The terrorists responsible for the deaths of four British soldiers killed in a bomb attack in Iraq are suspected to be from rogue Shia militias.A detailed forensic examination at the scene of the bombing, which also left three soldiers severely wounded, was under way yesterday in an attempt to trace the killers.
advertisementMilitary commanders are concerned that the insurgents had identified a weak spot in British defences by targeting boats on the Shatt al Arab that cuts through Basra.
Security assessments are being conducted to discover how to avoid further attacks on the waterway that the British patrol to prevent smuggling of guns, drugs and cash.
The Ministry of Defence named the regiments of the four men killed in the attack that targeted two patrol boats near a pontoon bridge just two hours after the Remembrance Service in Basra.
One of the soldiers was from the Royal Signals, one from the Intelligence Corps, a third from 539 Assault Squadron and the fourth from 45 Commando, Royal Marines.
One of the seriously injured men had "improved significantly" although the other two remained "very serious", an MoD spokesman said yesterday.
It is believed that a remote control device was used to detonate the bomb as two boats approached the bridge.
Military sources believe the terrorists knew the bridge only opened on Sundays and targeted the troops as they passed through or close to the west bank.
British troops vowed to hunt down the killers once the forensic examination had been completed.
"We will be carrying out a follow-up operation to target those responsible," an officer in Basra said.
Before the attack the waterway, which forms the boundary between Iraq and Iran, had been considered a safer way of transporting troops and equipment than by road.
The Prime Minister yesterday called for Iran and Syria to be engaged in efforts to secure peace in Iraq and the Middle East.
Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, also stressed the situation in Iraq could not be viewed in isolation.
"Throughout the conflict we have been calling on Iran and Syria to do more to stop the flow into Iraq of foreign fighters, bomb-making equipment and know-how," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
He added that the bombing was a "stark reminder" of the perils faced by troops in Iraq.
He said: "This terrible incident reinforces in our minds the sacrifice made by the brave men and women of our armed forces."
The families of the casualties have been informed but some requested that their names should not be released for 24 hours, the MoD said.