WASHINGTON:
United States President George W Bush, United Nations chief Kofi Annan were
among several world leaders who expressed outrage over the Mumbai bomb blasts
and urged urgent coordinated action against the scourge of
terrorism.
Sending his deep
condolences to the friends and families of the victims of the "brutal attacks",
Bush said the United States stood with India in the war on terrorism.
"The United States stands with
the people and the Government of India and condemns in the strongest terms these
atrocities, which were committed against innocent people as they went about
their daily lives," Bush said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Such acts only strengthen the
resolve of the international community to stand united against terrorism and to
declare unequivocally that there is no justification for the vicious murder of
innocent people," he said.
The
U N Secretary General Kofi Annan has said that he was "appalled by the brutal
and callous bombings" of trains in Mumbai.
He emphasised that such acts
only confirm that terrorism constitutes one of the most serious threats to
international peace and security.
In a statement issued through
his Spokesman, Annan said that the bombings in Mumbai and the grenade attacks in
Srinagar "increase the urgency of coordinated action by all countries to defeat
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, whenever,
wherever and for what ever purpose".
Annan has extended his
condolences to the Government and people of India, and "to all who have lost
loved ones in this horrific slaughter."