Boston blasts: 'Horrific, inexcusable, cowardly'

Indian-Americans and the Muslim community in the US joined their shocked countrymen in condemning the Boston bomb blasts that killed three persons and injured over 130.

"We hope that the perpetrators will be caught promptly, unlike after the Atlanta Olympics bombing, and punished to the fullest extent of the law," said Indian American Dr Shaik Ubaid, who is co-chair of the New York chapter of the Muslim Peace Coalition.

"Indian-American community strongly condemned the bomb blast in Boston today. Terrorism has no religion, race, or nationality. Standing against terror should unite us all. Whoever the culprit, no religion justifies this act of violence. We must remain united against extremism," the North American Punjabi Association said in a statement.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council also issued a statement condemning the blast.

"This is a horrible crime, and we call on all of us as Americans to work together to bring those responsible to justice," it said.

To attack people on what is supposed to be a day of jubilation is criminal and inexcusable, the council said.

"This is a time for us to show resilience and calmness, as we come together to help the American public recover from this heinous act," said Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC president.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation, also condemned the bomb attacks.

"American Muslims, like Americans of all backgrounds, condemn in the strongest possible terms today's cowardly bomb attack on participants and spectators of the Boston Marathon," said its national executive director Nihad Awad.

"We urge people of all faiths to pray for the victims and their loved ones and for the speedy recovery of those injured. We also call for the swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators," he said.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, called on to pray for people who lost their lives in the blasts.

"The deaths and injuries of people gathered for the celebration on Patriots Day in Boston calls on all of us to pray for the souls of those killed, the healing of those injured and the restoration of peace for all of us unsettled by the bombings at a world renowned sporting event," he said.

"The growing culture of violence in our world and even in our country calls for both security measures by government officials and an examination by all of us to see what we can personally do to enhance peace and respect for one another in our world," he said.

Photograph: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images