Toni,

Heredity ? After birth ? How's that work ?

You've heard of socialisation ? Early traumatic experiences ? What people may be raised to regard as 'normal' and right ? Sit back and try to learn.

Joe

This is a complex situation - no question.
And we certainly know that parents who are psychologically
disturbed are likely to have an adverse impact on their
offspring - however this is not to say that invariably
their children will become perpetrators of heinous crimes.
As history has shown fortunately many children who suffer
abuse do not become criminals while some criminals are the
children of parents who are devoted, stable and
responsible. That is why as Mr Keenan points out - each child
who returns will be individually case-managed and will
receive an education. They will also be offered anonymity to
distance themselves from the terror organisation.

Well said, Foxy, stupid, but well said.

//You've heard of socialisation ? Early traumatic experiences ? What people may be raised to regard as 'normal' and right ?//

So why aren't the kids of IRA and UVF terrorists still setting off bombs in Ireland & Britain? Maybe it's a bit more complicated than 'the children of terrorists grow up to be terrorists'. Children's lives can - and often do - take a remarkably different course to that of their parents. I don't see any reason to assume why that wouldn't be the case just because we don't like the parents in question. Children are not their parents.

Toni, the children of IRA members probably never saw the detail of what
their fathers did and never set bombs. After all anyone doing
undercover work would never let children know about it.
Children do chatter you know.

There are quite a few links on the web dealing
with the the subject of children of criminals and
murderers.. Here is just
one example - that may be of interest:

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/02/the-descendants-of-murderers/273221/