Terror Attacks on Mumbai-II

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 28 Nov 2008 04:53

AFAIK, as per GOI, there are *no* hostages. So no 'negotiations' for the hostages. All the hotel guests 'released' were rescued. The jihadi pigs murdered children, so no expectation they'd let any 'hostages' go on humanatarian or other grounds.

'Nonegotiations with terroristi' GoI policy was frmaed by a red-faced NDA post kandahar. Would come heavily in handy now.

The Nariman house standoff is confusing. What is achieved by riling up yahudi and yankee at thsi stage by the jihadi scum?

Does kiyani really want dilli and the world to know TSP did this? What is gained frm such foolishness? What if we really declare war? Relieving pressure on the western border my foot, we'd merge the borders withthe indus then! Or does that possibility of India declaring war not count anymore?

The western media is steadily playing the drumbeat of 'homegrown terrorism'. Coberage notwithstandong, J&K is shown separate from India. Wetsern media in this case is led by the slimy brits, unsurprisingly. We have to treat very carefully here. J&K and internal peace are non-negotiable. Period. Any attempts, however crude or sly to alter that status quo must be verily crushed.

Sid · Post by **Sid** » 28 Nov 2008 04:53

Prasant wrote:
'India mishandled hostage situation'
Israeli defense officials have criticized the way Indian security forces initially handled the hostage situation in Mumbai, claiming on Thursday that the forces prematurely stormed the besieged areas.

At least three buildings in the Indian port city were taken over by terrorists - the Taj Mahal Hotel, the Oberoi Hotel and the nearby Chabad House.

The Israeli officials said that Indian counter-terrorist forces were well trained but failed to gather sufficient intelligence before engaging the terrorists.

"In hostage situations, the first thing the forces are supposed to do is assemble at the scene and begin collecting intelligence," said a former official in the Shin Bet's security unit. "In this case, it appears that the forces showed up at the scene and immediately began exchanging fire with the terrorists instead of first taking control of the area."

Sadly, this chap is absolutely right.

But it was not any normal hostage situation either. These were Fiyadeens, came here for the purpose of dying. Israelis are yet to encounter such rare species, as they are used to suicide attacks only.

vdutta · Post by **vdutta** » 28 Nov 2008 04:56

Jagan wrote:Interview of the Car Owner- he encountered the Girly boy and his boy friend who stole it from him.
http://www.itgo.in/index.php?issueid=&i ... t_bottom=0

Poor guy, must have been traumatic

This indicates that the little girly dude and that tall skinny guy are confirmed killed. it also seems like the police suv was not broken but they wanted to change the vehicle as they were caught on camera fleeing in that.
it looks like their original plan was to flee in the police vehicle but plan got messed up when they fired on journalists.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 28 Nov 2008 04:58

Guys:

I've stopped watching the news anymore. Its clear that there is operation protect TSP going on. I mean the profuse attempt to make every attempt to de-link TSP from this seems to have been launched by state dept through their mouthpiece media

ajay_hk · Post by **ajay_hk** » 28 Nov 2008 05:03

TOI is flashing that the Taj hotel has been sanitized. Not sure if the lone injured terrorist has been captured alive or killed. Reports that 2 people have been killed in firing at the Nariman house.

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 28 Nov 2008 05:05

CRamS wrote:I've stopped watching the news anymore. Its clear that there is operation protect TSP going on. I mean the profuse attempt to make every attempt to de-link TSP from this seems to have been launched by state dept through their mouthpiece media

Couldn't agree more.

Not only de-linking TSP but subtle links to J&K as well as 'yindoo terrorism' (whatever that means without the sneer quotes)
are in full swing.

A clear, unequivivocal link of this attack with TSP seals the case. No more furnishing of 'proof' to self-appointed world sheriffs and the P-5 types. The fact that indians know is enoough. The FBI team in mumbai needs to be made to wait, have desi forensics go over the sites of interest first and then alone let in, under supervision. Absolutely don't trust their sincerity in this matter.

