Terror Attacks in Mumbai

Dmurphy · Post by **Dmurphy** » 27 Nov 2008 12:12

A Arun wrote:All channels are covering the Taj. No one's talking about hostages at the Nariman house.

Lack of coverage in such a situation is good!

How the hell are ppl allowed to go near back of the TAJ hotel? Is anyone in control of the situations?

Yeah, what i gather from the news coverage is, every man even remotely connected with the security personnel out there is trying to act like a boss. Right from the Havildar to the private security guards, everybody has some instruction to give to the guy next to him. Total chaos.

Rahul Shukla · Post by **Rahul Shukla** » 27 Nov 2008 12:13

Wikipedia:

Pakistan: Pakistan Army standard weapon for close range engagements, built by Pakistan Ordnance Factories under license from HK.

Pakistan Ordnance Factory - MP5A2

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 27 Nov 2008 12:14

Is there no way to gas the hotels and make every living being un-concious?

a_kumar · Post by **a_kumar** » 27 Nov 2008 12:14

The Indian origin (Monita Rajpal), probably from Europian office.

CNN International is streaming into regular CNN channel and replaced planned segments.

disha · Post by **disha** » 27 Nov 2008 12:14

Praveen wrote:How the hell are ppl allowed to go near back of the TAJ hotel? Is anyone in control of the situations?

I suggest you go there and control the "situation". Till then before you post, read other posts - ones where there is developing information. The Dy CM is on the scene by the way and also the medicos, the commandos, the pandus, the marcos etc are two-legged creatures with arms and a head - sometime called people. Taj being a big hotel, while operations are going in one wing, there are other things that can be taken care of. Like sanitizing and securing other areas.

milindc · Post by **milindc** » 27 Nov 2008 12:15

CD recovered with Pictures of places to attacked, their locations and also their timings from two slain scums using stolen Skoda car

MV Alpha from Karachi left them at Guj and then scums used Raft boats to come to Mumbai boats. Then came on using smaller boats two at time.

This is per News24...

Anchor saying opening that if Puke Navy or ISI helps out, it is very easy to get from Karachi to Mumbai. Even 1993 blast RDX by ISI was sent by Sea

ajay_hk · Post by **ajay_hk** » 27 Nov 2008 12:16

CNN-IBN flashes: One terrorist has been shot (unsure if was fatal or not) by the security forces at the Nariman house. The atmosphere is tense.

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 27 Nov 2008 12:17

Raja wrote:
Boss, this took a long time in planning. It was not cooked up in few weeks. It was going down regardless of the outcome of the US elections.

I know I am only speculating, and as you say, it must have been in the works before Obama said what he said. But since the US was bound to get a new president after teh election, I guess it is plausible that the Pakistanis would have some kind of plan in place to put their case to the new massa.

Vivek Sreenivasan · Post by **Vivek Sreenivasan** » 27 Nov 2008 12:17

The terrorists have made a demand. From TOI.

MUMBAI: A militant holed up inside Mumbai's Oberoi Hotel told a news channel on Thursday that seven attackers were holding hostages inside the Firemen try to douse fire at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai. (Reuters Photo)

More Pictures
luxury establishment.

"There are seven of us inside hotel Oberoi," the man identified as Sahadullah told the channel. "We want all Mujahideens held in India released and only after that we will release the people."

"Release all the Mujahideens, and Muslims living in India should not be troubled," he said.

Fresh firing erupted early on Thursday in Taj hotel as commandoes moved in to flush out terrorists holding some foreigners hostage after a night of terror targeting ten places in Mumbai. ( Watch )

Smoke was 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.

Army commandoes moved into the luxury Oberoi and the Taj Mahal hotels to flush out terrorists holed up hours after an unspecified number of heavily armed gunmen went on a rampage in ten places in South Mumbai killing 101 persons and taking some foreigners hostage.

Fire and smoke was seen billowing from the hotel as firemen struggled hard to rescue over 100 people still trapped inside.

Five suspected terrorists were killed in two separate incidents overnight including two during a gun battle in the country's iconic landmark Taj hotel, police said.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister R R Patil said nine suspected terrorists have been arrested. Schools and colleges were ordered to be closed.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said five police officers including Anti Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare were killed in one of the worst terror strikes in the country's financial capital that in all claimed the lives of at least 11 police personnel.

"The operation (by security forces) is still going on," he said. Besides army commandoes, naval commandos and Rapid Action force personnel joined in the operations to rescue those stranded in the two hotels. Five columns of Army and 200 NSG commandoes have been rushed. Two sten guns have been recovered by police so far, he added.

