Iraq war incited London bombers: Report

A British Home Office inquiry into the deadly terror attacks in London has found that bombers were inspired by UK foreign policy.

A British Home Office inquiry into the deadly terror attacks in London has found that the London bombers were inspired by UK foreign policy, mainly its decision to invade Iraq, a report said on Sunday.

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Despite attempts by Downing Street to play down suggestions that the conflict has made Britain a target for terrorists, initial drafts of the government's account into the bombings, which have been revealed to The Observer, state that Iraq was a key 'contributory factor'.

The government's 'narrative', compiled by a senior civil servant using intelligence from the police and security services, was announced by the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, last December following calls for a public inquiry into the attacks.

The narrative will be published in the next few weeks, possibly alongside the findings of a critical report into the London bombings by the Commons intelligence and security committee.

The references to Britain's involvement in Iraq are contained in a section examining what inspired the 'radicalisation' of the four British suicide bombers, Sidique Khan, Hasib Hussain, Shehzad Tanweer and Germaine Lindsay, the report said.

Alongside Iraq, other 'motivating factors' for the bombers, three of whom came from west Yorkshire and one from Buckinghamshire, are identified.

These include economic deprivation, social exclusion and a disaffection with society in general, as well as community elders.