World must deal with causes of terrorism - Blair
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-09 18:05

The world must deal with the underlying causes of terrorism, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said, insisting that security alone could not protect the country from attacks.

The underlying reasons for terrorism must be "pulled up by the roots", Blair told BBC radio, two days after the rush hour attacks on London's transport system that killed at least 50 people and injured some 700.

Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted the world must deal with the underlying causes of terrorism, as he warned that security alone could not protect his country from attacks.[AFP]

"Probably with this type of terrorism the solution cannot only be the security measures," Blair said in an interview recorded on Friday and broadcast Saturday morning.

"You have got, as a government, to do everything you can to protect your people," he said.

However, if terrorists were prepared to blow up people on trains or buses at random "you can have all the surveillance in the world and you couldn't stop that happening", he said.

"That is why ultimately, although we have to take the measures necessary, the underlying issues have to be dealt with too."

The government had to be "very cautious" in making sure it did not restrict people's freedoms in the battle against terrorism, Blair added.

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