CHARLES KENNEDY put the political consensus under strain yesterday by blaming the Iraq war for a rise in terrorism.

Downing Street said that the Liberal Democrat leader was naive for saying that the invasion of Iraq had “fuelled the conditions” in which terrorism flourished and that terrorists would not shrink from using Iraq to recruit supporters.

Although he insisted that he was not implying a “causal” link between Britain’s involvement in Iraq and the London attacks, Mr Kennedy said that those such as President Bush and Tony Blair who had linked Iraq with the so-called War on Terror should not be surprised when people made the same connection when acts of terrorism occurred in Britain.

Mr Kennedy’s remarks, which went close to breaking the cross-party display of unity since the attacks, came after those of the Respect MP George Galloway, who said that Mr Blair had “paid the price” for the Iraq conflict.

Mr Kennedy said it had to be recognised that the occupation of Iraq contributed to the insurgency and attracted those from abroad who saw an opportunity to spread violent fundamentalism.

The way America and Britain went to war and the mismanagement of the aftermath had fuelled the conditions in which terrorism flourished. “Now we have the worst of both worlds. An unstable Iraq, free of the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, but facing the tyranny of the suicide bomber and a training ground for terrorists who had no purchase in that country before.”

Mr Kennedy emphasised that the mass murderers who attacked London did not need Iraq as an excuse. “The blame for the deaths in London falls firmly on their shoulders and their shoulders alone.”

But he warned that Iraq was part of a turbulent, volatile and deeply dangerous Middle East. “It is the ongoing impasse there, where Israel and the Palestinians are concerned, which remains the great single obstacle to security and stability and probably the biggest single recruiting sergeant for terrorists.”

But Downing Street said it was naive to suggest that such terrorism had started since the war in Iraq. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “This kind of terrorism was active long before Iraq; 9-11 was in September 2001, not 2003. It is not right to suggest this kind of terrorism was spawned by the Iraq war.

“Would it have been right simply to have left the situation in Afghanistan without tackling it post-9/11? Would it have been right just to leave Saddam Hussein in power carrying out atrocities against his people?

“Therefore the reasons for going to war in Iraq, the reasons for going to war in Afghanistan were set out. People may agree with them or disagree with them. But it is a fact that terrorism of the kind we have seen in London, in Madrid, New York, Bali . . . is and was a factor before the Iraq war.”

THE IRAQI VIEW

London is far away from Iraq and everybody is condemning the explosions there. The Iraqi Government is flattering the country of blasphemy

Sheikh Aws al-Khafaji, at mosque near Najaf

Islam rejects all such actions but (Mr Blair's) hasty remarks (in blaming Islamic groups) will lead to the growth of hatred towards Muslims

Sadraldin al-Qubanchi, Najaf imam

These two events (the bombings and al-Qaeda’s murder of the Egyptian ambassador) are close to a national and religious tragedy

Al Sabah al-Jadida, moderate newspaper

We are against attacks that target civilians, be they in Britian or elsewhere in the world

Saleh al-Mutlak, Sunni member of Iraq’s constitutional committee

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