HONG KONG – British Prime Minister Tony Blair (search) on Wednesday hailed the killing of two "evil" sons of Saddam Hussein and called it "a great day for the new Iraq."
"These particular two people were the head of the regime, which was not just a security threat because of its weapons program but was responsible for the torture and killing of thousands and thousands of innocent Iraqis," Blair told reporters in Hong Kong.
U.S. forces killed Saddam's sons Uday (search) and Qusay (search) on Tuesday, removing the No. 2 and No. 3 figures from the Iraqi regime toppled earlier this year by coalition forces.
"This is a great day for the new Iraq," Blair said on a visit to Hong Kong, the last leg of an Asian tour.
"The celebrations that have taken place are an indication of just how evil they were," Blair said, referring to people in Baghdad and at least one other Iraqi city who registered their approval by firing guns into the air.
"It is a very, very important move forward and I think it is great news," Blair said.
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