Terror Attacks on Mumbai-II

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 28 Nov 2008 07:07

ToI flashes:

127 killed in Mumbai terror attacks | No more terrorists in Hotel Trident-Oberoi | Three blasts heard from Nariman House | Troops abseil from helicopter into Mumbai Jewish centre | Around 50 NSG commandos surround Nariman House | One NSG commando seriously injured in Taj's eighth floor during the operations |

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 28 Nov 2008 07:07

ajay_hk wrote:The CNN-IBN spokesperson says that the Electricity is cut off around the Nariman house area and there is no access to live reporting atleast from the TV. The electricity has been cut off from last night. This was specifically asked by the news reporter. She said they are not aware of any mobile phones, satellite TVs being used by the terrorists inside for information gathering.

Even after media has been specifically told by NSG to NOT show/update the live operations - they seem to not bother and even are mentioning as to how many commadoes are going through various entry points. Sigh! these guys needs to be taught some basics of reporting.

The situation is probably beyond that now. There will be no time for phone calls now for the pakistani terrorists leave alone wrapping their preservable parts in tinfoil and wearing perfume.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 07:07

I do NOT think there is any communication with those holed in there. No sat cells, no TV for sure, no nothing.

But, it is interesting that Israelis have sent a team. For that team to be in India they must have left about 12 hours ago. Tells on the confidence of Indian leaders and those who claim to be in control of this situation.

sunilUpa · Post by **sunilUpa** » 28 Nov 2008 07:12

2nd chopper droppped off more commandos

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 28 Nov 2008 07:13

More commandos being inserted on the building and surrounding blgs via chopper right now

Am recording now..

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 28 Nov 2008 07:13

NRao wrote:I do NOT think there is any communication with those holed in there. No sat cells, no TV for sure, no nothing.

But, it is interesting that Israelis have sent a team. For that team to be in India they must have left about 12 hours ago. Tells on the confidence of Indian leaders and those who claim to be in control of this situation.

Israeli MEDICAL team

ajay_hk · Post by **ajay_hk** » 28 Nov 2008 07:15

shiv wrote:
ajay_hk wrote:The CNN-IBN spokesperson says that the Electricity is cut off around the Nariman house area and there is no access to live reporting atleast from the TV. The electricity has been cut off from last night. This was specifically asked by the news reporter. She said they are not aware of any mobile phones, satellite TVs being used by the terrorists inside for information gathering.

Even after media has been specifically told by NSG to NOT show/update the live operations - they seem to not bother and even are mentioning as to how many commadoes are going through various entry points. Sigh! these guys needs to be taught some basics of reporting.
The situation is probably beyond that now. There will be no time for phone calls now for the pakistani terrorists leave alone wrapping their preservable parts in tinfoil and wearing perfume.

That might be true - a lot of news reportage is being a repeat.

CNN-IBN: The chopper has come back the second time for re-enforcements. Rajdeep Sardesai is on air and is saying that he spoke to an eye-witness who said these pigs didnt storm the house but actually rented a room in the house a few days back. The eye-witness is a grocery shopkeeper who said a group bought groceries worth of 50,000 couple of days back.

Victor · Post by **Victor** » 28 Nov 2008 07:16

Can't believe I'm seeing this in 2009 almost. Truly a third world country, ours is. Poor chaps.

rgsrini · Post by **rgsrini** » 28 Nov 2008 07:17

Here is the link alluding to the medical team from Israelhttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Isra ... latestnews

vdutta · Post by **vdutta** » 28 Nov 2008 07:19

i pray for the safety of all the hostages and our commandos.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 07:19

Singha wrote:one tv channel claims 40 sayeret type israeli squad flew in last night and offered to help, but GOI has so far asked them not to take part.

Shiv,

sayeret :

Sayeret Matkal (Hebrew: סיירת מטכ"ל‎, translation: General Staff Reconnaissance Unit) is the main special forces unit of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). Its main roles are counter-terrorism, deep reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, but the unit is first and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, used to obtain strategic intelligence behind enemy lines. Sayeret Matkal is also in charge of hostage rescue missions outside Israeli borders.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 28 Nov 2008 07:20

Victor wrote:Can't believe I'm seeing this in 2009 almost. Truly a third world country, ours is. Poor chaps.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb28 ... ith303.jpg

Is this related to this event.. then <tears>

vdutta · Post by **vdutta** » 28 Nov 2008 07:20

{Running commentary on ongoing anti-terrorist operation deleted. ? }

rgsrini · Post by **rgsrini** » 28 Nov 2008 07:21

ajay_hk wrote:The eye-witness is a grocery shopkeeper who said a group bought groceries worth of 50,000 couple of days back.

I think it may be a combination of both. Even in Taj and Trident, it appears a small team may have arrived earlier to set up a control room to coordinate all the activities. I don't have any link for this now.

sunilUpa · Post by **sunilUpa** » 28 Nov 2008 07:22

THe operation must have ended by now..

