Posted by By Moses Jolayemi with agency report on
Leaders across the globe yesterday condemned the attacks on London and pledged solidarity with British Prime Minister Tony Blair who is currently hosting a summit of Group of Eight industrialised countries in Gleneagles, Scotland. President Olusegun Obasanjo who is also attending the meeting said he received the news with shock.
Leaders across the globe yesterday condemned the attacks on London and pledged solidarity with British Prime Minister Tony Blair who is currently hosting a summit of Group of Eight industrialised countries in Gleneagles, Scotland.
President Olusegun Obasanjo who is also attending the meeting said he received the news with shock.
In a statement yesterday, Obasanjo said: "This is indeed unfortunate at this time when you are doing so much to bring the world together to reflect and act more decisively on issues that affect the majority of us."
While urging Blair not to despair, he said
"The world and all progressive humanity are with you. Terrorism in all its ramifications must be exposed, resisted and defeated."
Obasanjo who is Chairman of African Union (AU) offered " the full solidarity of all Nigerians in these trying times".
In the United States, terror alert was raised to code orange for U.S. mass transit systems. President Bush conferred in a secure video conference with national security and homeland security officials in Washington. Bush said he urged caution "as our folks start heading to work."
Also, Russian authorities ordered stepped-up security measures for Moscow's underground transportation system. President Vladimir Putin said the London attacks showed the world was insufficiently united in the fight against terrorism.
EU legislators however called on members of the 25-nation bloc to step up co-operation against terrorism and offered help to Britain in co-ordinating emergency response to the bombings. The bombers struck "at the very heart of Europe," EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said.
The U.N. Security Council has in its own reaction unanimously passed a resolution condemning the London terrorist attacks.
The British-drafted resolution expressed sympathy for the victims of the four blasts and urged all nations to help bring those responsible to justice. It expressed the council's determination to combat terrorism.
Spain, which suffered a terror attack last year, put its security forces on maximum alert, posting army and police units to watch over shopping centers, transport hubs, sports events and emblematic areas or buildings.
The French government in its response raised its terror alert level to the second-highest ranking. French President Jacques Chirac said he was horrified by the attacks and called for "more solidarity among the great nations of the world" to combat terror.
Berlin's transport authority raised its security level to "yellow" - the second of three levels. It also stepped up security patrols in the subway and urged bus and tram drivers to be particularly alert to suspicious objects. In the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the regional government ordered police to step up security at British and U.S. facilities.
Italy's airports raised alert levels to a maximum. The Czech Republic, Hungary, and the Netherlands, also announced security beef-up at shopping centers, airports, railways and subways.
Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon called British ambassador Simon McDonald and asked him to convey his shock at "this terrible crime" and the condolences of the people of Israel to the people of Britain."
Call centers in India, where a significant number of Britain's National Rail telephone queries are handled, brought in extra staff and asked some to work overtime as the number of calls doubled after the explosions.