Tackling terrorism
Updated on 19 July 2005
Muslim leaders went to Downing Street.
In June the threat level was reduced after the Joint Terrorist Analysis Center, which is made up of all the intelligence agencies MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, concluded: "at present there is not a group with both the current intent and the capability to attack the UK".
The confidential report was sent to government agencies and departments, foreign governments and other potential targets in the UK. Just three weeks later terrorist bombs exploded on a London bus and in Underground trains.
Meanwhile, Tony Blair announced a taskforce to take on the spread of extremist Islamic ideology in the Muslim community.
He was speaking after a cross party meeting with Muslim leaders in Downing Street in response to the London suicide bombs.
Mr Blair said there was a "strong desire to deal head-on" with with the "evil" perversion of Islam that he said existed in parts of Britain. He also strongly rejected the idea that British involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan had provoked the July 7 attacks.
These are the people the government hopes will wrestle extremist Islam out of British communities, moderate Muslim leaders, Labour MP's and peers, some business people and teachers.
They have a mighty task, reaching communities where they are not greatly respected, changing opinions that seem set firm.
One participant in the talks sounded doubtful this group cold reach the minority attracted to violence. One Muslim group dismissed these Muslim moderates as an out of touch elite that few would listen to.
Inside Number 10, Tony Blair's next meeting was with the Afghan President Harmid Kharzai - who said the toppling of the Taliban in Afghanistan had liberated Muslims and re-opened mosques. At a press conference, Mr Blair repeatedly rejected there was any connection between the London bombings and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Mr Blair said: "They will use any issue before Iraq it was Afghanistan before that it was Palestine. Before all of those things it was America, they will use any issue to recruit people but where does that argument leave you, if you are not careful is you get inside their twisted logic."
Mr Blair was contradicted by a leaked British intelligence assessment written last month which said "Events in Iraq are continuing to act as motivation and a focus of a range of terrorist related activity in the UK".
Mr Blair also attacked all supporters of terrorism round the world. He referred to the Home Secretary's review of his powers to deport and ban radical clerics though Charles Clarke is not expected to go as far as Mr Blair's rhetoric suggested.
Mr Clarke does seem to have one less headache tonight though as the Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, had been thought to be planning a return trip next month.
Many had demanded he be banned from Britain because of his defence of suicide attacks against Israelis - Mr al-Qaradawi is said to have no intention of coming here.
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