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 07:22

rgsrini wrote:Here is the link alluding to the medical team from Israelhttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Isra ... latestnews

sent a team of paramedics, medics and other professionals

Victor · Post by **Victor** » 28 Nov 2008 07:24

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 07:27

"Officials have rushed to the spot",

"fitting reply", and now

"Cabinet reviews"

karan_mc · Post by **karan_mc** » 28 Nov 2008 07:29

Zee News is reporting that two militants had taken up job in Taj ,same can be said of oberoi also

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 28 Nov 2008 07:31

jobs given without background check!!

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Nov 2008 07:32

Earlier reports were talking of some terrorists checking into the hotel.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Nov 2008 07:34

SaiK wrote:jobs given without background check!!

In India, it is easy to fabricate anything through bribes. Sad as it is, that is the unfortunate situation.

Victor · Post by **Victor** » 28 Nov 2008 07:34

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 07:37

Too late to discuss what should have been done.

Time to ask Pakistan to pony up. The civilian government can help themselves by collaborating with India. After all both face the same menace. This time Pakistan cannot hide from the truth - for its own sake. LeT is as dangerous to Pakistan and needs to weeded out.

sunilUpa · Post by **sunilUpa** » 28 Nov 2008 07:38

SSridhar wrote:
SaiK wrote:jobs given without background check!!
In India, it is easy to fabricate anything through bribes. Sad as it is, that is the unfortunate situation.

5 years back there were no background checks for any position in majority of companies..no need for bribes..

vdutta · Post by **vdutta** » 28 Nov 2008 07:38

i am having a bad feeling about this.
either all the hostages are dead or all the terrorists are killed.
it shouldnt take this long to clear a 4 fl building.
i hope i am wrong about hostages

ajay_hk · Post by **ajay_hk** » 28 Nov 2008 07:41

Uncomfirmed reports from CNN-IBN saying that an NSG commando injured at the Nariman house.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 07:42

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/28/world ... ml?_r=1&hp

2 minutes old report!!!!!!!!

Sniper commandos on an apartment building across the street from a Chabad house, where gunmen are holding hostages.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Nov 2008 07:44

Even today, background checks are being done only by IT companies. Others are not doing this and even if that is so, it may be for some sensitive positions only. Not at all levels.

It is so easy to get ID cards, passports, driving licences, ration cards etc. thro' bribes.

Sudip · Post by **Sudip** » 28 Nov 2008 07:46

SSridhar wrote:Even today, background checks are being done only by IT companies. Others are not doing this and even if that is so, it may be for some sensitive positions only. Not at all levels.

Most of the jobs taken for low level work in restaurants and shops even in US are being performed by latino immigrants many of whom are illegals. So background check is not too strong even in US, I wonder how many more decades it will take before it is reality in India.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Nov 2008 07:47

Ambulances are being rushed into the Nariman House.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 28 Nov 2008 07:47

yes.. pay money, and get all these ids.. gosh!~ they are the real terrorists.

we need to clean up this system asap!. privatize these id distribution and further augment the ids with more sophisticated rfid techs. we can afford it... the bribe cost can be converted into actual cost for the govt.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Nov 2008 07:49

2 or 3 terrorists still holed up in Trident.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 07:50

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... ews&sub=AR

Gunmen May Have Trained Outside India, Officials Say

By Craig Whitlock and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, November 27, 2008; 7:48 PM

BERLIN, Nov. 27 -- Counterterrorism officials and experts said the scale, sophistication and targets involved in the Mumbai attacks were markedly different from previous terrorist plots in India and suggested the gunmen had received training from outside the country. But they cautioned it was too soon to tell who may have masterminded the operation, despite a claim from a previously unknown Islamic radical group.

Officials in India, Europe and the United States said likely culprits included Islamist networks based in Pakistan that have received support in the past from Pakistan's intelligence agencies.

Analysts said this week's attacks surpassed previous plots carried out by domestic groups in terms of complexity, the number of people involved and their success in achieving their primary goal: namely, to spread fear.

"This is a new, horrific milestone in the global jihad," said Bruce Riedel, a former South Asia analyst for the CIA and National Security Council and author of the book, "The Search for al-Qaeda." "No indigenous Indian group has this level of capability. The goal is to damage the symbol of India's economic renaissance, undermine investor confidence and provoke an India-Pakistani crisis."

Several analysts and officials said the attacks bore the hallmarks of Lashkar-i-Taiba or Jaish-i-Mohammed, two networks of Muslim extremists from Pakistan that have targeted India before. Jaish-i-Mohammed was blamed for an attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001.

Both groups have carried out a long campaign of violence in the disputed territory of Kashmir, which India and Pakistan have fought over for six decades. The roots of the long-running conflict are religious: a majority of India's population is Hindu, while most Pakistanis are Muslim.

