'Cowardly' act was aimed at ordinary workers - London mayor

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, today condemned today'sterrorist attacks as “cowardly” and praised Londoners for their calm in coping with the multiple tragedy.

In a statement this afternoon, he said: “This was a cowardly attack which has resulted in injury and loss of life. Our thoughts are with everyone who has been injured or lost loved ones. I want to thank the emergency services for the way they have responded.

“I’d like to thank Londoners for the calm way in which they have responded to this cowardly attack and echo the advice of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair – do everything possible to assist the police and take the advice of the police about getting home today.”

Mr Livingstone said terrorists had been successful in their bid to disrupt London and cause as much upset as possible.

He said: “I have no doubt whatsoever that this is a terrorist attack. We did hope in the first few minutes after hearing about the events on the Underground that it might simply be a maintenance tragedy. That was not the case.

“I want to say one thing specifically to the world today. This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful. It was not aimed at presidents or prime ministers.

“It was aimed at ordinary, working-class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christian, Hindu and Jew, young and old.

“It was an indiscriminate attempt to slaughter, irrespective of any considerations for age, for class, for religion or whatever.

“That isn’t an ideology, it isn’t even a perverted faith, it is just an indiscriminate attempt at mass murder and we know what the objective is. They seek to divide Londoners. They seek to turn Londoners against each other.

“I said yesterday to the International Olympic Committee that the city of London is the greatest in the world because everybody lives side by side in harmony.

“Londoners will not be divided by the cowardly attack. They will stand together in solidarity alongside those who have been injured and those who have been bereaved and that is why I’m proud to be the Mayor of that city.”