Munich Widows Lead Demand for Minute's Silence at London Olympics: Call ...

The widows of two Israeli athletes who were killed during the 1972 Munich Games are calling for a silent protest during the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee has refused to hold a minute's silence for the 11 Israeli athletes who were killed in an attack by Palestinian militants 40 years ago, so Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano are asking spectators to stand in silence when the Olympic Committee's chief speaks during the ceremony.

Ankie Spitzer, widow of murdered Israeli fencing coach:
"What we do ask is that people who support our idea, when they're in the stadium and they hear Jacques Rogge giving his speech, that everyone will get up silently, and that will be the tribute fitting to the murder of our loved ones. For us, it will be a victory. For us it will be a huge step forward until we finally get this minute of silence - and we will get it."
Families of the victims launched a campaign in April to pressure the committee into holding the minute of silence, but members of the committee insist the opening ceremony isn't an appropriate arena to remember the dead.

That position now puts the committee at odds with a growing chorus of voices from the international community, including top US leaders, the mayor of London, the German, Canadian, and Australian parliament, and the European Jewish Parliament.

The Olympic Committee has held a memorial for the victims in London ahead of the games, but according to families and their supporters, the gesture isn't enough to remember the tragedy.