Posted on 07/07/2005 7:19:47 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
THE terrorist attacks in London would further strengthen Australia's resolve to continue in the war against terrorism, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
Mr Howard said the series of blasts targeting London's underground and bus networks would not affect Australia's involvement in Iraq.
He said the attacks were a reminder of the indiscriminate nature of terrorism.
"I want to make it very plain that this kind of attack will not alter the attitude of the Government of Australia towards terrorism and towards the commitments we have with our American, British and other friends to Iraq to Afghanistan," he told ABC radio.
"People must understand that a country like Australia will not be bullied or intimidated and the people who believe we can are wrong.
"It (the attacks) will in fact steel the determination of people who recognise the threat that terrorism poses to democratic societies, to go on with the fight against terrorism."
Mr Howard said the blasts, which had claimed the lives of at least 37 people, with a further 700 people injured – including seven Australians – were an attack on ordinary people going about their daily affairs.
"And we can only pray that the sequence of attacks that was so apparent ... one after the other in periods of 20 minutes apiece – won't be repeated in the days ahead," he said.
Mr Howard said he planned to push ahead with a scheduled trip to London later this month.
"I'll be going to Washington first to see (US) President (George W) Bush and I will certainly be continuing with my trip to London," he said.
"The total support of the Australian Government and the Australian people is with Mr Blair and the British people."
Mr Howard said the blasts proved that no country was immune from the threat of terrorism. He said security experts had advised him the attack would not affect present terror alert levels in Australia.
"The advice from our experts who met last night was not to alter the medium level of alert that's been in place since the 12th of September 2001," he said.
Mr Howard will return to Canberra today for high-level talks with intelligence agencies.
"And it's important, whilst repeating our resolve ... and our determination, it's also important that people go about their daily lives," he said.
"One of the ways in which terrorists win, is if they allow free people to stop doing the things they normally do.
"We have to do them with continued care and vigilance, but we must not allow our way of life to be interrupted."
Mr Howard said that of the seven Australians listed as injured, one was in critical condition.
"We haven't got any further details," he said.
"You can imagine the strain on the hospital system."
Mr Howard said the attacks were probably aimed to coincide with the opening of the G8 summit in Gleneagles.
"Clearly the timing of it, with the G8 is obvious," he said.
"My early intelligence advice suggests a parallel with the Madrid attacks ... it's hard to believe there's not some al-Qaeda link, but I don't have hard direct intelligence of that.
"But given there were a series of bombs, and given the sequencing of them, and given the proximity in time to the G8 meeting, it's an almost inescapable conclusion that it was a planned terrorist attack."
The Brits and the Aussies are the best. It is good we are reallly related.
Good news for civilization.
God bless them.
I agree!
God Bless them.
And we're forever indebted to you, the brits and our other allies that have stood firm.
My leftist friends will be so upset.
THANK YOU OZ!
This "seppo" will never forget!
WE proudly stand with you, and will fight, and fight until every terrorist in the world is DEAD, DYING, or WISHING THAT HE/SHE HAD NEVER BEEN BORN!
God Bless the Aussies!
Bump to you!
Good on ya, mates, and thanks from a grateful nation.
You don't here much about the Aussie's in the press but they have been shoulder to shoulder with us and the Brits.
To our Anglo-Saxon Brethren; we're with you till the end, come hell or high water
It's great to see that there are still quite a few strong countries who won't knuckle under to those terrorist freaks.
I wish I could say the same for France, Germany, Spain and The Philippines....
But I can't.
Hall of shame. Not much better than the islamo fascists
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