IOC Sympathy Over London Blasts

Olympic chiefs have offered sympathy to Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mayor Ken Livingstone over explosions in London.

The International Olympic Committee said the blasts would not affect the decision, made on Wednesday, to award the 2012 Games to London.

Bomb blasts on the underground network and a double-decker bus paralysed the capital on Thursday.

Celebrations to mark the homecoming from Singapore of the successful London bid team have been cancelled.

The team are due to fly back into Heathrow Airport on Friday where a news conference had been scheduled.

"The plans that were laid out for the farewell and arrival celebrations have been cancelled," said newOlympics minister Tessa Jowell.

"It would be completely inappropriate in view of this appalling tragedy."

Mr Livingstone, speaking from Singapore before flying back to the UK, said Londoners would not be divided by a "cowardly attack."

He said it was an "indiscriminate" attempt at slaughter with no consideration for age or religion.

"I said yesterday to the IOC that this city of London is the greatest in the world because everyone lives side by side in harmony," said Mr Livingstone.

"Londoners will stand together in solidarity around those who have been injured and those that have been bereaved, and that is why I'm proud to be the mayor of the city."

London 2012 spokesman Mike Lee expressed "horror and revulsion" at what had happened.

"All Olympic celebrations are off," he said.