From DPA, Feb. 23:

LONDON - A group of mothers who lost sons in Iraq Friday set up a 'peace camp' outside the Downing Street offices of British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London.

They were joined by relatives of soldiers killed or still serving in Iraq who handed in a letter calling for a meeting with Blair - something that he has repeatedly refused.

The protests were led by Rose Gentle, whose 19-year-old son Gordon was killed by a bomb in Basra, southern Iraq, in June 2004.

The letter said: 'This is our sixth such visit and each time you have not seen fit to give us a few minutes of your time. We have a number of questions that we need answered about the deaths of our sons in Iraq and we insist that you meet us.'

'Please believe us, Mr Blair, that neither we nor these questions will go away. Our sons were sent to war on the basis of lies and manipulated intelligence. Our armed services were used in order to pursue a foreign policy that was both illegal and immoral.'

Peace groups have called for a large anti-war protest in London Saturday.

See our last post on Iraq and the anti-war effort, and on the UK.