church member who had just seen his seriously injured wife taken by ambulance to hospital (she later died of her injuries) was still there helping other injured before going to get news of his wife. A TV man approached him and under the glare of the TV cameras he was asked to give his reaction. His reply was as follows, 'I don't know who was responsible for this but whoever you are I want you to know that we forgive you and you can also find forgiveness in Jesus'.
The perpetrators were subsequently brought to trial and given lengthy sentences but later released following a hearing before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (headed by Archbishop Tutu) under the transition amnesty agreement. After their arrest, but before the hearing, the church requested a meeting with them, met them all in person and confirmed their forgiveness. The perpetrators also apologised, whether from conviction or because of the intense media exposure I couldn't say. Needless to say the actions of the church, both on the night of the attack and subsequently, received a quite sensational reaction in the media, both local and abroad. The minister later made the comment that through this incident more people were brought to faith than he could have expected through ten years of evangelical campaigns.
Such is the power of forgiveness which we should strive to match.
