British Prime Minister Tony Blair prepared for questions Friday about a possible link between the Iraq War and the London bombings, after a videotaped message from al-Qaeda linked the attacks to Britain's involvement in the US-led offensive.
Blair has steadfastly rejected any connection between the presence of British troops in Iraq and the July 7 and July 21 attacks, but the issue is likely to be raised again at his monthly news conference.
In a message broadcast Thursday on the pan-Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera, al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri embraced the London suicide bombings.
"Blair has brought to you destruction in central London, and he will bring more of that, God willing," al-Zawahri said in the message. He did not directly claim responsibility for the attacks.
One of the men arrested on suspicion of trying to bomb a subway train near London's Shepherd's Bush station on July 21 has reportedly told investigators he was motivated by anger over the Iraq war. Hamdi Issac, held in Rome on international terrorism charges, faces an extradition hearing for removal to Britain on Aug. 17.
Blair committed British troops to the US-led offensive despite widespread public opposition and any suggestion the war has made Britain more of a terrorist target is politically very sensitive for the government. His news conference last month was dominated by the issue, and Blair repeatedly dismissed a connection, saying terrorists would seize on any excuse to sow destruction.
Two sisters were scheduled to appear at London's Bow Street Magistrates Court late yesterday to face terrorism-related charges in the wake of the July 21 bombings. Weshshiembet Girma, 29, and Muluemebet Girma, 21, of separate addresses in south London, were charged with failing to disclose information that could have helped police investigating the attacks.
London police have not established firm links between the London bombings and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network. In both attacks, bombers targeted three subway trains and a bus in central London. The July 7 attacks killed 52 people and four suicide bombers, but two weeks later the devices failed to fully explode and no one was killed.
At yesterday's meeting, Blair's office said the prime minister would brief reporters on new anti-terrorism measures planned by the government in the wake of the attacks.
By the year's end, Blair wants to pass legislation that would outlaw "indirect incitement" of terrorism -- targeting extremist Islamic clerics who glorify acts of terrorism and seduce impressionable Muslim youth. The law would ban receiving training in terrorist techniques in Britain or abroad. A new offense of "acts preparatory to terrorism" would outlaw planning an attack and activities such as acquiring bomb-making instructions on the Internet.
Blair's government is also reviewing its powers to exclude or deport radical clerics, and says people banned from the US and other EU states will automatically be red flagged for possible exclusion from Britain.
The police presence on London's streets and sprawling subway system was more low key yesterday. Some 6,000 officers, many heavily armed with submachine guns and pistols, patrolled the capital on Thursday to reassure Londoners exactly four weeks on from the deadly July 7 attacks.
Britain is holding 14 suspects in connection with the investigation, and Italy has three.
The collapse of the Swiss Birch glacier serves as a chilling warning of the escalating dangers faced by communities worldwide living under the shadow of fragile ice, particularly in Asia, experts said. Footage of the collapse on Wednesday showed a huge cloud of ice and rubble hurtling down the mountainside into the hamlet of Blatten. Swiss Development Cooperation disaster risk reduction adviser Ali Neumann said that while the role of climate change in the case of Blatten “still needs to be investigated,” the wider impacts were clear on the cryosphere — the part of the world covered by frozen water. “Climate change and
Packed crowds in India celebrating their cricket team’s victory ended in a deadly stampede on Wednesday, with 11 mainly young fans crushed to death, the local state’s chief minister said. Joyous cricket fans had come out to celebrate and welcome home their heroes, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, after they beat Punjab Kings in a roller-coaster Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket final on Tuesday night. However, the euphoria of the vast crowds in the southern tech city of Bengaluru ended in disaster, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra calling it “absolutely heartrending.” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said most of the deceased are young, with 11 dead
Poland is set to hold a presidential runoff election today between two candidates offering starkly different visions for the country’s future. The winner would succeed Polish President Andrzej Duda, a conservative who is finishing his second and final term. The outcome would determine whether Poland embraces a nationalist populist trajectory or pivots more fully toward liberal, pro-European policies. An exit poll by Ipsos would be released when polls close today at 9pm local time, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Final results are expected tomorrow. Whoever wins can be expected to either help or hinder the
DENIAL: Musk said that the ‘New York Times was lying their ass off,’ after it reported he used so much drugs that he developed bladder problems Elon Musk on Saturday denied a report that he used ketamine and other drugs extensively last year on the US presidential campaign trail. The New York Times on Friday reported that the billionaire adviser to US President Donald Trump used so much ketamine, a powerful anesthetic, that he developed bladder problems. The newspaper said the world’s richest person also took ecstasy and mushrooms, and traveled with a pill box last year, adding that it was not known whether Musk also took drugs while heading the so-called US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after Trump took power in January. In a
RSS