British victims of bombings in Egypt

LONDON, Sep 20: The British victims of bombings in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar were remembered in a national memorial service today, as one father called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to do more to help victims of terrorist attacks abroad.

Blair, Home Secretary John Reid and Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell joined relatives for the service at London's Southwark Cathedral to commemorate the 13 British victims of the Sharm-el-Sheik, Kusadasi and Doha bombings last year.

Families who have lost loved ones to terrorist attacks, both abroad and in Britain, have criticised the government for not giving them enough financial support.

Trevor Larkin, who lost his son Jez in the July 2005 bombing in Sharm el-Sheikh, urged the government to set up a sustainable fund to help victims of foreign attacks.

''Tony Blair's a father, he knows how you love your children,'' Larkin said before the service.

''I had a short note from him, but I just want to say to him today that whatever he does before he leaves office, he must get this sorted and get a sustainable fund set up for those killed overseas.'' While the victims of the July 7 suicide bombings in London last year have received some support from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), Britons affected by terrorism abroad cannot ask for help because CICA only covers crimes committed on British soil.

Blair indicated last year that the government was looking to establish a scheme that would provide support to victims of terrorism abroad, but no such scheme has yet emerged.

A spokesman for Blair said today a one million pound charitable fund to provide immediate help had been set up in the meantime.

''We're looking at possible options in terms of helping those who have lost loved ones or who are injured overseas,'' the spokesman said.

''In the meantime we have introduced a one million pound charitable fund to provide immediate financial help to those caught up in terrorist attacks elsewhere in the world.''

Reuters