'British troops must quit Iraq'

2005-08-04 13:21

London - Britain must withdraw its troops from Iraq in order to prevent further terrorist attacks, wrote London mayor Ken Livingstone in a British newspaper on Thursday.

Britons needed to support the police, treat Muslims with respect and pullout from Iraq to "make us all safer". Livingstone wrote: "All are inter-related."

The anti-war left-winger wrote: "Acceptance that the invasion of Iraq increased the likelihood of a terrorist attack on London now extends far beyond the usual suspects."

London was hit by two waves of terrorist attacks last month. On July 7, 56 people were killed, four suicide bombers included, in blasts on three Underground trains and a bus.

A repeat attack on July 21 failed when the bombs did not detonate fully.

Invasion of Iraq 'justified'

Livingstone, who staunchly opposed the March 2003 US-led invasion, said: "If the invasion of Iraq had been justified, it would be possible to argue that we must bear the sacrifices necessary to achieve an outcome."

Livingstone said Britons should also treat all members of the community equally to "shrink the pool of the alienated" that bombers drew upon.

He said: "The reason the US is not able to stabilise Iraq is related to the same critical issue that affects policing in Britain: Information."

He said Britain's police forces would only be effective if they received community co-operation.

The mayor urged fellow anti-war campaigners to tell London's communities to co-operate with police to catch terrorists.

However, "the quality of information the police get will be decisively affected by the degree to which communities are treated with respect".

- AFP