Iraq's National Security Adviser Muaffak al-Rubaie expressed concern about a migration of terrorists from Iraq into Arab countries and Europe. He also said he would not be surprised if those involved in the thwarted weekend terror attacks in London were trained in Iraq. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

Iraq's National Security Adviser Muaffak al-Rubaie declared in Rome there are strong indications that there is going to be a movement of terrorists from Iraq to Europe and other Arab countries. He urged coordination among intelligence services and cooperation to defeat global terror.

Rubaie said Italy could assist by applying pressure on regional actors to stop meddling in Iraq's internal affairs.

But he stressed that a major concern is the migration of terrorists from Iraq to European nations.

"This reverse migration is worrying and there are strong indications that there is a reverse migration from Iraq to the Arab world, to the Arab countries and all Europe," he said.

Rubaie said that is a large percentage of suicide bombers coming from north African nations, crossing the border to Syria and into Iraq. He said there is nothing stopping them from going back to their own countries if they run out of targets in Iraq.

"If we don't control the security situation in Iraq it will spill over to Europe and to neighboring countries in no time. And it will certainly enflame the whole region," he said. "So I believe we need to be extremely careful in controlling the instability in Iraq and this is to the benefit of everybody."

Damage to Glasgow Airport in Scotland is pictured after a jeep on fire drove into a terminal building, 30 June 2007

The Iraqi national security adviser also said he would not be surprised if those involved in the thwarted weekend attacks in London had some connection with al-Qaida and Iraq.

Rubaie said al-Qaida is now operating from two main bases: Afghanistan, which is in charge of south-east Asia and Asia and Iraq, which is in charge of the Arab world and Europe. These, he said, are the two battlegrounds.

He added that the Iraqi federal government must be helped so that terror attacks can be pre-empted by inflicting a decisive defeat of al-Qaida in Iraq.