Terrorist attacks in London
To all affiliated organisations, Global Union Federations and the ICFTU
8 July 2005
Dear Friends
Terrorist attacks on London
We have been receiving many messages of solidarity and support from ITF unions throughout the world, including from unions in the United States and Spain which have also been subject of major terrorist attacks and from all the Arab countries where there are ITF affiliates, in response to the appalling terrorist attack on London's transport system which took place yesterday.
Our first priority was to ensure the safety of all ITF staff and their families and I am happy to report that, to the best of our knowledge, no ITF staff were directly affected by these attacks.
The Presidium of the ITF Urban Transport Committee was meeting in Sheffield, in the North of England yesterday and they immediately issued a strong statement sending its sincere condolences to the victims and their families who have been affected by the attacks and wishing a swift recovery of those injured and offering its support to London's transport workers who are continuing their duties in very difficult and stressful conditions.
In a public statement, the ITF has made it clear that the attacks on urban transport were an abomination but they were also a failure. They will achieve only one thing, and that is to redouble the will of decent people everywhere to resist terrorism and uphold all that is best in our societies. The proof of this was seen on the streets of London, as it was in Madrid and New York and so many other places, when emergency services, the police, transport workers, the travelling public and men and women on the street all banded together to save lives, comfort the wounded, and keep the city working.
The ITF would like to thank all those from around the world who have sent messages of support, inquiries as to the welfare of those working in our London head office, and expressions of concern for all those affected by the attacks. In turn we, like everyone except the tiny minority behind this outrage, would like to send our best wishes and condolences to the families of those who died yesterday and to those who were wounded. Like everyone else in this city we will be thinking of them as we prove the terrorists wrong by looking after our fellow human beings and carrying on as normal.
Yours fraternally
David Cockroft
General Secretary
