Military

DATE=10/14/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BRITAIN / BALI BLAST (L-UPDATE)

NUMBER=2-295237

BYLINE=MICHAEL DRUDGE

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

/// UPDATES CR 2-295229, BLAIR COMMENT GRAF 2 ///

INTRO: Britain says more than 30 of its citizens are dead or missing in the suspected terrorist bombing on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. British Prime Minister Tony Blair says there must be more international cooperation to fight terrorist groups. Correspondent Michael Drudge has more from our London bureau.

TEXT: Prime Minister Blair is denouncing the attack as a terrorist outrage that requires a united front by the international community to defend civilized values.

/// BLAIR ACT ///

The response of ourselves and the whole of our partners in the international community has got to be one of total vigilance and total determination, to take whatever measures are necessary nationally and internationally to deal with this, and that is what we will do.

/// END ACT ///

Earlier, Mr. Blair's Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said there is a high probability that Islamic extremists are behind the attack. Mr. Straw left for Washington Monday for previously scheduled talks on the Iraq crisis and the war on terrorism with Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Meanwhile, at London's Heathrow airport, there were tearful family reunions Monday as British tourists who escaped the blast began coming home from Bali.

At the same time, a team from Britain's Scotland Yard police force was heading to Indonesia to assist in the investigation.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Indonesian defense minister blames the al-Qaida terrorist network.

A London-based Muslim cleric with suspected ties to Islamic extremists told Reuters news agency that al-Qaida is definitely involved.

The cleric, Abu Hamza al-Masri, is wanted on terrorism charges in Yemen, and the United States suspects he has links to al-Qaida's founder, Osama bin Laden. (Signed)

NEB/MWD/KL/MAR