9/11 again - This time in India!

[_____V_____]

MUMBAI, Nov 26: Heavy exchanges of gunfire were taking place at around 2 this morning between police and terrorists, who were holed up in two luxury hotels in south Mumbai, after the worst terrorist attack in India had seen at least 80 people killed and over 150 injured.

The army was called out as terror attacks swept through the city late at night, with a third 5-star hotel in a suburb also having came under attack. Police claimed to have killed two terrorists, even as a police vehicle was hijacked by the attackers.

The terrorists opened fire at nearly half a dozen places in south Mumbai at around 10pm on Wednesday, and soon took hundreds, including foreigners and businessmen, hostage. Gunmen opened fire from AK-47 rifles at the city’s busiest railway terminal, CST, killing nearly 20 people.

Fear swept through the city, as frequent gunfire was heard from public places. Explosive-laden vehicles, including a taxi near the international airport, blew up. The authorities decided to call in the army early this morning and sought additional commandos from Delhi.

Terrorists took hundreds hostage in the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels in south Mumbai, minutes after they had fired with their AK-47 rifles. They threw hand-grenades at the Oberoi hotel, setting two floors aflame.

Commandos tried unsuccessfully to enter the two hotels for at least three hours. At around 1am, a fierce gun-battle broke out at the historic Taj hotel outside the Gateway of India, and flames could be seen leaping out of the dome.

The terrorists also entered a hospital and fired at patients and police. Later, they hijacked a police vehicle and disappeared into the night.

Police were clueless about the number of terrorists, their identity or their background. The surprise attack took the city of 15 million by surprise, with gunshots being heard in the tourist district of Colaba at around 10 pm.

Soon the city streets were deserted as policemen with bullet-proof vests took over south Mumbai. All roads were sealed to prevent the terrorists from escaping.

Eyewitnesses at the two hotels and at the CST railway station said the terrorists were firing indiscriminately. At the busy railway terminus, scores of passengers fell victim to the bullets. Even after midnight, the blood-stained platforms were uncleared and injured passengers could be seen lying there.

Police warned residents to stay at home as more attacks are feared.

Agencies add: Indian TV channels reported that the chief of Mumbai’s police anti-terrorist squad, Hemant Karkare, was among those killed.

Attackers also targeted the Cafe Leopold, a famous restaurant and hang-out for tourists in Mumbai. “I guess they were after foreigners, because they were asking for British or American passports,” said Rakesh Patel, a British witness who lives in Hong Kong and was staying at the Taj hotel on business. “They had bombs.”

“They came from the restaurant and took us up the stairs,” he told the NDTV news channel, smoke stains all over his face. “Young boys, maybe 20 years old, 25 years old. They had two guns.”

Maharashtra state chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said that an encounter was going on at the two hotels and the situation was grave. “Our men are on the job,” he added.

Maharashtra police chief A.N. Roy said: “These are terrorist strikes in at least seven places.”

Some of the injured were evacuated from the Taj on the hotel’s golden luggage carts, while waiters in black and white formal wear and chefs were seen leaving the Oberoi.

“The lobby of the Taj hotel is on fire,” a police spokesman said. “We are trying to find out how many people are inside the hotel.”

Sourav Mishra, a Reuters reporter, who was with friends at the Cafe Leopold when gunmen opened fire around 9:30pm, had suffered injuries.

“Fifty-eight bodies have been brought in. There are another 50 who are injured, some critical, who have been transferred to the nearby J.J. Hospital,” a spokesman for the city’s St George’s Hospital said.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the attacks and said the Maharashtra state government would be given all the assistance required.

The head of the Madrid regional government, Esperanza Aguirre, was staying in the Taj hotel at the time of attack but she and her delegation escaped unhurt, a government spokesman in Madrid said.

The BBC News website said a British member of the European Parliament, Sajjad Karim, was also in the hotel at the time and saw a gunman open fire in the lobby.

“All I saw was one man on foot carrying a machine gun-type of weapon -- which I then saw him firing from and I saw people hitting the floor, people right next to me,” he was quoted as saying.

One British guest told local Indian television that he had been among a dozen people herded together by two heavily armed men and taken up to the hotel’s upper floors.

“They were very young, like boys really, wearing jeans and T-shirts,” the guest said.

“They said they wanted anyone with British and American passports and then they took us up the stairs. I think they wanted to take us to the roof,” he said, adding that he and another hostage had managed to escape when they reached the 18th floor.As he was speaking, there was a loud explosion from the roof of the hotel.

It was not immediately clear if some hostages were still being held.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband “unreservedly” condemned the attacks, saying they were yet another reminder “of the threat we face from violent extremists."


UPDATE - I am watching the news right now. 97 dead, 287 injured/wounded so far. This is the first time something like this has ever happened in the history of India.

