The international community was shocked at the scale of the Omagh atrocity, but urged that it should not be allowed to wreck the peace process.
President Nelson Mandela of South Africa said he was shocked and dismayed by the Omagh explosion, but called for peace efforts to go ahead. "On behalf of the government and the people of South Africa, and on my own behalf, I would like to express profound shock and utter dismay at the explosion in Omagh, Northern Ireland", Mr Mandela said in a statement.
"Please accept South Africa's deepest sympathy at the lives lost. We mourn with the families of the deceased and pray for a speedy recovery of the injured."
Mr Mandela urged the political leaders to continue to strive for peace and "not allow this repulsive act to deter them". He continued: "The overwhelmingly positive results in the recent Irish referendums showed a determined desire for peace rather than conflict and violence. So much goodwill and faith should not be lost to the mindless violence of a few."
The Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Jean Chretien, said Canadians grieved for the families who had lost loved ones. Their thoughts and prayers were with the injured.
"The bombing is a contemptible and cowardly assault on the hopes and the dreams of the Irish people for peace by a murderous few who seek to achieve with violence what they could not at the ballot box", Mr Chretien said.
"I have every confidence that this despicable act will not succeed in weakening the peace process. The spirit of the Stormont agreement will win out and Canada will continue strongly to support Prime Minister Blair and Taoiseach Ahern in their efforts to achieve a lasting peace in Northern Ireland."
The Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, said the bombing was the "ultimate evil" but should not be allowed to derail the peace process.
In a message to the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, the German Foreign Minister, Mr Klaus Kinkel, expressed confidence that the bomb attack would not undermine the peace process.
The President of the EU's Council of Minister, Austria's Mr Wolfgang Schuessel, condemned the "act of terrorism", which he said went against the "hopes of the people of Northern Ireland".
The Mexican President, Mr Ernesto Zedillo, called on the international community to hunt down the bombers, who were attempting to deny peace to the population of Northern Ireland.
The Dutch Prime Minister, Mr Wim Kok, said: "We are fully behind your brave endeavours in seeking peace in Northern Ireland."
The French President, Mr Jacques Chirac, said: "I am convinced that this odious act will not put the peace process, for which you have worked so hard, in question."
The French Prime Minister, Mr Lionel Jospin, paid tribute to those who had broken with violence to pursue democracy. "I am convinced they will know how to continue to pursue the process . . . and consolidate the peace which the population wants so much", he said.