By ALI AL SAEED and AMIRA AL HUSSAINI

MANAMA

LEADING community figures in Bahrain condemned the attack on the US as an inexcusable atrocity.

"It is a total setback for humanity indeed," said Shura Council member Mona Al Zayani. "I do not approve any sort of acts that would take away the lives of innocent people."

Dr Al Zayani said whoever it was responsible lacked any humanity.

"It is impossible to express about one's views and opinions by murder and crime," Dr Al Zayani said.

"These events, I consider, are something very uncivilised and something that does not suit our era."

Such terrorist acts could never be justified, said Dr Al Zayani.

Shura Council member Khalifa Al Dahrani was shaken by the killing of so many innocent people.

"It is something that we are all sorry for. We offer our condolences to the whole of the American society," he said.

"The act is very immoral and irresponsible and it is natural that such actions are received with condemnation and disapproval."

There could never be any excuse to commit such a crime, said Mr Al Dahrani.

"Whatever the reason behind these attacks, no human being can ever accept it as an excuse for this," he said. "It has taken the lives of a lot of innocent people and we as Muslims can never accept that."

Health Ministry services director and Mahooz Charity Fund chairman Mohammed Al Saad said the recent events came as a shock. "Naturally any such actions are condemned and the general direction towards it is condemnation."

But Mr Al Saad hoped the US would not make any unwise judgements.

"They've seen now how families and children can be affected and hurt and that is always something nobody wants," he said.

"Of course, in the end, everybody wants to see justice served."

"Today we saw US civilians unsafe and attacked in their own country for no apparent reason. This is a form of terrorism similar to what is being practised on the Palestinians every day," Shura Council member Abdulrahman Jamsheer said.

People from all religions and creeds, continued Mr Jamsheer, condemned such acts of terrorism.

But he said the US must review its foreign policy. "The attacks on the US were calculated and could be the result of the US foreign policy, which has caused a lot of ill feeling and harm around the world," he said.

"Once the US plays its role on the international arena fair and square, there will be no chance of any attacks from extremists. There will be no reason for it then.

"Whatever the cause of this attack was, it is unfortunate that civilians were killed."

Alumni Club cultural committee head Faleh Almoayyed agreed with Mr Jamsheer that it was wrong to target innocent civilians.

"We should condemn all attacks on civilians who are innocent and get caught in the crossfire.

"After all, we know how it feels when innocents die because the US has created worse conditions to other people, especially the Palestinians, by not only keeping quiet, but also by defending Israel in its antagonism against the Arabs."