[_____V_____]

This is getting worse...

Apparently they arrived in boats, fully armed and with meticulous and careful planning. Most of them are 20-28 years old. They knew exactly where and when to strike.

Mumbai is the financial capital of India. The railway station at anytime has more than 5000 people on several platforms waiting for their respective trains. Also, a lot of tourists land here because this is one of the 4-5 international airports India has.




The remains of a taxi near the Western Express Highway in Mumbai.




The area near the BMC headquarters and the CST station, deserted after the attacks.




CST station, where many people were killed in the gunfight between terrorists and the police.


The Taj Hotel on fire - http://ishare.rediff.com/filevideo.php?id=519676

[_____V_____]

Latest news till now... (all times are IST)


11:25 AM: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil has said that there can be 10 to 12 terrorists involved in the terror attack inside Taj Hotel. Five of them have been killed and one of them arrested, he told media persons outside the hotel as security forces prepared to launch an assault to end the terror.

11:09 AM: Latest reports say that the Navy and Army have taken control at Oberoi. Meanwhile, a child of foreign nationality and an Indian maid have been seen coming out of Nariman House in South Mumbai. Reports also say that US intelligence officials are among the foreigners killed at Taj Hotel.

10:57 AM: Fire brigade personnel have started rescuing people from Taj Hotel.

10:40 AM: Smoke has been seen billowing from the new building of the Taj Hotel -- which stands next to the old building where terrorists are holed up. While NSG operation was on in the old building, fire brigade personnel were trying to douse fire in the new wing.

10:30 AM: The number of policemen killed has gone up to 16. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address the nation after 7 PM after the Cabinet meeting. The Maharashtra state Cabinet will meet at 2 PM.

09:30 AM: Terrorist out in the open! A terrorist holed up inside Nariman House jumps to the adjacent building. Meanwhile, an emergency Cabinet meeting has been called at 1100 hours.

09:27 AM: IB has arrested a Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist of Pakistani origin from Mumbai. The e-mail sent after terror attacks has been traced to Russia. Authorities say the mail was sent by Lashkar operatives. They also believe that the Lashkar terrorists came directly from Karachi to Mumbai.

09:30 AM: Firing has been heard near Nariman House in Colaba. Police have cordoned off the area amid reports that terrorists are holed up in the building.

09:09 AM: Curfew has been clamped in Colaba after firing intensified in the Taj hotel. Police are using smoke cannisters to disable terrorists' vision.

Meanwhile, Hostages are being evacuated from the Taj hotel even as gunbattle rages. A journalist has been injured in the firing. All international flights from Mumbai have been cancelled.

08:55 AM: Agencies have reported that terrorists are holed up inside the Cama Hospital. Commandos have started firing at terrorists.

08:05 AM: Fresh firing erupted early on Thursday in Taj hotel as commandos moved in to flush out terrorists holding some foreigners hostage.

Sharp shooters of army, NSG and other security forces moved into Mumbai's landmark hotel. Police believe that the number of holed out terrorists could be three or four.

Another luxury hotel Trident (formerly Oberoi) was under siege with some terrorists holding some foreigners hostage.

[_____V_____]

A witness says they are specifically looking for Britons and Americans...


British national Alex Chamberlain, who works for the Indian Premier League in Mumbai, was in a restaurant at the Oberoi hotel when he heard gunfire, and barely managed to escape.

When the terrorists stormed the building, he and a group of people were ushered into the kitchen. Chamberlain told Sky News that one of the waiters was shot in the arm.

"They were talking about Britons and Americans specifically. They shot people completely unnecessarily," he said.

The group of about 30 to 40 people were then "marched up like sheep" by a "young guy with a sub-machine gun, who was about 22-23."

The gunman then told people to stop and asked them to put their hands up. The attacker asked if any of the people were British or Americans.

Chamberlain said: "My Indian friend told me 'don't be a hero' and tell him you're Italian and that kind of stuff'."

Chamberlain said he got to about the 18th floor of the hotel and there was a gunman below them, and there were gunshots above and smoke everywhere.

The Briton and another person managed to sneak out of a fire door "without the gunman seeing us", where they stayed for about 15 minutes.

"I phoned my girlfriend and told her I loved her and thought it would be the last time I would talk to anyone," Chamberlain said.

He then walked "slowly downstairs expecting to see somebody with a gun around the corner" but they had gone.

He then smashed a window. He said: "the smoke was so thick I thought we were going to suffocate".

Chamberlain said he walked into the lobby and when he came out into the street there were about 20 police officers there "looking just as scared as any of us" and a few fire engines.

[_____V_____]

Pic of a suspected terrorist (taken by someone with a cell camera)

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United States on Wednesday strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and said Washington stands ready to support India. "We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks that have taken place in Mumbai. "Our sympathies go out to the families and friends of those killed and injured, and to the people of Mumbai", the State department said.

