LONDON, May 26: Maverick British politician George Galloway has said it would be ‘morally justified’ for an assassin to target Prime Minister Tony Blair, but he said he was not advocating an attempt, according to a magazine interview.

In comments to GQ magazine released on Friday, Mr Galloway was quoted as saying an attack on Mr Blair that caused no other casualties would be a justifiable response to the invasion of Iraq.

“It would be entirely logical and explicable _ and morally equivalent to ordering the deaths of thousands of innocent people in Iraq as Blair did,” the magazine quoted Mr Galloway as saying.

If he knew anyone was planning such an attack, Mr Galloway added, he would inform the police.

“I think it’s best that we say nothing. We may say nothing, but we think plenty,” Mr Blair’s official spokesman said by telephone from Washington.

Mr Galloway was kicked out of the ruling Labour Party for urging British soldiers not to fight in Iraq. He subsequently won a new seat in the House of Commons last year as founder of the Respect party. Mr Galloway is in Cuba and was not immediately available to confirm that he made the comments.

A Respect spokesman says he hopes to speak to Mr Galloway shortly and expects to issue a statement.—AP