ABU DHABI // There was anger and dismay among British expatriates after the London terror attack in which seven people were killed and at least 48 injured.
“It breaks my heart,” said James Cooper, a Londoner who moved to Dubai last year. “People in London should stand tall and work as one. Morality and fraternity will always overcome this ignorant cowardice.”
Mr Cooper, whose parents and sister live in London, said such acts did not represent Islam in any shape or form.
“They are not Muslim nor are they doing it for Allah because Islam does not teach you to kill innocent people,” said the accountant, 32. “They are simply cowards tainting our world.”
Omar Ahmed of Dubai, a Palestinian visiting London, was out in another part of the city when the attack took place.
“My first reaction was to take a taxi home,” Mr Ahmed said. “I wanted to avoid public transport in case this was part of a sequence of coordinated attacks like in Paris. I’m avoiding busy districts now as well as tourist sites, and not taking the Underground.”
As Londoners opened their homes up to those in need of shelter, Britons and Arabs expressed their shock and horror.
“London embodies the ideals we believe in,” said Jane Brown, an Abu Dhabi resident who was born and raised in London.
“Being free people in a free and democratic society. No brutal behaviour will ever get rid of this belief and they will not break us.”
Ms Brown, 35, said that although she worried for her parents and her many friends who live in the British capital, they must remain strong.
“They are killing everyone, from Muslims to Christians, from London to Syria, Iraq and Kabul,” she said. “These people have no religion and they will not prevail.”
Karen Rappak, a British lawyer in Dubai, said: “I felt a pinch in my heart when I heard the news. I felt sad for my city and for the innocent people who did not deserve such hate and violence, but we cannot let this affect us and feel sorry for ourselves.
“We must keep our heads up and fight these incredibly cowardly acts because they will never break our spirit.”
Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, tweeted: “Enough is indeed enough. Key is the link between extremist ideology and terrorist action”.
The UAE Embassy in the UK has advised Emiratis to be cautious in public areas .
cmalek@thenational.ae