UK Muslims Link Terror Threat With Foreign Policy, Drawing Backlash

"British Muslim representatives reacted to news of a foiled plot to blow up U.S.-bound aircraft with what has become a standard response -- blaming their government's foreign policies. But this time the maneuver sparked a backlash."

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett called attempting to draw a link between government policy and the threat of terrorism was the "gravest possible error."

"This is part of a distorted view of the world, a distorted view of life. Let's put the blame where it belongs: with people who wantonly want to take innocent lives."

Beckett's subordinate, Foreign Officer Minister Kim Howells, warned against trying to rationalize terrorism.

"I have no doubt that there are many issues which incite people to loathe government policies - but not to strap explosives to themselves and go out and murder innocent people," he said.

"There is no way of rationalizing that. I think it is very, very dangerous when people who call themselves community leaders make some assumption that somehow that there's a rational connection between these two things." More.