WASHINGTON - THE United States and Britain led global condemnation of the attacks in India's financial capital Mumbai on Wednesday, where blasts and shootings targeted at foreigners left over 100 people dead.
The United States said the attacks, which also wounded hundreds, were 'horrific", while US President-elect Barack Obama pledged to work with India to 'root out and destroy terrorist networks'.
Pakistan condemns Mumbai attacks
ISLAMABAD, (Pakistan) - PAKISTAN, which has been accused by India of complicity in terrorism on its soil, on Thursday condemned the attacks in Mumbai and urged common efforts against militants.
Indian leaders did not immediately apportion blame for the coordinated strikes on hotels and other targets in Mumbai, which killed more than 100 people, including several foreigners.
CANBERRA - AUSTRALIA offered to send counter-terrorism police and forensic experts to India on Thursday to help investigate the deadly attacks in Mumbai.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Australia stood ready to
help India in any way possible after more than 100 people were
killed, targeting two of India?s plushest hotels.
Europe plans to send plane to Mumbai: Spanish consul
MADRID - EUROPEAN nations plan to send a plane to India
to fly their citizens out of Mumbai, where coordinated attacks by Islamic militants left at least 100 dead, Spain's consul in the city said Thursday.
'I know that there are two initiatives: one from the Spanish government to send a plane, and an initiative on the European level to send a larger plane to allow all Europeans to travel,' Cesar Alba said on Spanish National Radio.
WASHINGTON - THE White House on Wednesday held a meeting of top intelligence and counter-terrorism officials after the United States condemned the 'horrific' attacks in Mumbai and said it stood ready to help.
'This afternoon, the White House National Security Council convened officials from counterterrorism and intelligence agencies as well as the State and Defense Departments,' the White House said in a statement.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon said such violence was 'totally unacceptable", while Britain condemned the attacks on its former colony as 'outrageous' and the European Union expressed its 'horror and indignation'.
Officials said around 100 people died in coordinated attacks at two of Mumbai's top luxury hotels and the main Chhatrapati Shivaji railway station late Wednesday.
A group calling itself the 'Deccan Mujahedeen' claimed responsibility.
One British guest of the Taj Mahal hotel told local Indian television that armed men had herded people, including himself, to the hotel's upper floors.
'They said they wanted anyone with British and American passports,' he said.
The United States and Britain said they had no reports of casualties among their citizens, although Japan reported one of its nationals killed and another hurt, and two Australians and a European Parliament staffer were also injured.
UNITED STATES
Washington condemned the 'horrific' attack and the White House said it had convened a meeting of top intelligence and counter-terrorism officials in response, and stood 'ready to assist and support the Indian government'.
Mr Obama's chief national security spokesman, Brooke Anderson, said the president-elect's prayers were with the victims and their families.
'These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism,' Mr Anderson said.
'The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks.'
US President George W. Bush called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday to express condolences and offer support, a White House spokesman said.
UNITED NATIONS
UN Secretary General Ban also condemned the attacks, saying: 'Such violence is totally unacceptable.'
'The secretary-general reiterates his conviction that no cause or grievance can justify indiscriminate attacks against civilians. He calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice swiftly,' his office said.
CHINA
China strongly condemned attacks in India's financial centre of Mumbai in which more than 100 people were killed, and expressed condolences to the victims.
'We strongly condemn the series of attacks in Mumbai. We oppose all forms of terrorist attacks,' foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told journalists.
'We express our deep condolences to the victims and solicitude to the families and the injured.'
BRITAIN
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he had sent Indian premier Manmohan Singh a message assuring that 'the UK stands solidly with his government as they respond, and to offer all necessary help'.
'These outrageous attacks in Mumbai will be met with a vigorous response,' he said.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the attacks 'remind us, yet again, of the threat we face from violent extremists", and said Britain and India would 'continue their joint efforts to counter the actions of terrorists'.
EUROPEAN UNION
The French presidency of the European Union said it had learnt of the attacks 'with horror and indignation' and 'condemns them in the strongest possible terms'.
It said the EU 'shares in the mourning of the Indian nation and stands by its side during this dramatic test'.
In a separate statement, the EU's executive arm, the European Commission, said: 'Terrorism is never justified and is no means to achieve any goal.' 'This is a cowardly act. It's indiscriminate, it's a terrorist act, it's an assault on democracy,' said acting Australian Foreign Minister Simon Crean.
CANADA
Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon condemned the 'savage terrorist attacks' and stressed his country's ties with India.
'Canada and India share a commitment to freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Among our mutual priorities is close cooperation to promote international security and to fight terrorism,' he said.
BANGLADESH
Neighbouring Bangladesh slammed the 'cowardly' attacks. In a letter to his Indian counterpart, Foreign Ministry adviser (minister) Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury condemned the attacks as 'mindless acts of terror.' Spain's Crown Prince Felipe also voiced 'tremendous sadness and condemnation of the attacks which seem to have left such a high number of victims'.
VENEZUELA
Venezuela joined Western powers in 'categorically' condemning the attacks.
In a statement the government offered its condolences to families of the victims and said it was praying for terrorist groups to embrace 'the path of non-violence and human equality'.
RUSSIA
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, currently visiting Venezuela, similarly condemned the attacks as damaging 'the whole world order'.
Speaking to reporters Mr Medvedev said 'such acts ... represent a challenge to humanity'.
VATICAN CITY
Pope Benedict XVI made an urgent appeal 'for an end to all acts of terrorism' following the attacks, the Vatican said.
BRAZIL
Brazil reaffirmed its 'strong condemnation of all forms of terrorism' and offered its condolences to the families of the victims, as did Argentina.
COLUMBIA
Colombia said that it had 'also suffered at the hands of terrorism and supports the Republic of India in its fight against this international scourge, recognizing that terrorism is a criminal and unjustifiable action'.
IRAN
Iran's foreign ministry strongly condemned the 'evil' attacks in Mumbai. Foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi also offered the Islamic republic's 'condolences to the Indian people and government and families of the victims of this terrorist incident'. -- AFP
