By challenging the Taliban movement at the core of its legitimacy - its claim as a religious authority - the Ulema-u-Shura has drawn direct reprisals against its members.

It was in direct reprisal for their raid on British ships in Scapa Flow a few nights before when bombs had been dropped on land and killed one civilian.

The massacre was a direct reprisal for the German losses in battles.

Twelve Honduran journalists, including Nery Geremias Orellana, have been murdered since March 2010, at least three in direct reprisal for their work, CPJ research shows.

The United States could disregard the truism by declining to contribute peacekeepers to share the risk of direct reprisal.

Because of his words, the Israelis refrained from a direct military reprisal.

There was no immediate direct reprisal, partially as a result of an appeal by Gordon Wilson, father of one of the victims.

Equally angry Israelis demanded direct military reprisals for the Friday carnage, and complained that Palestinian security forces are not jailing militants known to have planned similar attacks.

Leigh Fermor's strategy was to undertake a bloodless operation that would be attributed to British forces alone in order to avoid direct reprisals being meted out against the Cretan population.

But the rocket attacks may have been direct reprisals for a bombardment of Lebanese towns on Thursday by the Israelis and their client Lebanese militiamen.