A U.S. counterterrorism official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Laskhar-i-Taiba, which means "Army of the Pure," and Jaish-i-Mohammed, or "Army of Mohammed," are "the thing people are starting to look at. But I can't caution enough to treat it as a theory, a working assumption. It's still too early for hard and fast" conclusions.

"What the Indians have in their favor," the official added, "is that they've got some of these guys. It seems logical that they can expect to work their way back reasonably quickly." Indian officials said several gunmen were captured.

Pakistan's government condemned the attacks and warned India against jumping to conclusions about who was responsible. Lashkar-i-Taiba issued a statement denying involvement.

India has been plagued by a wave of terrorist attacks in recent years, many sparked by friction between Hindu nationalists and minority Muslim groups. Indeed, the shootings in Mumbai were far from the worst to strike India's financial capital; bombings in 1993 and 2006 each killed more than 180 people.

A group calling itself the Deccan Mujahedin asserted responsibility for the attacks in e-mails sent to Indian media organizations Wednesday. Officials said they had never heard of the group.

Television footage showed the assailants were well-armed, carrying automatic rifles and backpacks filled with ammunition and grenades. Analysts said the fact that the gunmen quickly fanned across the city and were able to hold off Indian security forces over a period of three days suggested that they had received training at organized camps.

"What is striking about this is a fair amount of planning had to go into this type of attack," said Roger W. Cressey, a former White House counterterrorism official in the Clinton and Bush administrations. "This is not a seat-of-the-pants operation. This group had to receive some training or support from professionals in the terrorism business."

Some experts said the operation bore some resemblances to plots orchestrated by al-Qaeda, in that it involved multiple, simultaneous attacks targeting foreigners. In this case, according to witnesses, the gunmen sought out Americans and Britons, and also took hostages at the local headquarters for an Orthodox Jewish group.

Others said they were dubious of a connection to Osama bin Laden's organization. They said al-Qaeda has relied on suicide bombers, not gunmen, and is not known to have cells in India.

David Miliband, Britain's foreign secretary, told reporters it was "premature to talk about links to al-Qaeda," and that it was still unclear who the intended targets were. "This is only the latest in a series of attacks in India over the last year or two," he said, adding: "Terrorism is not just a war against the West."

Peter Neumann, a terrorism analyst at King's College in London, noted that dozens of gunmen were involved. "This doesn't mean it's al-Qaeda, or they take orders from bin Laden, but I'm pretty sure it's not some leaderless, grassroots thing," he said.

On Wednesday, al-Qaeda's propaganda arm released a video on the Internet featuring an interview with Ayman al-Zawahiri, the network's deputy leader. Zawahiri made no mention of the attacks in Mumbai; it was unclear when the video was produced.
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Other experts warned against a rush to judgment, saying that there were a long list of suspects that could have played a role. For instance, Indian officials have blamed the 1993 bombings in Mumbai, which killed 257 people, on Daewood Ibrahim, an organized crime figure who remains on the run.

"Anything could be in the cards," said Magnus Ranstorp, a terrorism analyst at the Swedish National Defense College. "With most terrorist attacks, it's relatively clear cut who is involved. In this case, it could be all sorts of constellations that are at work."

DeYoung reported from Washington. Special correspondent Karla Adam in London contributed to this report.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 07:51

arunabh wrote:
SSridhar wrote:Even today, background checks are being done only by IT companies. Others are not doing this and even if that is so, it may be for some sensitive positions only. Not at all levels.
Most of the jobs taken for low level work in restaurants and shops even in US are being performed by latino immigrants many of whom are illegals. So background check is not too strong even in US, I wonder how many more decades it will take before it is reality in India.

ALL Us employers have access to check backgrounds of any foreigner. IIRC, there is a web site where they get the info from.

vdutta · Post by **vdutta** » 28 Nov 2008 07:52

cnnibn says it will take 2 hrs to complete the operation.
something is wrong i say...
are they negotiating?

enqyoob · Post by **enqyoob** » 28 Nov 2008 07:53

2 minutes old report!!!!!!!!

Well.. I saw the picture many hours ago.

ajay_hk · Post by **ajay_hk** » 28 Nov 2008 07:54

ajay_hk wrote:Uncomfirmed reports from CNN-IBN saying that an NSG commando injured at the Nariman house.

This just got confirmed. Hope its nothing serious...

Anant · Post by **Anant** » 28 Nov 2008 07:55

Vdutta,

Please quit playing arm chair quarterback. Let the professionals do their job. They are trained to do it. You are not. So quit posting every two minutes with something wrong. 4 Floor building only etc. We have 0 clue as to the ground reality and it is frustrating to see posts like yours constantly bleating like you'd know any better.

asprinzl · Post by **asprinzl** » 28 Nov 2008 07:55

Victor wrote:Can't believe I'm seeing this in 2009 almost. Truly a third world country, ours is. Poor chaps.

The most primitive monkeys running the most ricketty rag-tag militia in the most descrepit part of Somalia are better armed than these poor souls. Shows the degree of neglect by the ruling elites upon the security services.
Avram