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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Blair defends global terror fight | Blair defends global terror fight |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has warned that terrorism continues to be a "global" threat and needs to be fought whether it is in "Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else". | Tony Blair has warned that terrorism continues to be a "global" threat and needs to be fought whether it is in "Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else". |
| He said his view was "not popular", but the "large part of the Western world" which blamed George Bush was wrong. | He said his view was "not popular", but the "large part of the Western world" which blamed George Bush was wrong. |
| "This is a very deep-rooted problem right round the world... if we don't fight it it's going to come after us," the prime minister told the BBC. | "This is a very deep-rooted problem right round the world... if we don't fight it it's going to come after us," the prime minister told the BBC. |
| He spoke before he and other ministers were briefed by the new head of MI5. | |
| Jonathan Evans delivered his briefing at the first meeting of the new committee on security and terrorism, which brings together intelligence agency representatives, police and Whitehall officials and ministers. | |
| You have these outside terrorists coming in and linking up with internal extremists and causing this carnage. Tony Blair | You have these outside terrorists coming in and linking up with internal extremists and causing this carnage. Tony Blair |
| It is intended to streamline the approach to security threats. | It is intended to streamline the approach to security threats. |
| Speaking about terrorism on BBC Breakfast, Mr Blair said: "We have to fight it whether it's in Iraq or Afghanistan or anywhere else." | Speaking about terrorism on BBC Breakfast, Mr Blair said: "We have to fight it whether it's in Iraq or Afghanistan or anywhere else." |
| Mr Blair acknowledged the situation in Iraq was "hugely difficult". | Mr Blair acknowledged the situation in Iraq was "hugely difficult". |
| "It's difficult because you have external elements - al-Qaeda up near Baghdad, and Iranian-backed elements down in Basra - who are deliberately creating the problem." | "It's difficult because you have external elements - al-Qaeda up near Baghdad, and Iranian-backed elements down in Basra - who are deliberately creating the problem." |
| He said it was not true that Saddam Hussein "was a kind of lid" on sectarian violence which "poured out" once the dictator was toppled. | He said it was not true that Saddam Hussein "was a kind of lid" on sectarian violence which "poured out" once the dictator was toppled. |
| "If you talk to ordinary Iraqis - whether they are Sunni or Shia - they want to live together. You have these outside terrorists coming in and linking up with internal extremists and causing this carnage." | "If you talk to ordinary Iraqis - whether they are Sunni or Shia - they want to live together. You have these outside terrorists coming in and linking up with internal extremists and causing this carnage." |
| He also said it was wrong, as "a large part of the Western world" says to blame President Bush for terrorism. | He also said it was wrong, as "a large part of the Western world" says to blame President Bush for terrorism. |
| International and domestic | International and domestic |
| Of the new ministerial committee, held for the first time on Tuesday, Mr Blair's spokesman said: "Today's meeting received an assessment of the current threat from the new director general of the security service (MI5) and agreed a programme to look at international terrorism and linkages to the UK, as well as the struggle for values and ideas. | Of the new ministerial committee, held for the first time on Tuesday, Mr Blair's spokesman said: "Today's meeting received an assessment of the current threat from the new director general of the security service (MI5) and agreed a programme to look at international terrorism and linkages to the UK, as well as the struggle for values and ideas. |
| "It's a recognition of the seriousness of the threat and that that threat is both international in character and also, for a very, very small minority, domestic in character." | "It's a recognition of the seriousness of the threat and that that threat is both international in character and also, for a very, very small minority, domestic in character." |
| The committee, expected to meet monthly, will be backed by a new Office for Security and Counter-terrorism (OSC), which will meet weekly and be chaired by the Home Secretary. | The committee, expected to meet monthly, will be backed by a new Office for Security and Counter-terrorism (OSC), which will meet weekly and be chaired by the Home Secretary. |
| Part of the OSC's role is to provide a forum for the intelligence agencies to pass on information to the police and other relevant bodies. | Part of the OSC's role is to provide a forum for the intelligence agencies to pass on information to the police and other relevant bodies. |