A top Iranian cleric on Friday blamed the United States and Israel for the development of the al-Qaida, terming the terror group as "US-Israeli illegitimate child," the official IRNA news agency reported.

"Al-Qaida is the illegitimate child of the United States and Israel," Mohammad Emami-Kashani, Interim Friday Prayer Leader of Tehran, was quoted as saying when addressing thousands of worshipers.

Kashani made the remarks in reaction to British Prime Minister Tony Blair's condemnation against the al-Qaida on Thursday's terror bombings in London.

Four bomb blasts hit subway stations and a double-decker bus in central London during morning rush hour on Thursday, killing at least 50 people and injuring hundreds of others.

"Has the British prime minister forgotten who al-Qaida's parents are? I remind him then that the United States is al-Qaida's father and Israel is the mother of that illegitimate child," Kashani said.

"It was you yourselves (the Westerners) that created this group in the name of Islam," Kashani added.

Condemning the deadly blasts, Kashani said that Islam is the religion of kindness, justice and humanity and it totally disapproves of massacring innocent women, children, youngsters and elderly folks.

Source: Xinhua