Britain distances itself from terror report

London, Sept 28: Britain's Ministry of Defence distanced itself from an intelligence report published by the BBC that said the US-led war in Iraq had fuelled Muslim radicalism around the world.

The BBC broadcast what it said were extracts of notes by an intelligence officer working for a ministry think-tank that also criticised Pakistan's ability to fight terrorism and said its intelligence service should be scrapped.

The defence ministry yesterday said the material ''in no way represents the views of either the MoD (ministry of defence) or the government''.

Newsnight, the British Broadcasting Corporation's current affairs show, said the author of the report was thought to be linked to the MI6 (secret intelligence service), have a military background and be involved in anti-terrorism strategy.

An extract of the document read: ''The wars in Afghanistan and particularly Iraq have not gone well and are progressing slowly towards an, as yet, unspecified and uncertain result.

''The war in Iraq has acted as a recruiting sergeant for extremists from across the Muslim world.'' The BBC quoted the report as saying: ''The al Qaeda ideology has taken root within the Muslim world and Muslim populations within Western countries. Iraq has served to radicalise an already disillusioned youth and al Qaeda has given them the will, intent, purpose and ideology to act.'' The paper said British army chiefs had pressed the government to move their troops from Iraq to concentrate on Afghanistan, but failed to win approval. ''British armed forces are effectively held hostage in Iraq,'' it said.

The author of the report also heaped blame for a failure to win the ''war on terror'' on Pakistan, alleging that its intelligence agency, ISI, indirectly supported the Taliban.

It suggested the answer was for Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to step down and the ISI to be dismantled.

Musharraf, for his part, rejected the notion of abolishing the ISI in an interview with Newsnight. ''I take it exceptionally seriously and I would like to talk about it when I meet Prime Minister Tony Blair,'' he said.

Musharraf is due to meet Blair in London today.

REUTERS

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