Widespread condemnation of New York, Washington attacks

West African presidents have joined other world leaders in condemning Tuesday's attacks in New York and Washington, and presenting their condolences to the government and people of the United States.

The World Trade Center in New York, USA, was destroyed and the Pentagon
in Washington seriously damaged when commercial airliners hijacked by unknown terrorists slammed into them on Tuesday. Thousands are feared to have died in the attacks.

The government of Africa's most populous country, Nigeria, was among the first to condemn the attacks. It said in a Foreign Ministry statement quoted by state-run television that it "would stand firmly in support of all efforts to track down the perpetrators and bring them to book" .

President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia expressed "shock, horror and disbelief about the dastardly attacks". The Gambia and its people, he said "offer any and all form of support that may be needed by the people of America to bring the perpetrators to justice". In neighbouring Senegal, President Abdoulaye Wade said his government and people "shared the pain and indignation of the American government and people".

Other states that came out against the attacks included Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Togo.

Deploring the acts in a statement broadcast on 'Africa Numero Un' radio in Libreville, President Omar Bongo of Gabon added: "I think that those who committed these acts must know that soon or later, a power like the United States will carry out justice."

In various West African capitals security was beefed up around US embassies which, as in other parts of the world, were closed to the public on Wednesday.

There were signs that the attacks had led to increased caution in other circles, too. An official of a non-governmental relief agency who had been scheduled to visit Abidjan from another West African capital told IRIN his organisation had suspended all international travel by its staff.