It was the first debate of 2010 for the Amnesty International group at Gateways School in Harewood.

Part of the Harrogate and Knaresborough branch of Amnesty International, the group invited sixth formers and Year 11 pupils to debate the controversial subject.

Alice Spencer, Manasa Ramesh and Laura Marks proposed the motion: This house believes that terrorists found guilty of killing or causing others to kill must suffer the death penalty.

Sherri Cramer, Kate Woodward and Noor Albazie formed the opposition team, while Amy McNamara chaired.

The debate was attended by a large audience of staff and students and was observed by two members of Bardsey Debating and Literary Society - chairman Andrew Hamilton and secretary Alan Pease.

After the debate, Mr Hamilton said: "A really good debate influences people's thinking and changes their attitudes and that has been demonstrated here today by the number of people who abstained in the pre-debate vote and then voted in the post-debate vote."

The motion was defeated.