CAIRO, July 18, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – The US-led invasion of Iraq has given a momentum to Al-Qaeda's recruitment and fundraising and made Britain, Washington's key ally in the war, more vulnerable to terrorist attacks, according to a new, long-planned report issued Monday, July 18, by a respected British think-tank.

"There is no doubt that the situation over Iraq has imposed particular difficulties for the UK, and for the wider coalition against terrorism," said the London-based Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House.

"It gave a boost to the Al-Qaeda network's propaganda, recruitment and fundraising," said the broad-ranging report.

It lashed out at the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair for acting as Washington's "pillion passenger" in its so-called war on terror.

This, according to the report, made Britain "at particular risk because it is the closest ally of the United States, has deployed armed forces in the military campaigns to topple the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and in Iraq".

Former British cabinet minister Clare Short said Sunday, July 17, she "had no doubt" the July 7 London bombings, which killed at least 55 people including four British-born Muslim bombers, were linked to Britain's role in the US-led invasion-turned-occupation of Iraq.

"When in fact we are implicit in the slaughter of large numbers of civilians in Iraq and supporting a Middle East policy that for the Palestinians creates this sense of double standards -- that feeds anger," she stressed.