Deshmukh said it was not immediately known how many terrorists were involved in the audacious attack in ten places that shook the western metropolis. The chief minister said the Taj and Oberoi are not in control yet. He said there are no terrorists in Cama hospital which was also targeted by gunmen.

Police reported that some hostages were still being held at the Taj Mahal and Oberoi with eyewitnesses saying the gunmen had targeted foreigners after they kept shouting: "Who has US or UK passports?" Several guests were also stuck.

Fire was still raging in the old wing of Taj hotel several hours after it was rocked by five to six blasts and enormous clouds of black smoke rose from the century-old edifice on Mumbai's waterfront.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 27 Nov 2008 12:17

no. the MP3/MP5 family fires low velocity 9mm pistol rounds at muzzle velocity of 300-400m/s
AK47 family fires a heavier round at 700+ m/s

the pix shown from CCTV were AK47 family but others could be carrying
MPs as backup weapons or primary for compactness.

disha · Post by **disha** » 27 Nov 2008 12:18

Encounter on Marine drive with great detail about the encounter. Do check this out., shows the reason why so many people are required.

http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/no ... -chase.htm

Added later, the above is the story of the same skoda car mentioned in another post.

CD recovered with Pictures of places to attacked, their locations and also their timings from two slain scums using stolen Skoda car

amol.p · Post by **amol.p** » 27 Nov 2008 12:18

Manu wrote:
ramana wrote: amol.p, maybe you didnt have the right training. these are fedayeen killers trained in TSP camps. And probably Razakar pathan progeny from the sad ullah's rantings.
Ramana,

Some of us are intimately aware of the inner goings on in the IB. The IB has quickly established that these are Pakistan LET folks. I will like to say that I remain skeptical of this claim. Sure some of the terrorists may actually be Pakis, no doubt.

It can *NEVER* be a fully foreign operation. The meticulous planning, the targeting of Jewish homes, the ins and outs of the Hotels - all have been studies before by *locals*.

And as in Delhi (Previous Diwali Blasts), we know that when some of the pigs escape, which "localities" they hide in, who provides them food, clothing, shelter, and safety so they can slip away, undetected to fight another day.

Forgive my language, but I can bet both my testimonials that as I write this at least some of the escapees are, at this very moment, hiding in Nagpada, Agripada, Dongri and or near Mohammed. Ali Road. These areas are "no-go" areas for everybody else.

The only difference is that the Terrorists have finally given up on the anonymous method of placing RDX in Dustbins in crowded markets. That was not having the desired results and was not creating mass fear. The poor have to work, they have no choice. Politicians have very tight security around them. That leaves only the movers and shakers (with foreigners among them) as obvious targets. The prognosis, is indeed, grim. Unless there are targeted assassinations of ISI folks, this will keep happening. The ostrich approach can not and will not work.

And I will also say this - not out of graciousness - this is NOT the fault of the police, they did the very best they could, under the circumstances. The rot starts at the top of the GOI administration. They do as they are told.

The media reports that 16 + Policemen are already dead (not counting the casualties of the other security forces). The death toll, when it finally comes out, will be close to 500.

The real reason the local pigs participate in such acts is that they know nothing is going to happen to them or their comunity after this. It should be like israel you kill one we kill 20. Implement it and see no pig in india will ever dare to help paki pigs for such activities

Praveen · Post by **Praveen** » 27 Nov 2008 12:19

disha wrote:
Praveen wrote:How the hell are ppl allowed to go near back of the TAJ hotel? Is anyone in control of the situations?
I suggest you go there and control the "situation". Till then before you post, read other posts - ones where there is developing information. The Dy CM is on the scene by the way and also the medicos, the commandos, the pandus, the marcos etc are two-legged creatures with arms and a head - sometime called people. Taj being a big hotel, while operations are going in one wing, there are other things that can be taken care of. Like sanitizing and securing other areas.

Isn't securing the perimeter basic standard procedure?
sorry i am venting bcos im helpless and can't do anything.

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 27 Nov 2008 12:19

Source?

Rahul Shukla · Post by **Rahul Shukla** » 27 Nov 2008 12:19

CNN Int'l - 3 hostages released including 1 infant from Oberoi hostage standoff.

Mathew G · Post by **Mathew G** » 27 Nov 2008 12:20

In order to have a well executed plan, no foreign entity will execute an operation completely with foreigners. There most definitely is some Mumbai underworld/Dawood Ibrahim accomplices to this as the way it has been executed demonstrates.

