EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Tuesday led European outrage to Monday’s bomb attack at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, as she slammed the “deliberate targeting of men, women and children enjoying and participating in a sporting event”.
Condemning the “reprehensible” attack, which left three dead including an eight year-old boy awaiting his competing father and 144 injured – 17 of whom are said to be a critical state - she offered the US administration the EU’s solidarity as it attempts to identify the perpetrators.
Two explosions were confirmed to have sounded across the crowd cheering finishing participants during the annual event, with the devices reported as having used gunpowder packed with ball bearings and other shrapnel to incur maximum damage. A third attack was reported to have occurred three miles from the finish line at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, although Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis told the media it was “not certain that these incidents are related, but we are treating them as if they are”. Local residents and tourists were being advised to avoid the scene and stay at home wherever possible.
EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy echoed Ashton’s sentiments in an official comment of his own, as he slammed the “appalling acts” and their “tragic outcome”, expressing his conviction that “those responsible for the atrocious acts will be brought to justice”.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz took an altogether more vehement stand on the bombing, in a statement issued from the outskirts of the plenary session in Strasbourg Tuesday, as it remained unclear who was responsible for planting them, waxing lyrical on the loss of innocent lives and stated “unequivocally” that despite the early stage of official investigations into the tragic incident, “terrorism can never be justified”.
Meanwhile in a statement to the American people Tuesday night as events unfolded, US President Barack Obama paid tribute to the emergency services responding to the tragedy, as he cautioned that “people shouldn’t jump to conclusions before we have all the facts”, despite reports from US media outlets of a Saudi Arabian national seen fleeing the scene having been detained by investigators. Insisting “we still do not know who did this or why”, as he vowed “we will find out who did this and why”, analysts were quick to point out his noticeable failure to attribute Monday’s tragedy to terrorism, despite concluding that “any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice”.
A subsequent statement by the White House sought to redress this apparent oversight, as it stressed that “the president does consider (the Boston bombing) an act of terrorism and has ordered everyone in the federal government to treat it as such”.
The British foreign office appeared equally keen to avoid attributing blame at such an early stage, instead issuing condolences to “everyone affected by it and all those waiting for news”. French President Francois Hollande similarly expressed “the full solidarity of France” with the American people in response to the “still provisional reports of deaths and numerous injuries”, as Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius echoed the gesture in a letter to his US counterpart John Kerry Tuesday, condemning in yet stronger terms “this barbaric and cowardly act”.
German FM Guido Westerwelle expressed his “deep shock” Tuesday at the unfolding news that a sporting event should have descended into tragedy, as he offered his hopes for a speedy investigation “to track down the responsible person”. Chancellor Angela Merkel equally described herself “horrified” by the vicious attacks.
Italian Premier Mario Monti sent a personal message to Obama condemning the “cowardly act of violence that provokes anger and leaves an impression of suffering and horror”. “I’m sure that even in these painful circumstances America will respond by reaffirming the basic values ​​of their great civilisation,” he added.
The attack during the annual Marathon event timed to coincide with Patriots Day, also occurred on Israel’s Yom Hazikaron, which saw the Israeli administration pay tribute to fallen Israeli soldiers and victims of terror. Following the bombs, the New York and Washington sites targeted in the September 11 attacks were placed on high alert for possible simulated attacks.