NICOLA Sturgeon has said nothing could have been more cowardly than targeting children and young people as she led condemnation of the Manchester terror bombing at Holyrood.

The First Minister also paid tribute to the “hundreds of acts of simple human kindness” by the city’s residents in response to the pop concert attack which left 22 dead and 59 injured.

She said her 10-year-old niece was a fan of the singer Ariana Grande, and she had imagined how she too could have been in the audience at the Manchester Arena on Monday.

She told MSPs: “My thoughts, those of this Parliament, indeed all of the people of Scotland, are with those who have lost loved ones or sustained injuries in this dreadful atrocity.

"There can be nothing more cowardly than attacking children and young people enjoying a fun night-out. Across Scotland today we stand in solidarity with the people of Manchester, a great city with which so many of us here in Scotland share a great affinity."

Opening a sombre session which ended with MSPs standing in the Holyrod chamber for a minute’s silence, the Reverend Graeme Clark, minister at Paisley’s Central Baptist Church, quoted Luke 19.41: “And when Jesus drew near and saw the city he wept over it, saying that, would that even today you knew the things that make for peace.”

He said that when people killed in the name of religion, God said: “Not in my name”.

Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh said there was a “tangible sense of shock and sorrow” and he had written to Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, on behalf of the parliament.

He said: “The fact those deliberately targeted in the attack were innocent children and young people who had come together to enjoy a concert makes the news all the more devastating. But with our sorrow comes compassion and a sense of determination.”

Ms Sturgeon said the attack was “particularly cruel” in targeting young concert-goers.

"That they should have been confronted with such horror is utterly appalling.

"Terrorists and extremists seek to divide us and destroy our way of life. As human beings, we cannot comprehend the twisted motivations that lead people to carry out such atrocities, particularly when they target children and young people in such a callous way.

"Our best response now and always is to stand firm with determination and in solidarity, to make clear to all those who would seek to undermine our values, target our children and destroy our way of life that they will not succeed - not now and not ever."

She said there now was a need to be vigilant against revenge hate crimes, and the issue had been discussed at the morning meeting of the Scottish resilience committee.

“We need to be clear this individual was not acting on behalf of any section of our community or any faith in our society. This was an individual committing criminal and terrorist atrocities.

“Part of the purpose of those atrocities is to seek to divide us, and to turn us against each other, and we must be absolutely determined that cannot be allowed to happen.”

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said a carefree evening had been “ripped apart by terror” but Manchester’s people had shown "courage and decency in the face of cowardice and evil".

She said: “It simply feels beyond our comprehension. There are no words.

“We must repeat that we will not be beaten by the twisted ideology of terrorism, we must repeat that we will not ourselves descend into hatred or rage.

“We stand tall, we stand together, we respond to every act of terror that strikes our nation by shouting from the rooftops that our values, our freedoms cannot and will not be diminished.

“Values shared by people of all religions in this country, and of none; the values of tolerance, openness and respect for one another; values of common humanity, bravery and generosity.”

She added: “Manchester will now be added to the grim roll call of those cities across Europe to have been affected by this terrorism. And like those other cities, it will first cry, then grieve, and then continue with spirit unbroken – showing that terrorism will never ever win.”

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said the children at the concert would have been the “very picture of innocence”.

She said: "Being at a gig is a moment of sheer joy. Last night that joy was destroyed in a despicable act of cowardice."

She said there was no way to soften the blow for those children who witnessed the attack and its aftermath, but people could show them how best to respond.

She said: "We cannot explain it to them. How can you tell an eight-year-old that there is a justifiable reason that children died last night?

"How can you explain the actions, the thought-process, of someone who can look at a concert full of young people and see nothing but a target?

"What we can do is respond well. We can teach our children that the only way to counter such barbarity is not with hate and with fear, but with compassion, tolerance, kindness and love - like the people of Manchester did last night."

Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie said the “grotesque motivations” behind the attack included a desire to divide society and sow hatred.

He said the response should ensure “terrorism never achieves its goal, but also that those who react to it out of hatred, prejudice or a demand for retribution never achieve their goals”.

He also spoke of living in Manchester for many years as a student and graduate.

“Not long after I left Manchester the city experience a terrorist bombing in the city centre. “Manchester came together. They stood together, they supported one another, they became strong and showed their resilience. I have no doubt at all Manchester will do the same again.”

Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie also called for people to come together.

“We will work to end division. We will stand with all of those communities who want peace.

“We will use intelligence and devoted duty to seek out and stop those individuals who choose to kill fellow humans and sow fear. They will not succeed. Our better human values will prevail.

“It is hard today, here in Manchester, to say that, but our better human values will prevail.”

Closing, Ms Sturgeon said it was vital to remember the response as well as the attack.

“Out of the darkness and the sadness and the horror of the event last night, very quickly starts to shine hundreds upon hundreds of acts of simple human kindness.

“Probably more than anything that should give all of us strength and confidence and belief that the terrorists will not succeed, because they are up against something that is much stronger than any of them, the kindness of humanity, and the values that hold all of us together.”