"We are monitoring the situation very closely and stand ready to support the Indian authorities as they deal with this horrific series of attacks. At this point, we are unaware of any American casualties," it added.


Strongly condemning the terror attacks in Mumbai, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday the 'outrageous' attacks in Mumbai will be met with a 'vigorous response'.

"I have sent a message to Prime Minister (Manmohan) Singh that the UK stands solidly with his government as they respond," he said, adding the UK is ready to offer all necessary help to India. "Urgent action is underway to offer every possible protection to British citizens in the region," Brown said. Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the attacks were a reminder of the threat from violent extremists. "I condemn these attacks unreservedly. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those killed and injured," he said.
The UK and India will continue their joint efforts to counter the actions of terrorists."


Canada too has strongly condemned terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

In a teleconference with the media, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said, 'Canada strongly condemns the savage terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which have left hundreds of innocent civilians injured or killed. These cowardly attacks are truly appalling.'

Speaking on behalf of all Canadians, he extended his 'condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured. We are working with the Indian authorities to assist any Canadians who may have been directly affected by these events. We will continue to monitor events as they develop.'



According to highly reliable intelligence sources, two boatfuls of weapons and some 18-20 terrorists most likely came from Karachi in Pakistan.
Intelligence agencies are zeroing in on the Lashkar-e-Tayiba as the agency behind the terror attacks.

The initial interrogation of terrorists captured in Mumbai has yielded some basic information. According to sources, for some time the directions kept coming "live" to the terrorists in Mumbai via satellite phones.

The intelligence sources said information is coming out quite rapidly because some six terrorists, who are in the custody of the Mumbai police, are under interrogation right now. He said the entire operation was led by Pakistani operators of the LeT but he doesn't rule out the involvement of some local youngsters in it.

"They are successful and we have failed," said the police officer with the agency. He said these attacks show that "the terrorists want to show that India is an unsafe place to do business in. The way they have focused on foreigners, they want to make Mumbai unattractive for foreign nationals."

[neverending]

This is shocking and terrible news.

My thoughts will be with you and all your countrymen, V... hoping for a swift end to these hostilities.

[_____V_____]

Thanks, NE. Hopefully the Army and the Govt will get the situation under control. The swiftness and the total surprise attack, that too on a major city, is what has taken the whole country by storm.



United States President-elect Barack Obama called US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to get an update on the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. He then immediately called Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen to offer his condolences at the loss of innocent lives at the hands of this wanton violence perpetrated by the terrorists.

A spokesman for Obama told rediff.com on background that "this evening, the president-elect called Secretary of State Rice to get an update and status report on the situation in Mumbai."

"President-elect Obama then called Indian Ambassador (Ronen) Sen and conveyed that his thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragic situation," the spokesman said."

Obama, the spokesman, added had told the ambassador that "there is just one president at a time. He also told him that he is monitoring the situation and has been in communication with Secretary Rice."

Earlier, Obama Transition Chief National Security spokesperson Brooke Anderson in a statement said 'President-elect Obama strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of India.'

'These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grate and urgent threat of terrorism,' she said.

Anderson said 'the United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks.'

'We stand with the people of India, whose democracy will prove far more resilient than the hateful ideology that led to these attacks,' the statement added.

Sources earlier told rediff.com that the Bush administration is closely monitoring the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and its aftermath.

Officials are keeping President George W Bush -- who is at the presidential retreat at Camp David for the Thanksgiving holidays -- apprised about the situation in Mumbai.

On the president's directive, officials have also kept Obama's national security team posted with all the latest information to make sure "they are in the loop."

Meanwhile, the State Department has provided Americans who believe that a relative or friend has been affected by the attacks in Mumbai a number to call: 1-888-407-4747.

[bwind22]

Originally Posted by _____V_____

Pic of a suspected terrorist (taken by someone with a cell camera)

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Nothing suspected about him. That motherfucker's running around with an automatic weapon.

Sounds like things are getting under control now and hostages are starting to get freed. Hopefully they catch and suitably punish the bastards responsible.

Are you IN Indiana V, or from there? The only person I actually know that lives in India actually lives in Mumbai but I've had contact with him since all this shit started going on and he's okay. Hopefully all your friends and family are as well.

[hacelikewhoa]

This is just terrible. I had a feeling that 9/11 was only the beginning of many more attacks. But why India?

[bwind22]

Well, this occured exactly 1 day after India announced the formation of a national terrorism task force. My guess is the timing there is coincidental though as this seems like something that has probably been plotted out for a while.

Who really knows why these fuckers like to attack and kill innocent people seemingly at random. They probably hit India because there are more Hindus than Muslims there or maybe because of their tolerance of the Jewish faith, or their ties to the US. Who knows? There's not always logic behind insanity.