BBC NEWS | UK: Blair condemns Bali bomb attacks

Get the story here!

Terrorists have killed twenty-five in three bombing attacks against the world's most populous muslim nation. Great Britain's Prime Minister offers solidarity:

Tony Blair has condemned the latest bomb attacks on the Indonesian island of Bali in the "strongest terms".

"I offer our full support to the people of Bali as they recover from another atrocity so soon after the 2002 attack," the prime minister added.

His remarks came after at least 25 people died in at least three blasts on Saturday, with many other injured.

A woman of dual British-Australian nationality was badly hurt and a Briton slightly injured, the government said.

The Foreign Office has set up an emergency helpline for worried friends and relatives on 0207 008 8765.

Downing Street said on Saturday that Mr Blair was writing a personal note to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono offering his support and sympathy.

In a statement, Mr Blair said: "I condemn in the strongest terms today's appalling attacks in Bali. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.

"The UK was deeply grateful for and moved by the support and sympathy given by the Indonesian government and people after the attacks in July in London.

"We stand by Indonesia at this very difficult time.

"The British government stands ready to help in any way we can."

The British ambassador to Jakarta and a Hong Kong-based emergency team are on their way to Bali, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said.

The blasts took place just before 2000 local time (1200 GMT).

Two blasts went off at Jimbaran - a seaside area packed with restaurants. Another was at Kuta beach, the area most popular with Western tourists.

The attacks occured in an area frequented by Western tourists. The islamo-fascist strategy remains consistent: isolate muslim-majority nations from their Western-nation patrons. Attacks like these rupture the tourism industries of the assaulted countries, putting greater political pressure on their governments. If these government cooperate with the US and other Western Powers in the GWOT, they may rethink this policy. These attacks also pressure the Western Powers to capitulate to the islamo-fascist. Agitated and frightened citizens may demand that their governments refuse to cooperate with the US on any number of positions of common interest. Witness what happened in Spain after the March 11th bombings.

Indonesia has suffered political unrest and islamo-fascist extremism for a long time. However, they have an opportunity to reform their economy now that the country enjoys some relative political stability. With the appropriate moves, they could join China and Russia as countries in which the US and Europe outsource and off-shore certain supply-chain operations. This type of economic development would increase the overall prosperity of the nation and undercut the extremists' appeal to impoverished Indonesians. They can't allow Indonesia to move along that path.

Will the Indonesian authorities take the action necessary to purge the islamo-fascists from their midst? Or will they continue to approach-avoid the issue, and hope to continue playing both sides against the middle? If the opt for business as done before, they may find their opportunity to competively enter the world economy lost. Are they prepared to take that gamble for, at most, a short-term gain? I would hope not. I'm not confident, however. Not at all.

Please pray for the bombing victims in Bali and for the Indonesian people of good will. The islamo-fascists are the enemies we must stop at all moral costs, not muslims. These acts of murderous cowerdice sadly remind us all of this important fact. We can't afford to forget it.