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Blair urges global community to confront extremism

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday the international community must confront extremist ideology to succeed in fighting the type of terrorism responsible for the recent attacks against London's transit system.

Londoners have been tested by the July 7 bombings that killed 52 people in three subway trains and a bus, and the failed July 21 attacks against similar targets, but their response had been "magnificent," Blair said at his monthly news conference.

"London is being tested but standing firm," he said.

"I do think the way that London has responded has been magnificent, not because people haven't been worried. Concerned? Of course they are, but because they have not allowed their worry and concern to overcome their determination to carry on with their lives," he said.

Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has said dealing with the threat posed by the bombers was "the greatest operational challenge ever faced by the Metropolitan Police Service."

He said the service, which for years had to deal with terror campaigns waged by the IRA, was now "facing previously unknown threats and great danger."

There is no justification for suicide bombers anywhere in the world, Blair said, insisting that the international community should not "give an inch" to terrorists.

"The other thing you've got to do, and this I think is the weakness of our approach so far, is you've got to confront them head on, on the ideas," Blair said. "People have got to go into the Muslim community and say, what you're saying about America is rubbish. ... We've got to confront this in a more fundamental way."

Earlier in the day, Blair met with opposition party leaders to discuss new anti-terror legislation, with both sides expressing unity in their determination to fight terrorism

The opposition leaders, however, had reservations about a police proposal to extend the time that a terror suspect can be held without charge from two weeks to three months.

"We see very considerable difficulties in that. That is a long time to hold someone without charge, and possibly just release them after that," Howard said.

Meanwhile, police questioned five suspects arrested in connection with the July 21 failed attacks on the London transit system. They have released the names of two of the four suspected bombers, who are being sought, and provided details on how they fled three subway trains and a bus when their devices failed to fully detonate.

Those bombs were stored in clear plastic food containers and put into dark-colored bags or backpacks. Peter Clarke, head of the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorist squad, said the four bombs were similar to another found abandoned in a park on Saturday, raising fears a fifth bomber was on the loose.

Clarke identified two of the suspects as being Yasin Hassan Omar, 24, and Muktar Said Ibrahim, 27, also known as Muktar Mohammed Said, but did not give their nationalities.

Armed officers on Monday raided a London apartment that Said -- suspected of trying to bomb a bus in east London on Thursday -- was believed to have visited recently.
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