Bush On Mumbai: 'Nothing But Violence And Hopelesness'
Both the White House and President-elect Barack Obama condemned the series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India, the first major terrorist incident since Obama’s election.
At least 100 people were killed and hundreds injured when gunmen opened fire with machine guns and grenades at a Mumbai train station, a crowded restaurant and hotels, according to reports. Westerners appear to have been the primary targets of the attackers, who then engaged in firefights with members of the police and army.
A group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen has taken credit for the attacks, though little is known about it and that claim is yet to be confirmed. The Indian government has claimed "foreign-based" groups, pointing a finger at the Pakistani government. So far there are two known American casualties.
In a statement released Wednesday, Obama spokesman Brooke Anderson said. “President-Elect 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,"she continued. " We stand with the people of India, whose democracy will prove far more resilient than the hateful ideology that led to these attacks.”
On Friday, President Bush issued a statement that "Laura and I are deeply saddened that at least two Americans were killed and others injured in Wednesday's horrific attack in Mumbai. We also mourn the great loss of life suffered by so many people from several other countries, and we have the wounded in our thoughts and prayers.
"My Administration has been working with the Indian government and the international community as Indian authorities work to ensure the safety of those still under threat. We will continue to cooperate against these extremists who offer nothing but violence and hopelessness."
Bush has said he would consult Obama on any major decisions and Obama spoke with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday evening and then called Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen to offer his thoughts his prayers, let him know he'd spoken with Rice and was monitoring the situation.
The White House signaled earlier this month that it was concerned that such an attack may take place on American soil during the transition. Perino said, “We know that Al Qaeda and others try to test a new administration.”
“I don't know of anything specific,” she added, “but we do know that this is just a heightened period of concern.”
Vice President-elect Joe Biden caught flack for a similar warning on the campaign trail.
“Watch,” Biden said. “We're going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy,” meaning Obama.
Republican presidential nominee John McCain seized on those comments as proof that Obama was not prepared to be commander in chief.
Police in New York City Tuesday bolstered security on trains and subways after a government warning of a possible attack. Rep. Peter King, the ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, told the Associated Press that the government has "very real specifics," about the plot, which he said "certainly involves suicide bombing attacks on the mass transit system in and around New York."
He deemed the warning "plausible," adding that "there's no evidence yet that it's in the process of being carried out."