Around the world, praise after al-Zarqawi's death and warning of more violence

LONDON — Islamic militants and world governments warned Thursday that violence would continue in Iraq and around the globe despite the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed by a U.S. airstrike.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said al-Zarqawi's death was a victory.

"The death of al-Zarqawi is a strike against al-Qaida in Iraq and, therefore, a strike against al-Qaida everywhere but we should have no illusions," Blair said at his monthly news conference. "We know that they will continue to kill, we know that there are many, many obstacles to overcome."

Britain, America's main coalition partner, has about 8,000 troops in southern Iraq.

President Bush said the killing of al-Zarqawi was "an opportunity for Iraq's new government to turn the tide of this struggle," but he said more terrorist and insurgent violence is to be expected.

"We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continued patience of the American people," he said.

A former close aide to Osama bin Laden said Thursday that al-Zarqawi's death would spark retaliatory attacks across Iraq.

"Al-Zarqawi's martyrdom is not going to weaken the jihad in Iraq," Khalid Khawaja, a former Pakistani intelligence officer who helped bin Laden fight Soviet forces in Afghanistan, told The Associated Press.

"Rather, you will soon see more retaliatory attacks by his successors."

Italian defense minister Arturo Parisi expressed "satisfaction for the action of the coalition, which certainly contributes in a very significant way to the fight against international terrorism."

Italy's 2,600 troops are expected to be withdrawn by year's end.

Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said killing al-Zarqawi will "move the dynamics of the situation in Iraq in a good direction," the PAP news agency reported.

"The less terrorists there are, especially at the highest level, the calmer the situation in Iraq will be," he said.

Poland has some 900 troops in south-central Iraq, where it commands a multinational force.

The father of a U.S. contractor believed slain by al-Zarqawi said he did not see any good coming from the terror leader's death.