Let's stand united against terror

Terror has no nationality or religion.

The UAE and the world woke up yesterday to the horrific news of heinous terror attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, killing 49 worshippers and seriously injuring a score of other faithful who were there to offer Friday prayers. It wasn't just one of New Zealand's darkest days. It was a dark day for the entire humanity.
Words are simply not enough to condemn the brutality of this vicious and barbaric act of terror that has left the whole world in utter shock and disbelief. The perpetrators of this grotesque crime against humanity may have been arrested by authorities, but from the indiscriminate manner in which they attacked and shared live videos of their sickening act of violence on social media, it is clear that the far-right militants wanted to instil maximum terror in our hearts, to send a message that we're not safe from terror.
There can be nothing more inhuman than to attack and kill innocent children, women and men, and that too at a place of worship. Muslims the world over have been on the receiving end of terror, as have been innocent people from other faiths and religions.
Terror has no nationality or religion. A terrorist's bullet or bomb does not differentiate between a child and a grown-up, their religion or race, or between a civilian and a soldier.
As the UAE's leaders have very wisely advocated, the only way to respond to such unprecedented act of hatred is to stand united against it, to show the terrorists that nothing can shatter our faith in tolerance, peace and love. The need for the UAE's Year of Tolerance initiative to go global assumes even more significance to counter such unfortunate hatred in the hearts of the radicals. Let's stand united against terror.