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SYDNEY - Two years after a suicide bomber left her with a broken neck, burns and bruises, Australian Louise Barry's wounds are healing and her determination to stamp out terrorism is growing.
But her concerns are again giving pause for thought to Prime Minister John Howard, who was
embarrassed when he went to the bombing victim's bedside in a London hospital almost two years ago.
On that occasion, Ms Barry asked Mr Howard: "Do you think the reason these attacks keep happening, at least in part, is because of our involvement in the war in Iraq?".
In a new television commercial launched today, Ms Barry again asks Mr Howard if the war in Iraq is to blame for her suffering and for continuing terrorist attacks.
On July 7, 2005, 29-year-old Ms Barry suffered a broken neck, burns and bruises in the explosion that ripped through her London bus on the way to work.
Now 31, the well-spoken marketing professional, who claims to have no political alignment, appears in a heartfelt commercial pleading for Mr Howard to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq.
She hopes the ad will play some part in helping prevent further terrorist attacks.
"I've had a direct experience with terrorism and I feel really strongly about my government's policies ... the war in Iraq is not helping," Ms Barry told reporters in Sydney.
"Violence only begets more violence. It's time that we think about some other solutions.
"Our involvement is not doing the Iraqis any good or doing our nation's reputation any good."
Mr Howard, who has repeatedly stated Australian troops will not be withdrawn from Iraq any time before this year's federal election, said today Ms Barry was "a robust Australian entitled to her view".
"But I don't agree with it. I do not believe these attacks are due to our involvement in Iraq and may I remind you that the attacks that killed 88 Australians in Bali occurred before we were involved in Iraq," he said.
"Australia was a terrorist target before the 11th of September (2001) and I can promise you one thing, if it looks as though any country is chased out of Iraq by the terrorists, that will encourage the terrorists to hit that country harder, not less."
" ... you don't win immunity from terrorist attacks by appeasing them and giving in."
Ms Barry's views remain the same as those she passed on to the Prime Minister in their widely publicised discussion two years ago.
"My impression of the Prime Minister was that he listened to what I had to say and he answered all of my questions," she told reporters today.
"It's just unfortunate that I had to get blown up by a suicide bomber on my way to work for the opportunity to ask these questions.
"I don't blame him for what happened, that's not what this is about -- it's about what we can do to prevent this from happening again."
Ms Barry wrote the one-minute script for the TV commercial, which will go to air on all commercial stations from Sunday. The broadcasting will be paid for by the campaign organisation GetUp, which says it is non-political.
- AAP
