Manchester attack. Condolences of Xi Jinping, Modi and Card. Gracias
At least 22 dead and 50 injured. Suspicion of a lone bomber. Solidarity with British people expressed by th Chinese president and the Indian premier. The Archbishop of Mumbai: The Church in Asia is mourning for the loss of lives, our heart suffers with families and we pray to God to console them. May Our Lady of Fatima touch the hearts of those who have perpetrated the massacre.
Manchester (AsiaNews / Agencies) - At least 22 people were killed and about 50 wounded in a terrorist attack last night at Manchester Arena, shortly after a concert by US singer Ariana Grande. According to the first information of the police, a person detonated a devise. There are also children among the victims.
Theresa May, the British premier called the act "a terrible terrorist attack." Medical staff state that some of the wounded were hit by deep splinters.
May and her opponent, James Corbyn, have called off the election campaign for the vote on June 8th.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was among the first to express his nation’s solidarity. He sent Queen Elizabeth II a message to communicate his "sincere condolences." "The Chinese people are firmly standing together with the British people at this difficult time.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacts to the Manchester blast, says: “Pained by the attack in Manchester. We strongly condemn it. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased and prayers with the injured.”
Congress president Sonia Gandhi also expressed condolences to families who lost their loved ones. She said that “the world must come together as one to fight the scourge of terrorism cutting across boundaries and religion."
Card. Oswald Gracias, president of the FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences) and Archbishop of Mumbai, sent a message to AsiaNews: "I am deeply pained by the attack on the innocent people in Manchester most of them who were young people and many were children. We pray for them and entrust our innocent victims to the Merciful Love of God”. “This senseless violence snatched away so many lives, The Church in Asia mourns the loss of lives, our hearts grieve with the families and we pray that God consoles them. Let us entrust to the mercy of God the innocent victims of this tragedy, We also pray for the wounded, Our renew our call for Prayer for Peace, to Our Lady of Fatima, that the pray for peace may arise in our hearts, in the struggle between good and evil. Let us pray ever more fervently for Peace in our World”.
“We also pray- that through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima,- that God may touch the hearts of those who have perpetrated this violence, May there be an end to Destruction and Violence , We must never lose our hope for peace, evil never conquers anything, Peace is the Only answer, Peace, which is a Gift of God, Let us all Prayer for Peace".
So far there has been no claim even though on social media, supporters of the Islamic State have praised the attack.
According to US anti-terrorism chiefs, there are similarities with the co-ordinated attack of November 2015 at Bataclan and other places in Paris, which caused the deaths of nearly 130 people.
(Nirmala Carvalho collaborated)
.png)
