More co-operation crucial, says Blair

Tony Blair will call today for greater international co-operation between police and intelligence agencies to combat the growing threat of terrorism.

The Prime Minister is expected to face criticism from MPs in Commons that the United States and Britain have concentrated too heavily on Iraq before finishing their campaign against al-Qa'ida. Mr Blair will argue that Iraq and al-Qa'ida must both be tackled. "It is not a question of either/or," his official spokesman said.

Mr Blair offered his condolences yesterday to the victims' families, saying the international community needed to show total vigilance and take whatever measures necessary to combat terrorism. He said the Bali attack showed "the appalling depths to which these extremists will sink".

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, said the Bali blast justified the controversial anti-terrorism measures he introduced after the 11 September attacks and rejected criticism that the world had been too focused on Iraq.

He said it would not be right to back away from possible military action against Iraq because of the threat of inflaming Islamic groups such as the one suspected to have struck in Bali. Taking a different line to Mr Blair, who has not insisted on a new UN resolution before taking action against Saddam Hussein, he said: "We would only take military action if the Iraqi regime were unwilling to comply with the conditions of a new, revamped UN directive."