I urge Londoners from all of this city's diverse communities and faiths to support one another and stand together against terrorism."The key players in London team were due to arrive home at 7am UK time this morning and had made preparations for a welcome party first at the airport and then in Stratford, near the Games site.Mr Mills said: "At this stage the parties have to be put on one side It's terribly unfortunate in terms of timing. Scotland Yard has been involved from the outset in the planning and design of the buildings that will be used for big events, and thereafter remain as a community legacy.News of the attacks filtered through at the Olympic summit in Singapore shortly before 5pm local time, bringing an abrupt end to what many said had been the best 24 hours of their lives.Hours before, members of the triumphant London Olympic bid team congregated in the reception of their hotel. There were broad smiles and warm handshakes all round as some boarded a coach for the nearby coastal resort of Sentosa.On hearing the news, bid team members wandered around, watching the breaking news on television or struggling to make contact with home via a failing mobile phone network.Lord Coe said: "The entire staff of the London 2012 team are shocked and deeply saddened by today's tragic events in London. It's just a terrible tragedy."The London team is seeking to deliver its pledge to the IOC of having the Games ready in seven years.

Nonetheless this has been a shock to the system - we have all been up on the clouds but this is the other end of the emotional spectrum."The London Mayor Ken Livingstone returned on a BA flight to Heathrow last night, having delivered a defiant message in the lobby of the Swissotel before his departure."This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty or the powerful, it is not aimed at presidents or prime ministers, it was aimed at ordinary working-class Londoners," said Mr Livingstone."That isn't an ideology, it isn't even a perverted faith; it's mass murder We know what the objective is They seek to divide London. Our thoughts are with the families of the bereaved and all those who have been injured in these despicable terrorist attacks."Jonathan Edwards, the former Olympic triple jump champion and a bid member, said: "We are absolutely committed to delivering a fantastic games Terrorists are not going to hold our city to ransom. Last year £800m was spent on security in Athens for the first summer Games after the September 11 attacks.Athletes - considered the main target - will enjoy a double ring of protection in London, from being housed in a high security village with the Olympic park. We have full confidence in London as a secure 2012 Games."The Olympic movement is no stranger to terrorist attacks and an atrocity against Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Games caused the biggest crisis in the IOC's history. The IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said: "Security is one of the 17 themes evaluated Security at Games time is what the IOC worry about. "This goes to underline that no city in the world - even London, which has the best systems in place - is safe from terrorism." The International Olympic Committee said it was confident the capital could deliver a "secure" Games. This loud, opinionated father-figure commented on every image that appeared on the screen in the corner of the room.

Leaders of London's successful Olympic bid conceded yesterday that no city could completely protect itself from terrorist activity after the bomb attacks in London. "I'm totally distraught," said the bid chief executive Keith Mills. Canada, New Zealand and Scandinavia would not want to benefit from an atrocity, but are likely to be seen as havens for holidays.. Morocco, Jordan and Egypt are all likely to be affected by yesterday's atrocity So destinations perceived as safe could benefit. Each time a terrorist attack is blamed on Islamic extremists, tourism from the UK and other wealthy nations to Arab countries suffers. After that, tourism to the rest of Spain was barely affected, and visits to the Spanish capital recovered quickly.The effects will be felt well beyond Britain.