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BRITISH HERO HAS GOT GUTS

JOHN SMEATON is probably the only civilian on Earth who has had the pleasure of kicking al Qaeda in the gut.

Smeaton, 31, is the baggage handler who has become a national treasure in Britain for charging at a terrorist trying to blow up Glasgow’s air terminal June 30 with an explosive-laden Jeep. He arrived in New York this weekend.

“I was wearing steel-toed work boots and it was a running kick to the right side of his stomach and I think he felt it. I sure hope so,” Smeaton was saying.

“These people are killing themselves and trying to kill innocent people so they can get to 72 virgins,” he said. “Well, whenever they get to where they’re going, I hope the 72 will turn out to be men.”

Smeaton was talking after a meeting with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly at the memorial wall in Battery Park where 713 fallen officers are remembered, including 23 who died at Ground Zero.

On Saturday, he flew into New York to be honored by the Scottish American Foundation.

Kelly spent almost an hour recounting the details and sacrifices of the fallen whose names are on the wall.

“Look, I did a wee, small thing, and when you look at the wall, you get very sad. And what happened on 9/11 here, well, nobody can describe that bravery,” Smeaton said.

Commissioner Kelly told Smeaton: “The natural instinct of people is to run away from trouble. You ran right into it.”

Smeaton on that grim day came to the aid of a cop who ran to one of the terrorists whom he thought was victim of a traffic accident.

“Then this guy starts yelling out ‘Allah!’ and starts beating the policeman. I say to myself, ‘C’mon, let’s go.’ If the law falls, everybody falls,” he said.

After kicking the terrorist in the gut he turned to the driver side of the Jeep and saw the second terrorist burning on the ground, consumed with flames.

“At first I thought ‘How can I help him?’ Then I thought again that these people wanted to kill as many men women and children as they could,” Smeaton said.

“I just said to myself, to hell with him. Maybe it was a bit stronger than that. And I went to help a mate who had a broken leg and was laying near the Jeep while all these little pop-pop explosions were going off.”

Smeaton lights a cigarette and smiles: “I’m just here to pay my respects, then go back to Glasgow to be a baggage handler, which I love, and among the best guys you could ever work with.”

steve.dunleavy@nypost.com