US condemns India attacks

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration strongly condemned a series of coordinated terrorist attacks Wednesday in the Indian city of Mumbai in which Westerners reportedly were targeted but said it was not aware of any American casualties and that U.S. officials there were safe.

The White House and State Department both denounced the attacks by teams of heavily armed gunmen who stormed luxury hotels, a popular tourist attraction, hospitals and a crowded train station in a series of attacks, killing scores of people, wounding hundreds and taking hostages.

"The United States condemns this terrorist attack and we will continue to stand with the people of India in this time of tragedy," White House press secretary Dana Perino said. "President Bush offers his condolences to the Indian people and the families of the innocent civilians killed and injured in the attacks."

Perino said the National Security Council convened officials from U.S. counterterrorism and intelligence agencies as well as the State and Defense departments to monitor the situation, "including the safety and security of our citizens, and stands ready to assist and support the Indian government."

She said President George W. Bush has been updated regularly on the situation.

Despite claims from an Islamic militant group taking credit for the attacks, a U.S. counterterrorism official cautioned that the chaos in Mumbai prevented a quick read on the attacks. The targets and sophistication of the attacks put Islamic extremists high on the list of likely suspects, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence.

The Justice Department said the FBI was monitoring the situation closely and was prepared to offer assistance if Indian authorities asked for it but said it had not yet received such a request.

At the State Department, deputy spokesman Robert Wood said all official Americans were safe and accounted for at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, which also is known as Bombay. He could not address reports that Westerners may been targeted in the attacks or were being held hostage.

In Chicago, President-elect Barack Obama's national security spokeswoman, Brooke Anderson, said Obama "strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the people of India. These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism."

"The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks," Anderson added.

Obama aides say the president-elect called Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to get an update on the situation.

Rice was reaching out to Indian officials as well as U.S. diplomats in Mumbai and New Delhi.

The State Department also set up a call center for Americans concerned about family members who may be in Mumbai. The number is 1-888-407-4747.

Comments

[naman]

Condemning this horrific attacks is not good enough on the part of US policy. Although Bush Administration has failed in taking the ownership of anti-terrorism movement in the last eight years, now it is time to take a proactive initiative by the US foreign policy to show their solidarity with American people to protect the citizens of the US traveling abroad. In doing so, the US foreign policy must take the ownership of this important task, and thus dealing with the governments of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh to root out these evil terrorists from the face of this earth. They must act now with whatever tools and resources we need to mobilize this effort.

[vote-obama]

the problem in the world is extremism on all sides. muslim extremist, christian extremist, jewish extremist, liberal and conservative extremist. if we get rid of the extremist a lot of today's problems will be wiped out overnight. please everybody listen to robert kennedy's "the mindless menace of violence".

condolences and hope for a better future to the good people of india.

[mrodriques]

Amen brother.

[thedirtman]

We have been most effective catching terrorists through a cooperative multi-national approach.

[ChristianWanker]

Coming from a man who is single-handedly responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians these words seem a bit worthless.

[Nova16]

Our commado-in-chief is always quick to condemn when his own guilt in creating chaos and destruction needs comdemnation. No doubt the mujahideen or whatever are crazy wackos but terrorism has received a spark of intensity from meaningless war and the actions of the US and Britain with their phony reasons for the invasion of Iraq and the killing, wounding, maiming and displacing of hundreds of thousands in the Middle East. Condemnation is a two way street. These terrorists according to reports were looking for guests/tourists with US and British passports.

[outsidein]

Save them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMf9oBpvI0o

[ArthurTwoShedsJackson]

Oops, I clicked on this link by mistake. Here is the correct, relevant link: ;-)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/26/obamas-mumbai-statement-o_n_146776.html

[instagladiator]

Yeah right! And if "this" administration told me that the sun would come up in the east tomorrow, I would get up early, go out and check it myself. Whatever they claim, I've always felt their stance/par­ticipation to be just the opposite.