Intelligence

London bomber blames government

ePolitix.com - London bomber blames government

The London bombings occured as a result of Britain's foreign policy, according to the alleged ringleader of the attacks.

In a video tape broadcast by al Jazeera television, Mohammad Sidique Khan said civilians were legitimate targets because of Tony Blair's policies, which amount to "committing atrocities against Muslims".

And Khan, a classroom assistant from West Yorkshire, blamed the public for backing a government which carried out atrocities perpetuated against his "people".

"Until we feel security, you will be our targets," he said.

"Until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people we will not stop this fight.

"We are at war and I am a soldier. Now you too will taste the reality of this situation."

He added that words "are dead until we give them life with our blood". "I and thousands like me have forsaken everything for what we believe."

The statement was followed by footage of Ayman al Zawahiri, the second in command of al Qaeda.

It suggested Osama bin Laden's network was more closely involved in the attack than western intelligence had previously thought.

The security services had suggested the attacks might have been motivated by al Qaeda ideology, but that was the limit of the network's influence.

If the claims are correct then the gap of knowledge of Islamist terrorism among British law enforcement is even bigger than was previously apparent.

Khan, 30, killed himself and six others when he exploded a bomb aboard a train at Edgware Road tube station.

In the video he praised bin Laden and the Iraqi insurgency leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi as "heroes".

Khan said: "Our words have no impact upon you, therefore I'm going to talk to you in a language that you understand."

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said there was "no excuse, no justification for terrorism of any kind".

Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "People across Britain will be sickened by this video. Nothing can justify the murder of innocent people."

And Inayat Bunglawala, a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, told the BBC: "Holding all British people responsible for the Iraq war is just plain wrong - this country was bitterly divided and many millions, perhaps the majority, clearly opposed the war.

"Mr Khan has allowed his hatred to distort his moral compass."

September 2, 2005 at 04:00 PM in UK | Permalink | Top of page | Blog Home