THERE is an abortion in the Western Isles every fortnight on average, the Rev Ian Paisley said last night.
''The world shakes at what terrorism has done to Ulster. It has killed 3000 people,'' he said.
''But what about the 12,307 babies who were killed in the womb in Scotland in 1996?'' said Mr Paisley who was back in Stornoway after a 21-year break to address last night's anti-abortion rally.
Mr Paisley told audience of hundreds that the latest figures, for 1996, showed that an island mother had an abortion on average every two weeks.
His hard-hitting message continued: ''I want to be a voice for the little babes who cannot shout for themselves 'Let me live'.
''They are slaughtered by wicked and evil men,'' he added.
The controversial 72-year-old leader of the Ulster Democratic Unionist Party was invited by the Lewis and Harris branch of SPUC Evangelicals, part of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.
About 400 islanders packed into Stornoway Town Hall to hear the address by the hardline opponent of Irish re-unification and defender of Unionist aims.
Earlier in the evening, Mr John Crabbe, of SPUC, presented an illustrated talk on the current research on proof of what unborn children can feel.
Local SPUC Evangelicals branch chairman, the Rev Andrew Coghill, of the Church of Scotland in Leurbost, said that while Mr Paisley might be a controversial choice to some, the branch challenged doubters to hear him before making any judgement.
''Abortion has killed five million children since it was legalised 30 years ago.
''Mr Paisley is a powerful Christian coming out on the side of life and we want to ask would-be critics where they would stand,'' said Mr Coghill.
q The British National Party targeted last night's rally.
Organisers were forced to announce that while they found nothing to disagree with in a BNP leaflet against abortion handed to people outside the hall, the party was not part of the rally.
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