Sid · Post by **Sid** » 28 Nov 2008 05:08

CRamS wrote:Guys:

I've stopped watching the news anymore. Its clear that there is operation protect TSP going on. I mean the profuse attempt to make every attempt to de-link TSP from this seems to have been launched by state dept through their mouthpiece media

2002 standoff is still fresh in amriki mind. IMO they think, if they will go with our claims it will only spiral the current situation to its worst and Porkies might withdraw their troops from western front. They just cant live without porkies.

bakistan is already on high alert and expect some Indian action. As emotions are high, no one wants GOI to take any knee-jerk action even if every knows its TSP behind these attacks.

why we are cursed with such neighbor, i can never understand.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:11

http://www.asianage.com/presentation/le ... m-sea.aspx

Terror from sea

Trident battle rages, 100 still hostage

By Our Correspondents

Mumbai/New Delhi

Nov. 27: Army and NSG commandos gunned down four terrorists at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower on Thursday after 24 hours of intermittent firing. At least 22 hand grenades were thrown by the terrorists in this period, setting ablaze the dome and a room on the hotel's fourth floor. The Army at first claimed that the hotel had been cleared of all terrorists, but the police said later there were at least two or three more still holed up there.

There were about 100 people still held hostage at the Oberoi Trident Hotel, which the NSG was preparing to storm at the time of going to press. The terrorists appeared to have entered Mumbai by landing clandestinely on the metropolis' coast using small dinghy-like boats called "Geminis".

While a group calling itself the "Deccan Mujahideen" claimed responsibility for the attacks, intelligence sources said it was a "red herring", and that they suspected this was the work of the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, based in Pakistan. The LeT denied it. Other sources said the indirect involvement of Al Qaeda was more than likely.

The terrorists had adopted a strategy of conserving energy and resources by not attacking much in the daytime. This was a plot to buy time and tire the police by prolonging the firefight. The police initially believed there were five terrorists in the hotel, but later realised there were more because the firing from within continued even four terrorists had been gunned down.

The NSG and the local police rescued more than 90 per cent of the guests present in the hotel during the day. Several of the injured were taken to nearby hospitals.

Maj. Gen. R.V. Hooda said: "There are at least 40 to 50 people taken hostage by the terrorists."

The terrorists came from the sea route, Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh confirmed on Thursday. Ships that started from Saudi Arabia travelled via the Pakistan coast to a point off the Maharashtra coast. According to sources, two ships - Al Kabir and MV Alpha - could have ferried the terrorists along with arms and ammunition. The Navy, Coast Guard and BSF at the Okha coast in Gujarat apparently seized both these ships while they were off Gujarat's Porbandar coast, according to an intelligence report.

"Both these ships, we suspect, must have ferried the militants till a few km from the Mumbai coast. From there they headed to the Gateway of India in a motorboat," said a top officer. In a late-night development, the sources said the Coast Guard ship CGS Sankalp and two Chetak helicopters intercepted a ship named Umer which was later handed over to the Yellow Gate police station, which has jurisdiction over all coastal waters there.

The Coast Guard is examining the possibility of the terrorists using small rubber boats, known as "Geminis", to sneak into Mumbai from the sea. "This appears to be the first terrorist attack from the sea route using Gemini boats. These boats have a horizontal wooden structure at the end on which a high-speed motor can be fitted. These Gemini boats usually travel up to four km at a stretch," said a Coast Guard official.

Amit, a hotel staffer, said at least 150 staff members ran out of the Taj when one of the chefs sustained bullet injuries while locked in a room. A woman taken hostage said the terrorists were specifically looking to take foreign nationals hostage.

The wife and two sons of Taj Hotels general manager Karambir Kang were killed in the attack. A relative of the Kang family, from Mohali, said while Karambir was not in the hotel last night, his wife Neeti and sons Uday, 14, and Samar, 5, died in the terrorist strike.

Two MPs, Lal Mani Prasad and Jaisingrao Gaikwad Patil, who were at the Taj, are safe in their rooms, said MP N.N. Krishnadas, who himself was rescued from there by commandos on Thursday.

Meanwhile, at the Oberoi Trident, about four to five terrorists continued to hold more than 100 people hostage inside, an NSG officer said after emerging from the hotel late on Thursday evening.

