Muslims worldwide have condemned the terrorist bombings in London that killed more than fifty people.
The Muslim Council of Britain said the bombings were "evil deeds." "The evil people who planned and carried out these series of explosions in London want to demoralize us as a nation and divide us as a people," the group said in a statement. "All of us must unite in helping the police to capture these murderers."
London's Regent's Park Mosque, the largest Muslim cultural center in Europe, also called on British Muslims to help the police find the bombers. In the United States, the Council on American Islamic Relations called the London bombings "barbaric attacks," while the California-based charity Islamic Relief called them "a crime against all of humanity." Edina Lekovic, a spokeswoman for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, says the attacks "violate all principles [of] Islam":
"The Muslim Public Affairs Council, as well as the Council on American Islamic Relations, stand in solidarity with Muslims across the United States, as well as Muslims around the world, in condemning terrorism. This is not the first time we have done it, and it's not the last time that we will do it."
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his prime minister, Ahmed Qurei, sent a letter to British prime minister Tony Blair condemning the "murderous and terrorist" London attacks. President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan also sent a message of condolence to British prime minister Blair and called for “a joint fight” against terrorism. “It is imperative that we stand together and further strengthen our bonds of cooperation to eliminate this menace,” said Mr. Musharraf.
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai called the bombings “an attack against the whole of mankind.” And Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari called the London bombings “shameful” and reaffirmed Iraq’s determination to help eliminate "the evil of terrorism in any country.”
"The attack in London was an attack on the civilized world," said President George W. Bush, "and the civilized world is united in its resolve."
The preceding was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government.
