Blair hits out at Basra bombings

The academy attacked is thought to have been the one visited by Tony Blair

Tony Blair has sent his condolences to the victims of a series of bomb attacks in Basra.

But the UK prime minister said there were no plans to boost British troop numbers in the Iraqi city.

Mr Blair said: "The terrorists are becoming sufficiently desperate that they are prepared to attack the most defenceless people they can find."

Nearly 70 people, many of them children, died during the bombings which also injured four UK troops.

Conservative leader Michael Howard expressed condolences on behalf of his party and said the US-led coalition had to "see out the commitments we have entered into notwithstanding the difficulties we face".

For the Lib Dems, Charles Kennedy said the bombings were a "timely reminder of the escalating violence throughout Iraq".

School buses

During Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Blair said: "The attacks today (Wednesday) illustrate the nature of the terrorism that we face in Iraq.

"This is not terrorism which is aimed at any particular group or particular part of the coalition. It is aimed at the process of democratisation and introducing civil society into Iraq."

The attacks against police stations are reported to have hit two school buses.

The UK soldiers - two of whom are in a serious condition - are thought to have been hit at a police academy in Zubair, 25 km (16 miles) to the south.

The police academy attacked is thought to have been the one visited by Mr Blair during his New Year visit to southern Iraq.