Updated 9/12/01 3:00 p.m. EDT

World leaders react to America under attack

"This mass terrorism is the new evil in our world today. It is perpetrated by fanatics who are utterly indifferent to the sanctity of life."

– British Prime Minister Tony Blair

"This is an act of war by madmen. It is the worst attack on the United States since Pearl Harbor."

– EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten

"The entire international community should unite in the struggle against terrorism."

– Russian President Vladimir Putin

"We completely condemn this serious operation. We were completely shocked. It's unbelievable, unbelievable, unbelievable."

– Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat

"We reiterate our complete, emphatic rejection of all forms of violence and all forms of terrorism."

– Mexican President Vicente Fox

"In these terrible circumstances, all French people stand by the American people. We express our friendship and solidarity in this tragedy."

– French President Jacques Chirac

"These tragic actions contradict all human and religious values."

– Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri

"...cowardly and depraved...an offense against the freedom and rights of all civilized nations."

– Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien

"My government condemns these terrorist attacks to the utmost."

– German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder

"Italy is at the side of the United States."

– Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi

"We denounce this terrorist attack, whoever is behind it."

– Foreign minister of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban government, Wakeel Ahmed Mutawakel

"No doubt this is a result of injustice the U.S practices against the weak in the world. The U.S. has been sowing the seed of injustice and racial discrimination against the weak, and therefore the U.S. is collecting now the harvest of what it did."

– Leader of the Islamic militant group Hamas, Sheikh Yassin

"The United States of America is face to face with one of the greatest tragedies in its history, something that could affect the entire world."

– Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit

"Simply a tragedy. All I can say is that I sympathize with the American people."

– Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer

"I hurry to express to you and your fellow citizens my profound sorrow and my closeness in prayer for the nation at this dark and tragic moment."

– Pope John Paul II

"This incident in the United States is extremely cowardly and beyond what any words can describe."

– Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi

"At this bitter time, our people express solidarity with the U.S. people and express their total willingness to cooperate, as far as our modest possibilities allow, with health institutions or any other type of medical or humanitarian body in that country to attend, care for and rehabilitate victims."

– Cuban government communique, likely to have been written by President Fidel Castro.

For more international reaction, see this list of media sites.