Commandos garbed in black rushed to the Oberoi early Thursday morning. Gunfire and explosions could be heard from inside the building every 15 minutes. This against the backdrop of a series of politicians coming and going, each trying to prove a point.

Around 24 hostages were rescued from the Oberoi. Most of these hostages were youngsters who had come to the hotel for dinner. "My niece, who just got engaged in the morning, had gone for the dinner with her beau," said a woman outside the hotel.

"The maximum hostages seem to be from affluent Gujarati families. My father has been trapped inside. He had gone for dinner with some foreign clients," said Bipico MD Pramit Patel.

Relatives were seen running helter-skelter, unable to get any information about those trapped inside. "I have been unable to get through to my daughter who has been working in the hotel since 10 pm last night," said Navneet Thakkar.

At around 8.15 am, gunshots were heard coming from the Nariman House building at Colaba, which the terrorists had taken over on Wednesday. More than 20 NSG commandos had arrived at the spot after the morning gunfire. Soon after that, at 2.41 pm, a grenade was thrown from the building into an adjacent lane, injuring no one. Later in the afternoon, two women and a child managed to escape the building unhurt.

A terrorist identified as Imran Baber claimed he was from "Deccan Mujahideen" and said there were five terrorists in the building, including himself. Imran seemed to taunt the security forces, making statements like, "Show to ab shuru hua hai (The show has just begun)". When asked to confirm where he was from, and who was masterminding the operation, he offered no answer.

Meanwhile, the police managed to arrest one Abu Ismail, an alleged Pakistani national, although the development could not be confirmed. At around midnight Thursday, seven hostages were rescued from Nariman House.

According to the latest reports, 39 hostages have been rescued form the Oberoi. At the Taj, sources said, around 40 bodies were lying inside late Wednesday night.

Ardeshir · Post by **Ardeshir** » 28 Nov 2008 05:13

Pigs deny being involved, and resort to 'Hindu Terrorism' meme.

Pakistan denies any role in Mumbai terror attacks

With suspicion growing stronger about the involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in the
Mumbai attacks, Islamabad [Images] on Thursday night said that it had no role in the strikes and there should be no knee-jerk reaction by India.

"Pakistan played no role in the Mumbai attacks," Defence Minister Chaudhry Mukhtar Ahmad said as investigators in Maharashtra suggested that Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba could be involved in the unprecedented strike.

"Earlier too, India had acted like this but later it was proved wrong," he said.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is in India on a four-day visit, said New Delhi [Images] should refrain from any knee-jerk reaction and the two countries should jointly combat the scourge.

"Let us not jump to conclusions, let us not go in for knee-jerk reactions. The Samjhauta incident very clearly indicates that we have to be cautious in our expressions," he said in Chandigarh.

The February 2007 Samjhauta Express blast in Panipat was earlier believed to have been carried out by Pakistan-based elements but investigators lately have suggested the involvement of Hindu outfits.

As investigations into the Mumbai attacks gained momentum, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] said that the outfit responsible for the terror strike was based outside the country and warned the neighbours against allowing their territories to be used for launching attacks in India.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:14

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081128/nation.htm#1

Terror over Mumbai
‘Gurgaon, the next target’
Al-Qaida, Lashkar ‘militants involved’
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 27
Basing inputs on credible information, intelligence agencies have more or less found that the attack on Mumbai last night was masterminded by the combine of the Al-Qaida and the Lashkar-e-Tayyaeba. Sources have indicated that leads have emerged pointing a finger at Al-Qaida also and not just the LeT as it was initially thought to be.

It is not just the planning, the precision and the huge money involved in the attack, agencies have picked up telephonic conversations that took place this afternoon between various over seas groups that could be linked to the attack. So far, more than 101 have died and another 287 are injured.

The information was being collated, sources said while confirming that the name of Al-Qaida was emerging in intercepts. The information that Gurgaon, located right next to the national capital, was also on the immediate hit list was also being studied. The similarity between Mumbai and Gurgaon is that both are home to several hundreds of expatriates from several countries and multi-national companies.

The terrorists want to show that India was an unsafe place to do business in. The way they have focused on foreigners, they want to make Mumbai unattractive for foreign nationals and the next possible target, according to intelligence community, could be Gurgaon, said the sources.

