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Bush condemns Iraq mosque attack, blames Al-Qaeda

George W Bush blamed Al-Qaeda for Wednesday's attack on an Iraqi mosque, whose destruction he said was meant to inflame sectarian violence in the country.

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WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush blamed Al-Qaeda for an attack Wednesday on an Iraqi mosque, whose destruction he said was meant to inflame sectarian violence in the country.

"I condemn in the strongest terms today's terrorist attack on the Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra," he said.

"This barbarous act was clearly aimed at inflaming sectarian tensions among the peoples of Iraq and defeating their aspirations for a secure, democratic and prosperous country," Bush said in a statement from the White House.

"I join Iraq's leaders in calling on all Iraqis to refrain from acts of vengeance and reject Al-Qaeda's scheme to sow hatred among the Iraqi people and to instead join together in fighting Al-Qaeda as the true enemy of a free and secure Iraq," said Bush, one of several US officials to blame Al-Qaeda.

Deafening blasts razed the mosque's two minarets on Wednesday 15 months after a bombing, also blamed on Al-Qaeda, fueled brutal sectarian clashes that have stymied political and security efforts.

Bush telephoned Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to offer his condolences over the attack and to praise Maliki's response, according to an earlier White House statement.

Bush said that Maliki requested a rapid reaction force for Samarra to guard the mosque and restore calm.

"I call upon the international community and Iraq's neighbors to do everything in their power to help Iraq's government and people combat the terrorists, especially in stopping the flow of foreign terrorists into Iraq," Bush's statement said.

"Those responsible for this outrage must be found and brought to justice."

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