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Dignitaries and members of the public convey condolences to Ambassador Sen over Mumbai and Srinagar blasts

Washington, DC
July 13, 2006 

Large numbers of Americans, from all walks of life, continued to convey their outrage at the terrorist attacks and their solidarity with India to Ambassador Ronen Sen. They included spiritual leaders like President Gordon Hinkley of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, senior Administration officials like Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Members of the US Congress like Gary Ackerman, Congressman Michael Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Senators Gordon Smith and President pro-tempore of the US Senate, Senator Ted Stevens, heads of think-tanks like Ambassador Karl Inderfurth, head of the Elliot School of International Studies of the George Washington University, prominent businessmen, and school children.

Representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also met with Ambassador Sen in Washington, D.C., to offer the American Muslim community's condolences for the loss of life in the recent bomb attacks. Immediately after the attacks, CAIR issued a statement saying the "senseless and brutal bombings. . .must be condemned and repudiated by people of all faiths." "No political cause will be served through these inhumane acts of violence against innocent people," said CAIR Board Chairman Parvez Ahmed, who took part in today's meeting. Sen thanked the CAIR delegation and told them that the Indian people are very resilient and that there was a quick return to normalcy. He said that all sections of society in India, including Indian Muslims, had quickly and unequivocally condemned the bombings, and that terrorists would not succeed in creating religious discord in the country.

Pakistan’s new Ambassador to the US, General Mahmud Ali Durrani, called on Sen to personally condemn the terrorist attacks and offer condolences to those affected.