It is most definitely not local bred terrorism given the fact the terrorist did not just bomb and "disappear", like the Indian Mujahedin. These "kids" are well trained on how to use MP5 and are intent on getting maximum media coverage by targetting "western" interests and the 5 star hotels they frequent.

Raj Malhotra · Post by **Raj Malhotra** » 27 Nov 2008 12:20

The terrorist interviewed on India TV had a thick Pakistani Punjabi/Pathani accent. Using of plural for singular, high pitch tone, urdu words with Punjabi/Pathani type dialect etc. It is very typical and closest Indian equivalent is people from J&K but the language / features showed that they were not Indian or J&K

Rahul Shukla · Post by **Rahul Shukla** » 27 Nov 2008 12:20

rsingh wrote:Source?

Source for what?

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 27 Nov 2008 12:21

MSNBC is showing the raft used for landing at the shore

Rangudu · Post by **Rangudu** » 27 Nov 2008 12:21

As I said, LeT + D-company is the obvious answer. We have seen reports of LeT/Dawood tie up several times.

shynee · Post by **shynee** » 27 Nov 2008 12:21

Burkha Biatch keeps peddling talking to terrorists theory.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 27 Nov 2008 12:21

Folks in anguish members might ask some rhtorical questions. No need to go hyper and repsond to them. Its not like we have superior intelligence or something. So just chill. Thanks, ramana

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 27 Nov 2008 12:22

TimesNow has been covering the Nariman House issue extensively.

Dmurphy · Post by **Dmurphy** » 27 Nov 2008 12:22

Muppalla wrote:Is there no way to gas the hotels and make every living being un-concious?

Russia tried that and burnt their hands at it some years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_the ... age_crisis

Besides, fumigating a building as large as Oberois and Taj, with open windows is next to impossible.

Shivani · Post by **Shivani** » 27 Nov 2008 12:24

TV visuals show that none of the personnel involved in flushing out the terrorists are wearing hand gloves. Huge oversight. You do not cut costs there. Hands need protection from splinters and shards more than the trunk of the body. As soon as you get the smallest injury in palms or fingers your ability to fight and operate weapons decreases dramatically.
Why is everything wrong with this country.

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 27 Nov 2008 12:25

BBC keeps saying that all attacks this year are acts of Indian Mujahideen.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 27 Nov 2008 12:26

Rangudu wrote:As I said, LeT + D-company is the obvious answer. We have seen reports of LeT/Dawood tie up several times.

Absolutely right. The Jews would not have been so preciseld picked out in Mumbai without local help and that could have come easily from the D-company. Dawood would also have been angry because he fears that pressure might be mounting on Pakistan to hand him over or eliminate him.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 27 Nov 2008 12:26

They can say what they want but this one is very different. Its TSP all over.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 27 Nov 2008 12:27

its not before tomorrow morning before this mess can be sorted out - if at all they want to assault would do it in the night.

Rangudu · Post by **Rangudu** » 27 Nov 2008 12:27

On a personal note, I just heard that all my firm's Mumbai employees have been accounted for. The Taj is the official hotel for us and people visiting from other offices stay there all the time.

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 27 Nov 2008 12:29

TimesOfIndia showing the video where ATS chief was involved.

milindc · Post by **milindc** » 27 Nov 2008 12:29

Barkha baitch asking an Actor whose sister a hostage at Trident whether Govt should negotiate.
The local Actor thinks it is a good idea.

Barkha is saying that even though official stance is no negotiations with scums. She says that her sources tell her that negotiations is going on.

She is constantly keeping with negotiations thing.

She is saying that there is a hostage situation. Her sources at PM Office tell that they are planning to figure out political consensus on Hostages similar to NDA plane hijack.

Sick, completely sick. I can't stand watching her....

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 27 Nov 2008 12:29

Source for following please

CD recovered with Pictures of places to attacked, their locations and also their timings from two slain scums using stolen Skoda car

MV Alpha from Karachi left them at Guj and then scums used Raft boats to come to Mumbai boats. Then came on using smaller boats two at time.

This is per News24...

Anchor saying opening that if Puke Navy or ISI helps out, it is very easy to get from Karachi to Mumbai. Even 1993 blast RDX by ISI was sent by Sea

Rangudu · Post by **Rangudu** » 27 Nov 2008 12:30

SSridhar wrote:Absolutely right. The Jews would not have been so preciseld picked out in Mumbai without local help and that could have come easily from the D-company. Dawood would also have been angry because he fears that pressure might be mounting on Pakistan to hand him over or eliminate him.

