An influential think-tank said today that backing the United States in Iraq put Britain more at risk from terrorist attacks.
Frank Gregory and Paul Wilkinson
The report from the respected Royal Institute of International Affairs said Britain had suffered by playing "pillion passenger" to Washington.
"The UK is at particular risk because it is the closest ally of the United States," said security experts Frank Gregory and Paul Wilkinson. They said conducting counter-terrorism measures with the United States was a key problem because London was in no way an equal partner.
"Riding pillion with a powerful ally has proved costly in terms of British and US military lives, Iraqi lives, military expenditure and the damage caused to the counter-terrorism campaign," they said.
They said al-Qaeda's profile has also been raised by the war in Iraq. "It gave a boost to the al-Qaeda network's propaganda, recruitment and fundraising," the report concluded.
The report provoked a robust rebuttal from the British government, however. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: "The time for excuses for terrorism is over. The terrorists have struck across the world, in countries allied with the United States, backing the war in Iraq, and in countries which had nothing whatever to do with the war in Iraq."
The report was issued as Britain's interior minister, Charles Clarke, met opposition party leaders to seek a consensus in drawing up tougher anti-terror legislation, such as outlawing acts preparing or inciting acts of terrorism.
Police investigating the London underground train and bus attacks say they have found no indication the bombs carried timers. That would mean they were manually detonated by the four bombers.