Message to the People of the United States:
Nagasaki Council Against Atomic & Hydrogen Bombs
by Nagasaki Gensuikyo, September 13, 2001

We are deeply shocked and saddened by the horrible terrorist attacks that took place in your country on September 11. We send our deepest sympathy to all who have suffered and victimized and to their family members, by the unforgivable attacks.

As citizens of Nagasaki who experienced the horror of WWII, especially the atomic bombing for the first time in human history, we have strongly rejected all kinds of violence, including terrorism, as a means to settling disputes. The terrorists' use of commercial aircrafts boarded with innocent civilians as their weapons is the worst kind of act imaginable and has showed us how cruel violence can be. We believe that violence cannot be justified no matter what form it may take.

Our heart is with you in your grief and we join you in your efforts for seeking a resolution through thorough and reasonable investigation on the matter, without hasty recourse to retaliatory military actions, which should draw world public support.