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World leaders pledge united front against terror after London blasts

1 hour, 23 minutes ago

BERLIN (AFP) - Leaders from around the world expressed shock and anger over the deadly blasts in the heart of London that killed at least 33 people and determination to crush the terrorist threat.


The Group of Eight most industrialized nations declared at their summit in Gleneagles, Scotland that Thursday's "barbaric" London bombings were attacks on the civilized world and said they would stand together to defeat militants.

"We condemn utterly these barbaric attacks," the G8 said in a statement read by the visibly shaken summit host, British Prime Minister
Tony Blair.

"We are united in our resolve to confront and defeat this terrorism. This is not an attack on one nation, but on all nations and on civilized people everywhere," Blair said, flanked by the leaders of G8 nations Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States as well as those of guest countries China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa.

US
President George W. Bush vowed in a separate statement to reporters in Gleneagles that the war on terrorism would continue until "an ideology of hate" had been overcome.

"They have such evil in their heart that they will take the lives of innocent folks. The war on terrorism is on," Bush said.

"I was most impressed with the resolve of all the leaders in the room. Their resolve is as strong as my resolve."

As condolences poured in from around the globe,
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer condemned the "appalling attacks" and said the alliance would not waver in its struggle against violent extremists.

"I condemn in the strongest terms these attacks, which underline the need for the international community and members of the Alliance to remain united in the fight against terrorism," he said.

A group calling itself the Organization of Al-Qaeda Jihad in Europe claimed responsibility for the bombings and threatened similar attacks in Italy, Denmark and other countries with troops in
Iraq and
Afghanistan.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said the explosions that hit London Thursday prove that terrorism is an global plague that can strike anywhere.

"What is happening in Iraq can happen in any country," Talabani, whose country is the scene of daily insurgent bombings, told reporters.

"I'm telling my Arab brothers that terrorism today in Iraq will tomorrow affect other Arab countries, as has already happened in Yemen and Saudi Arabia," he also warned.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that nations "must never bow to terrorists".

And Australian Prime Minister John Howard, whose country also has troops in Iraq, said attacks such as those in London would not alter "the determination of free countries to do the right thing".

Russian President
Vladimir Putin called on all countries to unite in a war against terrorism after the "inhuman" attacks in London.

French
President Jacques Chirac, who has frequently clashed with Blair of late over EU disputes, pledged his country's "total solidarity" following the attacks.

And German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder, who had also recently sparred with the British leader on European policy, said the attacks appeared clearly aimed at disrupting the G8 summit.

"We agree that the international community must do everything in its power to fight terrorism together with all the means at its disposal," he said.

European Union commission head Jose Manuel Barroso called the blasts an "attack on democracy" and the "fundamental freedoms" that are at the heart of the 25-nation bloc.

Pope Benedict XVI condemned the series of bombings as "barbaric" in a message to the Roman Catholic primate of England, Westminster Archbishop Cormac Murphy O'Connor.

"Deeply saddened by the news of the terrorist attacks in central London, the Holy Father offers fervent prayers for the victims and for all those who mourn," said the telegram, signed by the
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

"While he deplores these barbaric acts against humanity he asks you to convey to the families of the injured his spiritual closeness at this time of grief."

Britain's
Queen Elizabeth II said she was "deeply shocked" by the "dreadful" events in London and sent her sympathy to the victims.

The fatal explosions came as the British capital was still in the afterglow of winning its bid to host the 2012
Summer Olympics.

The chief executive of the campaign, Keith Mills, said that the Olympic celebrations would now be put on hold, adding that his team was "completely and utterly devastated."

"This is our town, our city, our home, we are praying for the people who have been affected," he said.

Meanwhile London mayor Ken Livingstone said there was nothing terrorists could do to destroy the city's principles.

"Nothing you do, no matter how many of us you kill, will stop that flight to our cities where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another," Livingstone told reporters in Singapore, where the Olympic announcement was made Wednesday.

Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who returned to France from Singapore where he went to defend his own city's bid to host the
Olympic Games, told reporters: "Right now, we are all Londoners."

Spain recalled its own trauma during the Madrid train bombings of March 2004 and strongly condemned the London blasts.

"Spain, which has suffered for years from the scourge of national and international terrorism, offers its unconditional help to the United Kingdom to pursue the criminals who have carried out a shameful attack against a city which was celebrating after being chosen to host the Olympic Games in 2012," a government statement said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said he hoped the blasts would increase international vigilance against extremists.

"I hope that the free world will now be less lax in its attitude towards terrorist organizations," he said.

Pakistan, which has a one-million-strong community in Britain, also denounced the assault.

"We offer our heartfelt sympathies to those who suffered due to such acts."

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said.

DrDetroit wrote:Did anyone ever suggest that our efforts would contain terrorism only to Iraq?

Rather, part of the rationale for seeing this through in Iraq is that we're fighting terrorism there instead of being attacked by terrorists here in the US.

Mister Bushice wrote:

DrDetroit wrote:Did anyone ever suggest that our efforts would contain terrorism only to Iraq?

mvscal seems to think they'll flock to Iraq and we'll be able to kill them all.

Rather, part of the rationale for seeing this through in Iraq is that we're fighting terrorism there instead of being attacked by terrorists here in the US.

Worked real well for England, didn't it?

mvscal wrote:Actually London hosts one of the most virulently Islamist populations in the world.

The true surprise here is that is doesn't happen more often.

mvscal wrote:

Mister Bushice wrote:We've done nothing more than generate new hatred in Iraq.

What new hatred? Are you trying to say that Baathist dick knobs and Islamist nutters didn't already hate us?

mvscal wrote:

Mister Bushice wrote:Big deal. They're local nutcases that would not be killed if we weren't there. As I said, ain't making a dent in the worldwide terror organization.

They aren't all local nutcases. The insurgency wouldn't even exist in any form without outside support from Iran and Syria. When are you going to start paying attention to what's going on?

The attacks in london were by an AL Q group that said specifically they would target other Euro countries with troops in Iraq.

Yeah...so? We're in the middle of World War Fucking III and this is news to you?

Mister Bushice wrote:

mvscal wrote:

Mister Bushice wrote:We've done nothing more than generate new hatred in Iraq.

What new hatred? Are you trying to say that Baathist dick knobs and Islamist nutters didn't already hate us?

No of course not, but it sure as hell made recruiting new insurgents easier.

Mister Bushice wrote:
Hiking over the border still makes them local.