Agreed. However, I doubt Dawood is the guy taking the initiative here. This cannot have been authorized by any low level person. This is top level TSPA/ISI stuff. AFter Kabul, they have stopped all pretenses of deniability. They also realized that SIMI types were not delivering the goods and making the required impact on India's economy. They need a game changer. This is it.

milindc · Post by **milindc** » 27 Nov 2008 12:30

rsingh wrote:Source for following please
CD recovered with Pictures of places to attacked, their locations and also their timings from two slain scums using stolen Skoda car

MV Alpha from Karachi left them at Guj and then scums used Raft boats to come to Mumbai boats. Then came on using smaller boats two at time.

This is per News24...

Anchor saying opening that if Puke Navy or ISI helps out, it is very easy to get from Karachi to Mumbai. Even 1993 blast RDX by ISI was sent by Sea

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 27 Nov 2008 12:33

they sure came looking for a stand up fight, not just escape.

MSNBC:
The gunmen also attacked police headquarters in south Mumbai, the area where most of the attacks took place. "We are under fire, there is shooting at the gate," constable A. Shetti said by phone from police headquarters.

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 27 Nov 2008 12:33

We already know that there is a very strong element in Pakistan that can pull off things like attack on Indian embassy in Afghanistan (which by the way got the most PATHETIC response from this pathetic government despite the evidence).

Pakistan's elected govt. has little to no control over this element. Pakistan either has to control this element or be invaded.

milindc · Post by **milindc** » 27 Nov 2008 12:34

IndiaTV reports that a boat with large amount of explosives has been found in Colaba's Sasun Dock

a_kumar · Post by **a_kumar** » 27 Nov 2008 12:35

From CNN (Mallika Kapur).

From her conversation with somebody who just came out : NSG entered their room in whic they were trapped using the Master key. Asked them questions, frisked them and finally when satisfied, they escorted these folks out through fire exits. On ther way out, they walked past lot of NSG standing along the wall.

Nayak · Post by **Nayak** » 27 Nov 2008 12:36

From zeenews.com

In total, ten places have been targeted by the terrorists.

9.30 pm, Café Leopold:

It all started just before the 9.30 pm on Wednesday at the Café Leopold in Colaba district of Mumbai. Three men pulled out machine guns from heavysacks and started firing indiscriminately, whoever present there.

10 pm, Taj hotel

After Leopold, the attackers took a lane which leads to the prestigious Taj Hotel which is just few meters away. The assailants entered the ground floor area and started firing indiscriminately. Explosions also heard from the hotel. A series of explosions had rocked the Taj Mahal just after midnight. Screams were heard and black smoke billowed from the century-old edifice on Mumbai's waterfront.

10 pm, CST

At around same time when the Taj was under attack, four men with automatic rifles entered the the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), formerly the Victoria Terminus that is a World Heritage site, around 10 pm. Two of them started firing towards the crowd, while two others spotted rushing towards the Metro Cinema multiplex via the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation offices and the nearby Azad Maidan.

The two, who were inside CST, then holed up inside a coach and were finally surrounded by the security forces. According to eyewitnesses, two explosions also went off outside the CST. Ten people, however, lost their live and over 30 injured. 10.10 pm, Trident / Oberoi

According to media reports, gun firing shots were heard by eyewitness around 10.10 pm at Trident. At the Oberoi Hotel terrorist are holed up on the 19th floor and have taken five foreigners hostage. According to media reports, attackers even called up a news channel and told that they are holding several hostages.

10.30 pm, Vile Parle:

Just ten minutes after Trident, a loud bang was heard in Vile Parle, which was occurred in a taxi. The intensity of the blast can be gauged from the fact that the bang can be heard as far as 200 meters away. The blast ripped the taxi apart. Five people were killed in a bomb blast in the incident.

Colaba:

At Colaba, men carrying assault rifles opened fire inside the Leopold restaurant and also threw grenade at the innocent civilians. Firing also reported from Hotel Marriott in Colaba.

Nariman House:

Exchange of fire at Nariman House, a residential complex with a Jewish prayer hall, was also reported. This was the second place that was attacked in Mumbai, where two men came on a scooter and hurled a grenade at nearby petrol pump. NSG Commandos have launched operations in the Nariman House building in Colaba. Four to five terrorists are suspected to be holed up inside Nariman House in south Mumbai, police said, adding no firing took place in the past one hour.

Cama Hospital

There were unconfirmed reports of a similar situation in Cama hospital. Terrorists, who took several people hostage, were later in the morning flushed out from the area.