The SUN, UK: Terrorists hit England hotel
Daily Mail, UK: Mumbai massacre puts England's India tour in dangerENGLAND’S cricket tour of India was thrown into doubt last night when terrorists attacked the Mumbai hotel Kevin Pietersen’s men will use for the Second Test. At least 80 people were said to be dead and more than 250 injured as explosions shook the Taj Mahal Palace hotel while numerous bombings and shootings were reported in coordinated attacks across the city.
Hostages, including Brits, were taken at the Taj and a bomb went off in the upper floors.
The England players were horrified by the news and are privately wondering if the tour is now in jeopardy.
Middlesex were due to check into the same hotel today but have pulled out of this morning’s flight.
They are supposed to be playing in the Champions League tournament but will take Foreign Office advice today and could cancel the trip.
KP’s team spent a week in the Taj at the start of the tour and were due to return on December 16.
England team spokesman Andrew Walpole said: “We will await developments.”
Middlesex captain Shaun Udal said: “I’m watching the situation unfold on TV.”
Christian Today, Australia
GFA Leader Cries Out Against Mumbai Terrorist Attacks, Questions Cause
KERALA, India, – Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan today lamented the terrorist attacks on India’s financial capital of Mumbai that have left some 80 people dead and more than 200 wounded, saying he has serious questions about who was behind the bloodshed.
In coordinated gun and grenade attacks, gunmen opened fire in at least seven locations, including the main train station, two luxury hotels, a restaurant frequented by foreigners and a hospital where wounded would be treated.
The terrorists have taken hostages, including Westerners, and Mumbai’s 105-year-old Taj Palace Hotel was in flames. Troops surrounded the Taj Palace and Oberoi hotels, where terrorists were holding hostages in the wake of the attacks.
Dr. Yohannan said that while news reports are blaming Islamic terrorists, he has doubts about who is truly behind the attacks.
“This is definitely a well-planned and executed incident to bring instability to the nation in the light of the national elections coming up,” he said. “But I have real reservations about placing blame on the Muslims.”
Dr. Yohannan pointed out that there have been at least eight major terrorist attacks within India this year, and all were initially attributed to Islamic terrorists.
“But upon further investigation, they all turned out to have been perpetrated by radical Hindu extremist groups led by radical priests,” he pointed out. “So until there is a complete investigation of these horrible attacks, I am not ready to blame the Muslims.
“Anyone can take a Muslim name for their group,” he noted.
Lending credence to the doubts was the fact that among those killed in the attacks was a leading anti-terrorism official who played a role in uncovering the Hindu connections to the previous attacks.
Regardless of the source, the attacks across the city once known as Bombay seemed to be aimed at foreigners, and multiple witnesses have reported that the terrorists were seeking out people with British or American passports.
“This is definitely going to scare foreign investment,” Dr. Yohannan noted, “and that is ultimately going to hurt the Dalits and others at the bottom of India’s caste system.
“Usually a nation has to remain in poverty for these extremists to keep their hold, and this could be a plot, because without foreign investment, the Dalits will remain in poverty.”
Dr. Yohannan also noted that attacks seeking out foreigners was completely contrary to Indian culture.
“India always treated foreigners with such respect and value,” he said. “This is totally against the nature of Indians. The question is, will this spread over all the country?
“We know that only the Gospel of Christ can change human hearts, regardless of caste, race or religion. That is why we must pray for India at this time.”
Speaking about 40 minutes from Mumbai, the GFA founder lamented, “I am deeply saddened over these inhumane, brutal acts of killing innocent people. My beautiful land is beautiful no more.”
Gospel for Asia is a mission organization sharing God’s love through both words and actions in the most unreached regions of the 10/40 Window. GFA serves the people of all these nations regardless of class, creed or religion, bringing Christ’s love to suffering humanity.
