What the papers say

Journalist Fionola Meredith takes a look at what is making the headlines in Tuesday's morning papers.

The black and white photo-fit of a suspect in the investigation into the rape of a teenage girl in west Belfast stares from the front page of the Irish News.

Writing in the paper, Susan McKay, says that the "depth of the girl's distress is too painful to imagine".

Sinn Fein MLA Michael Ferguson urged women "not to travel home alone".

But McKay points out that "the girl was not alone, but with three young men" and argues that "putting the emphasis on what women should do to avoid rape ignores the reality that potential victims are powerless to stop it."

'Moral bankruptcy'

The News Letter's editorial describes Sinn Fein's refusal to encourage the people of west Belfast to pass on information to the police about the horrendous rape as "pathetic, though true to form".

The paper calls the situation a reminder of Sinn Fein's "moral bankruptcy".

Fintan O'Toole, writing in the Irish Times, has some severe criticism for those who "diminish the endemic problem of violence against women".

He believes that to say that "violence is a bigger issue for women than it is for men simply recognises a reality - women feel a lot more vulnerable in society than men do".

The controversy over the return of the Colombia Three to the Republic of Ireland continues to top several front pages..

Colombia Three

Daily Ireland reports that the Progressive Democrats have called for Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and Jim Monaghan '"to be hunted down and extradited".

Senator John Minihan of the PDs accused Sinn Fein of holding "democratic principles to ransom" and said "anyone who helped them in their flight from justice stands guilty of supporting international terrorism."

The Irish Times leads with a report on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's attempts to limit international fallout over the Colombia Three.

A senior Irish diplomat has been asked to travel to Bogota from the Embassy in Mexico to meet Colombian authorities to hear that government's concerns "first hand".

Turning to the cross-channel papers, the Times reports that the extremist cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed has fled Britain for fear that he could be arrested for his support of the London suicide bombers.

Scotland Yard is understood to have been considering bringing charges against the controversial preacher, who reportedly fled to Lebanon at the weekend.

Oil prices

The Independent reports that terror fears have pushed oil prices to a 22-year-high, driving up petrol, energy and industrial costs - and threatening global economic stability.

The paper reports that there have been warnings of imminent terror attacks against westerners in Saudi Arabia.

It says that the surge in the price of crude oil may also have a significant impact on the spending power of British consumers.

Finally, the Mirror reports that the Harry Potter books are the favourite choice for terror suspects held by the US at Guantanamo Bay.

A librarian at the military compound in Cuba told the Washington Times that the 520 prisoners can't get enough of the boy wizard - whose latest adventure is currently top of the best-seller lists.

Apparently inmates are also very keen on Agatha Christie's Miss Marple murder mysteries.