Using highly sophisticated equipment, security agencies tracked calls and found that the link of Al-Qaida along with the LET was showing up. Also instructions were being passed on “live” to the terrorists in Mumbai, probably using a satellite phone.

It has also been found that some of the information that national security guards or the Army was deployed was conveyed to the terrorists. The security agencies got the televisions in the Taj and Oberoi jammed and than zeroed in on other modes of communications.

The intelligence sources said information is coming out quite rapidly because some suspects, who are in the custody of the Mumbai police, are under interrogation right now by a joint interrogation team.

Information is also filtering in that the terrorists could have had also set-up a sort of control room within the hotels complete with communication facilities to co-ordinate the attacks. The use of so many grenades, explosives and ammunition indicates that a large part of it could have been carried inside by the terrorists posing as hotel guests only.

The terrorists know the routes within the hotel even the entry to the kitchen and other places. It was after a well-planned rehearsal sources in the NSG have said that commandos closing in on the terrorists have been finding it difficult.

Home Ministry officials briefing the media today declined to say if the terrorists were based in Pakistan or elsewhere. “No comments on the nationality of the terrorists,” said M.L. Kumavat, special secretary, Internal Security, while adding “We will reveal the names and other details with clinching evidence and not before that”.

Kumavat said the terrorists had come through the sea route and the name “Deccan Mujahideen” was heard for the first time.

He clarified that no demands have been made by terrorists to the police.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 28 Nov 2008 05:16

vsudhir:

Once this business of evidence is pure power play. If you just look at it, and even the dorkettes at CNN are admitting that this was a conspiracy of colossal proprotions, couldn't have been carried out by some rag tag jihadi. Some simple pieces are there. The fact that the piglets came by boat. That the pigs spoke urdu/punjabi. The kind of ammunition. A few tit bits gathered by talking to the scum. What India needs to do is just present a coherent picture forcefully. Thats what US would have done. Of course, no matter what one presents, one can poke holes. Many Muslims worwide still believe 9/11 was a Jewish conspiracy. But if you heard MMS's speech, the dork media coverage in India, Bhraka begging not to implicate her TSP lovers etc etc, and all you get is some muddled mumbo jumbo. There simply is no will by India to take on TSP, and Unkil has invested too much in TSP to let him down.

sunnyP · Post by **sunnyP** » 28 Nov 2008 05:18

India not serious about dealing with terrorism'

The Indian government's lack of seriousness in dealing with terrorism is the reason terrorists keep on striking in the country, according to Sumit Ganguly, director of the India Studies Institute at Indiana University.

"I think the way they struck -- in an extraordinarily violent and sweeping fashion -- was possible because India has not been serious enough about addressing the terrorist threat. One does not have to agree with (Bharatiya Janata Party leader) L K Advani [Images] to reach this conclusion," Ganguly, holder of the Rabindranath Tagore Professorship in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, told rediff.com.

He, however, noted that India has responded very well in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Mumbai.

"They have not panicked, and they are proceeding systematically. All that is very creditable," Ganguly said.

He was quick to add, "Simply saying 'we will maintain our resolve in the face of this terrorist threat' is not enough. It is one thing to maintain your resolve after bombs go off and quite another to develop serious database of terrorists, to go after them, to disrupt the network and to make this a national priority," Ganguly said.

"I just do not see the evidence for that. This attitude has emboldened some people," he said.

Ganguly agreed that the timing of the terror attack on India's financial capital was significant, right after the peaceful polls in Jammu and Kashmir [Images] and only a week before the USIBC was slated to take a large delegation of nuclear power companies.

Was this an attempt to hit the growing US-India relationship, especially on the economic front?

That is clearly one element. This is a message (for India) that getting too close to the United States will cost them. Also, it is designed to undermine India's financial stability," Ganguly said.

"Why not strike somewhere else? Why Mumbai, the place expatriates and Americans frequent. It is clearly designed to send a message that India is an unsafe place to do business," Ganguly said.

He said that there is no point talking about the terrorist attack now. "What's the point of talking about it? Why has it (a national plan to fight terrorism) not been done on a war footing? ," he said.

Gunbattle rages on

"I think outside Iraq, India has seen the largest number of terrorist attacks in the past year. This is not an occasional episode. This has become a routine sort of calamity and when it becomes so, the government) should treat it as a national priority. It is not something that you respond to in an ad hoc fashion, however well you respond after the attack," Ganguly said.

Speaking on Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's [Images] statement, that India should not react in a knee-jerk fashion, Ganguly said, "Of course he has to say that. He cannot say that 'let me see if one of our people did this.'"

PM speaks up

"I talked to a retied Indian diplomat and he said that a ship came from Karachi. Of course, Pakistan would say that 'we have nothing to do it', which may be true. But what worries me is the statement by PM Singh that terrorists were based outside the country," Ganguly said.

"Dr Singh is not given to pointing fingers and drawing some quick conclusions unless he has some kind of evidence," he said. "Nonetheless, one should not draw any conclusion right away (about the origin of the terrorist attack)," Ganguly said.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/nov/28m ... rorism.htm

Eshwar · Post by **Eshwar** » 28 Nov 2008 05:19

Sid wrote:
CRamS wrote:Guys:

why we are cursed with such neighbor, i can never understand.

Bad Karma of not following Raj Dharm by the govt, bad karma of voting such govt into power by the people. Simple cause and effect.

GuruNandan · Post by **GuruNandan** » 28 Nov 2008 05:19

CRamS wrote:Guys:

I've stopped watching the news anymore. Its clear that there is operation protect TSP going on. I mean the profuse attempt to make every attempt to de-link TSP from this seems to have been launched by state dept through their mouthpiece media

I saw that even on NBC, PBS and other American Channels. They are hesitant
using the P word. I saw Mr Stephen Cohen on PBS saying that the
terrorists want to sabotage the improving relationship between India and
Pakistan. The other guy Ashley Tellis of the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace almost seems to be gleeful that it has been a massive
intelligence failure.

I don't think we should expect more from other countries (except Israel) other
than usual lip service. As Barry Rubin says, we are on our own in this.

klein · Post by **klein** » 28 Nov 2008 05:20

The very fact that the word "Deccan" was used suggests a a strong Puki hand. Any Hyderabadi who has spoken to a Puki would know that the Pukies always refer to our Hyderabad as "Hyderabad Dakhan". I have never heard any Indian use "Deccan/Dakhan" except to refer to the train or the local newspaper.

I wish MMS would walk the walk after having talked the talk.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 28 Nov 2008 05:22

In military ops they code name the operation as Operation Vijay, operation Trident etc.

The terrorists seems to have different names for different ops but they name to the claim of who did. This is the reason for having a new name after every operation. This time they claim it is the handi work of Deccan Mujahids from Hyd.

Another theory that runs my mind is there is a long living pakijabi mindset that Hyd, Junagadh and similar areas should have been part of their pure land. To motivate the spirits, the ISI might be naming after these cities to motivate the spirits of these folks who are dying for their cause.

It got to be some puzzle behind these names.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:22

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081128/nation.htm#5

They took sea route to launch attacks
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, November 27
Yesterday’s terror attack has exposed the soft underbelly of the Indian security apparatus. While the authorities have tightened their control on country’s road, air and rail routes in the face of repeated terror attacks, the safety of the country’s long and vulnerable coastline has been left to the poorly equipped Coast Guard officials.

According to the police, the attackers arrived in inflatable dinghies that were launched from a mother vessel off the coast of Mumbai. The vessel’s name has been given as MV Alfa, which was intercepted by the Indian Navy between the Indian and Pakistani coasts.

Unconfirmed reports say the body of one of the terrorists has been found on board the vessel.

The police said one of the inflatable dinghies was landed at the Fishermen’s Colony at Cuffe Parade behind Hotel President, another Taj Group property. The terrorists then took a car from the area to various places where they carried out the attacks.

Another inflatable dinghy landed at Sassoon Docks in Colaba just metres away from the headquarters of the Indian Navy’s Western India headquarters.

