RELATIVES of Black Watch soldiers killed in a suicide attack in Iraq's so-called Triangle of Death yesterday condemned the decision to go to war.

Private Paul Lowe, 19, Sergeant Stuart Gray, 31, and Private Scott McArdle, 22, all from Fife, died in the blast at a vehicle checkpoint on Thursday.

According to his brother, Pte Lowe did not believe in the war that claimed his life.

Fellow Black Watch soldier Craig Lowe, 18, called for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq to prevent the loss of more lives.

The teenage private, who returned from Basra last month, said: "He thought they shouldn't be there, they should all just be back here because it's a war which nobody knows why it was started or what it was done for."

He said the whole family, including his younger brothers, Stuart, Shaun and Jordan, and mother, Helen, were heartbroken by the news.

Speaking at his family's home in Kelty, he said his brother had loved his job but thought little of US President George Bush and his reasons for going to war.

He said his brother had thought the President had started "a war over nothing, trying to get money and oil".

He added: "That's what we thought ourselves. We all thought that."

Of his fellow troops he said: "I think they should just get them all out of there now because, if not, we are going to lose a lot more than this.

"There are going to be a lot more upset people."

Relatives of Scott McArdle said they were devastated by his death.

His uncle, Martin McArdle, also attacked Mr Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair for sending troops into "a death trap", which he said he feared would become another Vietnam.

"We are devastated. You never think it's going to happen to your own until it does," he said outside the family home in Glenrothes.

"It's like a bad dream, like we're just going to wake up and it has not happened."

Mary Gray, the mother of Sgt Gray, hailed her son as "an experienced and professional soldier, a loving husband, father, son and brother, and a proud member of the Black Watch". He leaves a wife, Wendy, and children Kirstin, 12, and Darren, ten.

The car bomb, which also claimed the life of an Iraqi interpreter and injured eight other soldiers, was the first suicide attack to kill British troops in Iraq.

Their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel James Cowan, said: "The whole of the Black Watch is saddened by this loss. But while we feel this blow most keenly, we are the Black Watch and we will not be deterred from seeing our task through to a successful conclusion."

The bodies were due to be flown to Basra airport last night for a repatriation ceremony before being returned to the UK and their families next week.

Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday paid tribute to their bravery, but said securing peace in Iraq was "absolutely crucial".

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon rejected suggestions that the Black Watch had been sent to do an impossible job.

The incident threatens to reignite the bitter controversy over the deployment of the 850-strong Black Watch battle group to relieve US forces preparing for the expected all-out assault on the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah