Posted 6:00 p.m. Oct. 8

By Alex Kingsbury
U-WIRE Washington Bureau

MANCHESTER, England – British Prime Minister Tony Blair acknowledged that British forces took part in Sunday’s missile strikes against the Taliban government in Afghanistan, saying the attack on Sept. 11 “represented the worst terrorist outrage against British citizens in our history.”

Blair reiterated President Bush’s statements that the strikes were directed against military sites of the terrorist network al Qaeda headed by Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban government.

British missile-firing submarines located in the region took part in the attack. Blair said British warplanes would be in use in a few days. He gave no indication of the proposed length of the attack.

Blair has been an integral part of the international coalition that President Bush has been working to form in the wake of the attacks.

He has been on two whirlwind tours, first of the site of the attacks and more recently to visit many Middle Eastern countries considered important in forging a diverse and inclusive alliance against the terrorist supporting Taliban.

French President Jacques Chirac said that French troops would be used in the attacks.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said that Germany supported the U.S. retaliation “without reservation.”

Many have taken to calling Blair the most important of American ambassadors.

“This is a moment of utmost gravity for the world,” Blair said Sunday. “None of the leaders involved in this action want war. None of our nations want it. We are peaceful people.”

But he called the cause “just” and said that Britain was resolved to punish those responsible.

In response to many who have said that committing British forces to a military effort would make the U.K. targets for terrorist actions, Blair said there no specific credible information pointing to an attack.

Hours before Sunday’s strikes in Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden took to the airwaves on the al-Jazeera television service in a rare address. He thanked God for the attacks on the “greatest” building in America and issued a threat to Americans.

“I swear by God neither America nor the people who live in it will dream of security before we live it in Palestine,” he said.

He said he was happy the United States is “full of fear, from its north to its south, from its west to its east.”