Eyewitnesses, mainly fisher folk, questioned by the police said the young men claimed to have landed from Gujarat and Kerala. The terrorists, who obviously were well versed in the city’s topography then chose their targets carefully.

The Leopold Cafe at Colaba is a landmark restaurant where scores of westerners are spotted sipping beer throughout the day. After opening fire here, the group made its way to the Taj Hotel, which they stormed by indiscriminately firing from four sides. After killing the receptionists and the service staff they moved inside into the kitchen where five chefs other employees were killed.

Subsequently, they spread out into the hotel taking hostages. However, all hostages have been rescued, according to army officials.

Another group entered the Chatrapati Shivaji (formerly Victoria) Terminus railway station and made their way to Platforms 7 and 8 where the Konkan Kanya train departs for Goa slightly before 11 pm every evening. A number of people, who were waiting to board the train’s unreserved compartments, told reporters that the terrorists opened up with automatic assault rifles around 9.45 pm before moving out.

Railway officials say another hour’s delay by the terrorists could have claimed the lives of many foreigners who board the train during the busy holiday season.

The terrorists then moved to the Cama Hospital nearby, located next door to the famous St Xavier’s College and the Mumbai Press Club, where they opened fire on some people. The attackers then moved to the Metro Adlabs theatre located a few metres away where they fought pitched battles with the police.

This battle also claimed the lives of Anti-Terror Squad chief Hemant Karkare, assistant commissioner of police Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar. Around five terrorists and several passersby were killed in the attack as well.

Meanwhile, another group of attackers, who had landed at Cuffe Parade, hijacked a police van at gunpoint and forced the havaldars to drive to Nariman House, a building housing a Jewish prayer centre manned by an Israeli rabbi. The rabbi, said to be in his late 20s or early 30s, and his wife were reportedly shot and injured. Their condition is not known. However, their infant child along with an Indian maid were allowed to go.

The Maharashtra government has now ordered security to be beefed up at a number of coast-side installations like the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the IPCL complex of the Reliance Industries group.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:23

Terrorists spoke Punjabi: Army

Mumbai, November 27
A senior Army officer supervising the operations here said that one arrested terrorist was from Faridkot in Pakistan.

Maj Gen R.K. Hooda, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area, also said the men feigned their identity by pretending to be from Hyderabad and were conversing in Punjabi. Asked if the terrorists are from any foreign country, he said: “All we can say is that one arrested terrorist is from Pakistan’s Faridkot.” — IANS

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:24

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indi ... 766843.cms

French nuclear scientist George Vendryas was another notable person who was staying at the hotel. Vendryas and his wife were in Mumbai to attend a three-day conference of the Indian Nuclear Society which began on November 24. At the end of the conference on Wednesday (November 26), they checked into the Taj. Both were lucky they managed to come out alive. Having lived through the traumatic assault, they have now moved into the Nuclear Power Corporation guest house. Incidentally, Vendryas is known as the father of the fast breeder reactor and won the Indian Nuclear Society's first lifetime achievement award on November 24.

RavinM · Post by **RavinM** » 28 Nov 2008 05:25

Army: Hostage crisis ends, Taj & Trident cleared--TOI

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 28 Nov 2008 05:25

Is there a Faridkot in Pakijab. I only know the one in India's Punjab.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faridkot

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 28 Nov 2008 05:26

Patil goof-up, TV cameras ‘compromise’ rescue

The Army and the National Security Guards (NSG), which started search and rescue operations early on Thursday, are fuming over a statement by the Home Minister on Wednesday night that revealed that 200 commandoes are leaving for Mumbai from the capital.

The live coverage of the operation by television channels was curtailed after objections by the armed forces that it was hampering operations. The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) issued an advisory for ‘self-regulation’ and ‘self-restraint’ in coverage to enable smooth functioning of security agencies and safety of those caught in the Terror attacks.

The Home Minister, who was talking to television channels, drew flak after he said that the team of NSG commandoes would leave for operations in Mumbai and even revealed the exact time of departure from Delhi, compromising, security forces say, the surprise element in the planned assault.

shynee · Post by **shynee** » 28 Nov 2008 05:26

Hijacked ship with satellite phone seized

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: A massive manhunt has been launched off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday by Coast Guard, Navy, marine wing of Mumbai Police and
Customs after it became evident that most, if not all, of the terrorists had arrived in the city through sea route.

