7/7 - The London Bombings, Islam and the Iraq War

This book inspired me and other survivors of July 7th. Understanding what happened and why is essential for healing and allows us to move forward. I urge all those committed to hope, healing and peaceful resolution of conflict to read what Milan has written.'Rachel North, writer and 7/7 survivor 'A penetrating and timely analysis that deserves the attention of all sides.' Ziauddin Sardar, journalist and author of 'What Do Muslims Believe?' and 'Why Do People Hate America?' 'Powerful,...
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This book inspired me and other survivors of July 7th. Understanding what happened and why is essential for healing and allows us to move forward. I urge all those committed to hope, healing and peaceful resolution of conflict to read what Milan has written.'Rachel North, writer and 7/7 survivor 'A penetrating and timely analysis that deserves the attention of all sides.' Ziauddin Sardar, journalist and author of 'What Do Muslims Believe?' and 'Why Do People Hate America?' 'Powerful, persuasive and very readable. Seeking the real explanation for [the July bombings, Rai] completely destroys the illusion that they had nothing to do with aggression against Iraq. ... This is a book that everyone with a serious interest in the crisis we face must read if they hope to understand it, its causes, its effects, and how we might resolve it.' Tony Benn: This is the book Tony Blair doesn't want you to read about 7/7. In February 2003, Tony Blair was warned by British intelligence that the invasion of Iraq would 'heighten' the risk of terrorism in Britain. In July 2005, al-Qaeda struck in the heart of London. Despite the British Government's increasingly desperate attempts at denial, polls show that an overwhelming majority of people in Britain are convinced that there is a connection between the London bombings and the war on Iraq. A majority of Britons fault Tony Blair himself. Using secret government documents declassified since the bombings, and leaks from British intelligence, Milan Rai exposes official deceit at the highest levels, and establishes the crucial role of British foreign policy in generating a home-grown version of al-Qaeda. Rai shows how an official report drawn up by the Home Office and Foreign Office in early 2004 identified 'foreign policy' - and the war in Iraq in particular - as a major cause of alienation among young British Muslims. Examining the backgrounds of the 7/7 bombers, Milan Rai demonstrates that Islam is not to blame. Most importantly, the book shows us how to make sure that this never happens again - and offers brief obituaries for the 52 people who lost their lives that day.