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World leaders gathered in Scotland for a high-powered summit reacted with shock, sorrow and ultimately defiance to news of Thursday's multiple bomb attacks in London.
Diplomatic differences were immediately laid aside as the leaders rallied around their host, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, well aware that the explosions in far away London were clearly aimed at them.
"A band of criminal fanatics have made London and England pay a high price for hosting this meeting," Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said.
The leaders of the group of eight industrialised nations were just arriving for their first meeting of the day with the leaders of the top five developing nations when word of the chaos in London started to filter through.
At first, everyone thought it might be a simple rush-hour accident, but as grim-faced aides ferried in a flurry of notes it became clear that the mayhem was meditated.
"We all gathered around Tony Blair and offered him our sympathy ... We all urged him to go to London," Berlusconi said.
However, the other leaders also unanimously agreed that they would stay in Scotland and press ahead with their discussions on climate change, Africa and the world economy.
"We decided we would carry on with the agenda because we were simply not going to show that the terrorists can win in any way, shape or form," said Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin.
French President Jacques Chirac said news of the carnage had helped to unite the leaders and stiffened their resolve to tackle terrorism.
"Natural egotism was laid aside," said Chirac.
French praise
The French leader has had a number of highly publicised run-ins with Blair in the weeks leading to this week's summit, but on Thursday he praised the British prime minister for his handling of the crisis.
"He did what had to be done, as it had to be done, at the moment it had to be done," he told reporters, adding that Blair's initial consternation had soon turned to determination to take charge of the crisis.
The heads of state and government discussed the attacks for about 30 minutes, drawing up a joint statement that denounced the "barbaric" bombings.
The message was later read out by Blair, flanked by the leaders of the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Russia, China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa.
"(This was) not an attack on one nation but on all nations and on civilised people everywhere," he said.
After Blair flew off to London, the Gleneagles summit resumed according to script. But minds were clearly elsewhere.
"You can't compare the atmosphere of this summit to any other one," said top German negotiator Bernd Pfaffenbach, a veteran of such international gatherings.
Elsewhere around the Gleneagles estate, huddles of journalists, gun-toting police and cleaning staff formed around television screens to catch the latest from London.
Just 24 hours earlier similar groups had gathered to see news of the British capital being awarded the 2012 Olympic Games.
"Last night there was a party atmosphere as we celebrated London being handed the Olympic Games," Berlusconi said. "This morning the positive mood turned sad."
However, the world leaders lined up to stress that the killings would not distract them from their initial agenda, which included boosting aid for impoverished Africa and seeking solutions to the threat of global warming.
"I hope that out of this day, this very, very sad day for
England, London and the whole world, emerges the vision of a better
future and a better world. A world without terrorism and violence,"
said Mexican President Vicente Fox.
