Kerry's sister rallies US expats

Ms Kerry is urging US citizens abroad to cast their ballots

US Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is a fighter who will "hit back" at Republican attacks, his sister has told US expats in London.

Diana Kerry was commenting on an attack on Senator Kerry by US Vice-President Dick Cheney, who accused Senator Kerry of having "a habit of indecision".

Ms Kerry is in the UK to urge the US community to register to vote in the 2 November elections.

She described Mr Cheney's remarks as "negative" and "slanderous".

Ms Kerry was responding to Mr Cheney's accusations, from the platform at the Republican Convention in New York, that the Democratic candidate's "sensitive" approach to the war on terror would weaken the USA in its enemies' eyes.

He also accused Mr Kerry of not understanding that in his role of commander-in-chief, his "first obligation" would be "to support American troops in combat".

Ms Kerry said: "It is a sad day for the American people when the only thing that the current administration can talk about is negative, slanderous attacks against their opponents."

'Fighter'

She went on to say they had "nothing positive, it seems, to talk about on their own record and their own achievements".

"John Kerry is a fighter. He will hit back. He will continue to take the case to the American people," she added.

Ms Kerry, who was addressing London-based democrats at a meeting in Holborn, chairs a group called Americans Overseas for Kerry.

She believes that the estimated seven million US citizens living abroad could really make a difference in the polls.

She will be rallying more fellow countrymen on the next lags of her European tour - Germany and the Netherlands, and urging them to request absentee ballots.