Blair: No rest until bombers foundBritish PM says attackers most likely Islamic terrorists
| • Eyewitness: 'Absolutely horrific' |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Addressing the House of Commons for the first time since Thursday's string of terrorist bombings ripped through the capital, Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed his nation "will not rest" until those behind the attacks are brought to justice. The investigation, he said "is among the most vigorous and intense that this country has ever seen." "We will pursue those responsible -- not just perpetrators, but the planners of this outrage, wherever they are. And we will not rest until they are identified and, as far as humanly possible, brought to justice," he said. Blair said he knows of "no intelligence specific enough" that would have allowed British authorities to prevent the attack. "By their very nature, people callous enough to kill completely innocent civilians in this way are hard to stop. But our (intelligence) services and police do a heroic job," he said, adding that over recent years, as the threat of terrorism has grown, authorities "have done their utmost to keep this country and its people safe." The attacks were probably carried out by "Islamist extremist terrorists," said Blair, noting that such terrorists have carried out attacks over the past several years in numerous countries across the globe. While 52 deaths have been confirmed in the London attacks, British authorities have said more bodies may be found. Some families have been searching for their missing loved ones. Blair said 74 families have been assigned police family liaisons. The House of Commons -- often a contentious body -- stood united, with speakers saying Britons stand together in the battle against terrorism. Blair called the attacks "a murderous carnage of the innocent," and said his country "will not be defeated by such terror, but will defeat it and emerge from this horror with our values, our way of life, our tolerance and respect for others undiminished." He also used the address to reach out to the nation's Muslim community, saying the British people "know full well that the overwhelming majority of Muslims stand four-square with every other community in Britain."
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