Brown warns of chain of terror to Britain.

PRIME Minister Gordon Brown warned last night of a "chain of terror" stretching from the mountains of Afghanistan to the streets of British towns.

He was speaking on a trip to the Afghan capital Kabul to meet with political leaders in the volatile region.

Mr Brown's surprise visit came as news broke that four Royal Marines had died in the southern province of Helmand - three of them killed by a suicide bomber aged just 13.

He paid tribute to the dead troops as he visited the frontline town of Musa Qala, which was recaptured from Taliban insurgents last year.

And he said the UK's 8,100-strong contingent of troops in Afghanistan was playing a vital role in keeping Britain safe.

"There is a chain of terror that comes from the Pakistani and Afghan mountains right to across Europe and can end up very easily on the streets of Britain," said Mr Brown.

"British people are safer today because we have our troops working with the Afghan people to act against terror."

Following talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the capital, Kabul, Mr Brown announced that he had agreed the deployment of a British civilian task force to help tackle corruption and promote good governance in the central Asian state.