Bush Condemns Attack on Indian Parliament

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 14, 2001

Bush Condemns Attack on Indian Parliament

WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush telephoned Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Thursday to condemn the suicide attack on India's parliament and offer US help, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

A separate US statement called the attack a "brutal assault on the heart of Indian democracy" and "an attempt to undermine the efforts of those seeking peace and stability".

The White House spokesman said: "President Bush this morning called Prime Minister Vajpayee of India to condemn the attack and to express the condolences of the American people to the prime minister, to the families of those who were killed and to all the Indian people. The president also offered the assistance of the FBI and of the State Department counter-terrorist teams if so desired." US Secretary of State Colin Powell also called his counterpart, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, to express condolences and offer to cooperate with India against terrorism.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said : "We strongly condemn the outrageous terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament. No cause can justify the deliberate targeting of civilians. While we do not yet have information on the identity of the attackers, those responsible should be identified and quickly brought to justice," the statement added.

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