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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

26 November 2008 Mumbai attacks

Ten simultaneous terrorist attacks on 26 November 2008 occured across Mumbai (Bombay), India's financial capital and largest city.[6] At least 101 people, including at least six foreign nationals, have been confirmed dead, and at least 287 have been injured.[3] Attacks took place in South Mumbai, at the crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station; two five-star hotels, the Oberoi Trident and Taj Mahal Palace & Tower; the Leopold Café, a popular tourist restaurant; the Cama Hospital;
and the police headquarters where at least three high-level officers,
including the anti-terrorism chief, were killed by gunfire. A
previously unknown organization identifying itself as the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility by email sent to news organizations.[3] Some media reports have attributed these terrorist attacks to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Islamic militant group.[7] [8]
According to one news report, the terrorists holding hostages at the
Oberoi are asking for all 'Mujahideen' in Indian prisons to be released
and that seven terrorists are holding hostages there.[9][10]


Armed with AK-47 rifles, two terrorists entered the passenger hall
of the CST at about 10:30 p.m., opened fire and threw grenades, killing
at least ten people.[3][11] Two terrorists held fifteen hostages, including seven foreigners, in the Taj Mahal hotel.[12] Forty people are being held as hostages in the Oberoi Trident hotel.[13] Six blasts are reported to have taken place at the Taj hotel and one at the Oberoi Trident. [14][15] The Taj Mahal Hotel was reported to be completely under government control at 4:22 a.m [6]. Both hotels are on fire and have been surrounded and stormed by Rapid Action Forces commandos.[4][16]
All terrorists are out of the Taj hotel, and police and firefighters
are working to rescue the estimated 50 people trapped inside.
Low-intensity blasts were reported in Vile Parle and a grenade attack in Santa Cruz. Two blasts were reported in the Nepean Sea Road area of south Mumbai. A petrol pump was blown up.[4] All local trains on the Mumbai Suburban Railway have been suspended.


ndia has suffered a wave of bomb attacks in recent years. Most have been blamed on Islamist militants. Mumbai, being the financial capital of India, has been the target of many of these attacks.The most recent Mumbai attacks started at about 10:30 p.m., when two persons with automatic AK-47 rifles and hand grenades were seen holding up inside the CST station in Mumbai. There were incidents of firing in Colaba where a policeman was reported to be injured. Police seized a boat filled with arms and explosives anchored at Mazgaon dock off Mumbai harbor.[1]

65 Army commandos and 200 NSG commandos have been sent to Mumbai.[3] The army was reported to have stormed both the hotels to try and flush out the hostage takers.[22][16]


A number of European Parliament Committee on International Trade delegates were staying in the Taj Mahal hotel when it was attacked.[23] British Conservative MEP Sajjad Karim (who was in the lobby when gunmen initially opened fire there) and German Socialist MEP, Erika Mann were last heard of hiding in different parts of the building.[24] Also reported present was Spanish MEP Ignasi Guardans Cambó, who was barricaded in a hotel room.[citation needed] Another British Conservative MEP, Syed Kamall, reports that he along with several other MEPs left the hotel and went to a nearby restaurant shortly before the attack.[24] Kamill also reported that Polish MEP, Jan Masiel, was thought to have been sleeping in his hotel room when the attacks occurred and has not been heard from since.[24] Kamil and Cambó report that a Hungarian MEP's assistant has been shot.[24][25]


Also caught up in shooting were the President of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, while checking-in at the Oberoi Trident[25], and Indian MP, Krishna Das while having dinner at a restaurant in the Taj hotel.[26]


The New York Times is reporting that terrorists are holding several hostages at Nariman House in Colaba believed to be owned by Chabad Lubavitch.
Chabad Lubavitch also expressed concern that its representative in
Mumbai, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, and his wife, Rivka Holtzberg, were
missing.[19]


A previously unknown organization identifying itself as the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility by email sent to news organizations.[3] In September, the Indian Mujahideen warned of the attacks.[5] According to a witness, the gunmen were looking for American and British passport holders and left alone others, such as a man claiming to be Italian.[27] Some media reports have attributed these terrorist attacks to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Islamic militant group.[28] [29]


Maharashtra state home secretary, Bipin Shrimali,
has announced that the police have killed four gunmen when they
attempted to flee in cars in two separate incidents, and state home
minister, R. R. Patil, says nine suspects have also been arrested.[30]


As a result of this incident, all schools, colleges and most offices, including Bombay Stock Exchange remain closed on 27th November 2008.[31]


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