U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has voiced support to the Russian leadership's statement on the possibility of preventive strikes at terrorist camps in any part of the globe.

When Itar-Tass turned to him for comments on the statement, Rumsfeld said the U.S. and Russia had a responsibility to track the terrorists down where they are, catch and destroy them.

If the two countries give in to the terrorists and the latter emerge victorious, this will become the nastiest turn of events for the world, Rumsfeld told correspondents as he entered his signature into the book of condolences, kept open by the Russian Embassy in the wake of the terrorist act in Beslan, North Ossetia.

Rumsfeld said he had discussed Moscow's statements on fighting with terrorism in a telephone conversation with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov.

Source: Itar-Tass