People’s resolve and resilience more powerful than terrorists: Clinton

WASHINGTON - Saying that the “resolve and resilience” of the people is more powerful than terrorist guns and bombs, the United States Thursday assured that it stands in solidarity with India as it remembers the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

“Now, as then, the American people stand in solidarity with the people of India and honour those who lost their lives,” Secretary of state Hillary Clinton said in statement on the eve of the second anniversary of the 26/11 attack, blamed on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and which killed 166 people, including six Americans.

President Barack Obama’s India visit earlier this month, when he stayed at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel in Mumbai, a major target of the attackers, “underscored our nations’ shared belief in liberty, democracy and mutual respect for all people,” she said.

Obama had stayed at the Taj “to send a strong message” to terrorists. He also met survivors and next of kin of victims of the attack to hail their courage and pledged to stand with India to fight terror.

“As the people of the United States gather with families to celebrate Thanksgiving, we pause to remember the horrific attack on innocent men, women and children that occurred in Mumbai two years ago,” Clinton said.

“As the people of Mumbai gather in temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras and synagogues to honour those who perish on November 26, 2008, they send a message of resolve, resilience and mutual respect that is far louder and more powerful then any terrorist guns and bombs,” she said.

Referring to Obama’s visit, Clinton said it “underscored our nations shared belief in liberty, democracy and mutual respect for all people”.

The US has been pressing Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 attack to justice. It has also imposed sanctions on the LeT and most of its leaders.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)