Document Warned Blair Iraq War Fuels Extremism

CAIRO, August 28, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – A leaked secret memo warned British Prime Minister Tony Blair a year ago that the Iraq war was fuelling extremism at home and making Britain seen as a crusader state, a leading newspaper revealed Sunday, August 28.

"British foreign policy and the perception of its negative effect on Muslims globally plays a significant role in creating a feeling of anger and impotence among especially the younger generation of British Muslims," Foreign Office Permanent Secretary Michael Jay wrote, reported The Observer.

"This seems to be a key driver behind recruitment by extremist organizations," he wrote to Blair's Cabinet Secretary Sir Andrew Turnbull.

Four young British Muslims attacked three London underground trains and a bus on July 7, killing 52 people.

An apparent bid to repeat the attacks on July 21 failed and police have arrested four people they say were behind it.

One of the four would-be bombers told investigators they were motivated by the Iraq war and not by religious fervor, denying any link to Al-Qaeda network.

In an obvious retreat from his earlier stance, Blair recently acknowledged that the Iraq war was being used to recruit terrorists.

The London-based Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, said the Iraq war has given a momentum to Al-Qaeda's recruitment and fundraising and made Britain more vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

A report from Britain 's Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), obtained by the New York Times newspaper, said events in Iraq "are continuing to act as motivation and a focus of a range of terrorist-related activity in the UK ".

Foreign Policy

The letter, entitled 'Building Bridges with Mainstream Islam', said British foreign policy in the Middle East was "a key driver" for the recruitment of extremists.

It noted that British foreign policy was a "recurring theme" in the Muslim community.

"Colleagues have flagged up some of the potential underlying causes of extremism that can affect the Muslim community, such as discrimination, disadvantage and exclusion.

"But another recurring theme is the issue of British foreign policy, especially in the context of the Middle East peace process and Iraq ," said the letter.

It underlined the need for better engagement with British Muslims on policy issues, and in convincing young Muslims that they have a legitimate and credible voice, including on foreign policy issues.

Crusader

A strategy document attached to the letter, also obtained by The Observer, warned that Britain was viewed as a "crusader state", on a par with America .

"Muslim resentment towards the West is worse than ever," it said.

"This was previously focused on the US , but the war in Iraq has meant the UK is now seen in similar terms - both are now seen by many Muslims as 'crusader states'."

The document said Mike O'Brien, then a Foreign Office minister, has expressed his concern because their work on engaging with Islam has been "knocked back".

It outlined a list of 11 "work streams" to discourage extremism, including delegations to the Islamic world, ministerial briefings for key members of the Muslim community and receptions to mark key Muslim festivals.

The documents revealed deep divisions at the heart of government over home-grown religious extremism and its connections to British intervention in Iraq .

Blair has consistently said that the bombers were motivated not by a sense of injustice but by a "perverted and poisonous misinterpretation of Islam."

But Jay's letter shows that the Foreign Office was convinced that foreign policy played a key role in radicalizing young Muslims, the paper said.

"For the government to deny a link between the war in Iraq and dismay among the Muslim community is ridiculous," Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said.

"But to try to cover it up, when senior civil servants have recognized the seriousness of the resentment, is even worse."

Click to read document.