Bertie Ahern,Taoiseach hopes no more innocent lives will be lost
Tony Blair, British Prime Minister vows response
The Taoiseach has said that last Tuesday's attacks against the United States were an attack against all the free people of the world. Bertie Ahern said that the more the international connection is maintained, the better the response will be.
Mr Ahern said that he believed the United States was entitled to a military response but he did not think that the involvement of Irish troops would arise. He added that he hoped there would be no more loss of innocent lives.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair today backed US President George W Bush's pledge to fight a war against the perpetrators of Tuesday's US terror attacks. In an interview with CNN, he said: "It is a war...between the civilised world and fanaticism. And whatever banner that fanaticism marches under, it is important that we recognise these are people who will stop at nothing."
Mr Blair said it was imperative that the international community acted against those who launched the devastating attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.
He added: "We must put together a broad-based coalition to hound these people down and bring them to account. However difficult it is, and however much we regret the fact that we have to take this action...nonetheless we have to do so."
The British premier said there would be two components to action taken by America and its allies in response to the attacks which killed up to 5,000 people. He described the two elements as: "The more immediate action...to bring to account those responsible, and then over time a systematic war on the whole machinery of terrorism."
