President Bush said Saturday the terrorists behind the deadly attacks in India "will not have the final word" and pledged full U.S. support "in the face of this assault on human dignity", AP reported.
"As the people of the world's largest democracy recover from these attacks, they can count on the people of world's oldest democracy to stand by their side," Bush said in brief remarks at the White House after returning from a holiday weekend at Camp David.
Before leaving the presidential retreat, he held an hourlong video-teleconference with U.S. diplomats in India following the terror rampage left six Americans dead and raised tensions with neighboring Pakistan.
"We pledge the full support of the United States as India investigates these attacks, brings the guilty to justice and sustains it's democratic way of life," Bush said.
He said the U.S. was working to make sure that all Americans in India are safe and that President-elect Barack Obama has been kept informed since the assault began Wednesday.
"The killers who struck this week are brutal and violent. But terror will not have the final word. The people of India are resilient. The people of India are strong. They have built a vibrant, multiethnic democracy.
They can withstand this trial," the president said. "The leaders of India can know that nations around the world support them in the face of this assault on human dignity.'
Those participating in the videoconference included Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; David Mulford, the U.S. ambassador to India; Paul Folmsbee, consul general at the U.S. consulate in Mumbai; and members of Bush's national security team.
"President Bush thanked our ambassador and our consul general for all the work they've done to help Americans affected by the terrorists," White House press secretary Dana Perino said.
Obama called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday night to offer condolences and was monitoring the situation. The siege, which killed at least 195 people, including 18 foreigners, in India's financial capital, ended Saturday when commandos killed the last three gunmen inside a luxury hotel.
FBI agents were en route to India on Saturday. A second group of investigators was on alert to join the first team if necessary. The State Department warned U.S. citizens still in the city that their lives remain at risk.
"The FBI continues to monitor the situation in Mumbai and the Counterterrorism Division is reviewing all of the information and intelligence available," bureau spokesman Richard Kolko said.