LONDON, 19 July 2005 — The political fallout of the terrorist bombings in London intensified yesterday as the influential think tank Chatham House (The Royal Institute for International Affairs) in London published a report which stresses that “the US and UK-led invasion of Iraq has given a significant boost to Al-Qaeda. Britain, riding pillion with the US, and the strongest ally to the US, is particularly at risk. The invasion has created particular difficulties for the UK and the wider coalition against terrorism.”
Chatham House, arguably the most respected think tank in the world, seems to have answered the question: “Did the war on Iraq put the UK at risk from terrorism”, which has been posed time and again since the London bombings on July 7. It would be difficult for the government of Tony Blair to dismiss the report as the rantings of disaffected left-wingers or Muslim leaders in a state of denial.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, visibly frustrated, hit back saying that “the time for excuses for terrorism is over. Terrorists have struck in countries that had nothing to do with the war in Iraq.”
Over the weekend, Prime Minister Tony Blair went on the attack with his controversial “evil ideology” speech at a Labour Party national executive conference. “This ideology and the violence that is inherent in it,” he said, “did not start a few years ago in response to a particular policy. Over the past 12 years, Al-Qaeda and its associates have attacked 26 countries, killed thousands of people, many of them Muslims. They have networks in virtually every major country and thousands of fellow travelers. They are well-financed.”
Earlier yesterday in the House of Commons, George Galloway, the outspoken Respect MP for Bethnal Green, warned against the occupation of Iraq as the cornerstone of Britain’s defense and foreign policy. “If we continue with this policy,” he added, “some people will get through and hurt us.”
Meanwhile, the three main British political parties in a rare show of unity, agreed to cooperate on the drafting and ratification of a new anti-terrorist law, which would also ban the “indirect incitement of terrorism”; “acts preparatory to terrorism”; “aiding terrorists to commit acts of terrorism”; and “giving or receiving training in terrorism either at home or abroad”.
According to UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke, there were no main outstanding differences between the parties, who were all determined to legislate. The bill, he confirmed, would be presented “for full consideration” in October and for royal assent in December this year. However, the opposition Conservatives and Liberal Democrats insist that the process will be enacted with proper legislative scrutiny in both the House of Commons and the Lords.