Coast Guard's IG (Western Region) Rajendra Singh said three helicopters, two Dorniers, three large ships, two smaller vessels were involved in the search.

Coast Guard officials on Thursday evening intercepted a fishing trawler, Kuber, from Porbandar, five nautical miles away from the Mumbai shore. The ship had been missing since November 13 on the high seas and is suspected to have been hijacked by the terrorists who struck on Mumbai on Wednesday.

A GPS map of south Mumbai was found along with a satellite phone on the ship, Coast Guard officials confirmed. There were reports that this phone was used to make calls to Karachi immediately before the shootings began in Mumbai. The Coast Guard proposes to hand the ship over to Mumbai Police soon. Food packets were also found on Kuber.

Coast Guard officials said the owner, Vinod Masani, was detained by the Porbandar police on Thursday. "We want to find out if the occupants of Kuber did the job for terrorists for a fee or whether it was hijacked,'' said a senior Coast Guard officer.

About eight terrorists came in from the sea off Badhwar Park in Colaba in geminicraft (inflatable boat) with a 20-HP engine around 9pm on Wednesday. A police officer of the Cuffe Parade police station said fishermen near the jetty got suspicious as they deserted the boat and headed towards the road. "When the fishermen stopped them, they said, ‘ humko tension hai ’and pointed their weapons,'' said the police officer.
Another officer of the Cuffe Parade police station said, "The fishermen told us they were about 10-12 men. They split into two groups. While one group went towards CST and other headed towards Colaba. The engine and chasiss number of the Yamaha motor engine used for the boat has been scrapped, so as to make it difficult to trace the place of purchase.''

A retired IPS officer said the fishermen had also called the police, but they came late. An official said boats deserted by terrorists have been found in Colaba and off Chowpatty.

Meanwhile, A merchant vessel, MV Alpha, suspected to have ferried the terrorists, was intercepted on the high seas by Navy and Coast Guard warships on Thursday evening. Though some reports said the Vietnamese-registered MV Alpha had been given the "clean chit'', a senior naval officer told TOI the ship was still being investigated after it was boarded by naval and Coast Guard personnel on the high seas off Gujarat's coast. "The probe will take some time. The vessel's crew and manifest are being checked,'' he said.

Earlier, launching a surveillance with warships, Dornier aircraft and copters, armed forces began a hunt for "a mother ship'' which could have carried the perpetrators of the terror strikes since three inflatable Zodiac gemini boats were found abandoned at the dock near the Gateway of India.

"MV Alpha, which came to Mumbai from Saudi Arabia on November 19 and left on Wednesday night, was found to be suspicious. It had sailed around 50 nautical miles away from Mumbai by 7 am on Thursday,'' said an officer.

A naval Veer-class guided missile corvette INS Vipul and a Coast Guard T-81 fast-attack craft were soon launched, along with two Dornier medium-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, to track and intercept MV Alpha.

Simultaneously, a Leander-class frigate INS Vindhyagiri was also diverted from its routine patrol at sea to hunt the merchant vessel. Moreover, the IAF scrambled maritime-strike Jaguar fighters from Jamnagar to patrol the region. All this activity came amid indications that the aim was to block any attempt by a "suspect'' ship to reach Pakistan.

"Ten Army columns (around 1,000 soldiers) and four units of marine commandos were deployed in and around the Taj Mahal and Trident hotels. An aerial and land surveillance at the approaches to the Mumbai harbour was also conducted, with antecedents of all vessels in and around the region being checked,'' said an official.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:27

This is an opportunity for Pakistan to crack down on terrorists inside their country.

Whatever they think and do, they MUST hand over the head of LeT for sure.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 28 Nov 2008 05:31

I don't think the paki establishment is strong enough to take on these their own ISI and the "rogue elements" within it. So no point hitting back at the democratic instituition imo. I think it has to be trace where Hafiz Saeed and the LeT crew are at. Kill/assassinate him. Period. Hit them and hit them hard! We need to target the terror infrastructure in pakistan. People in charge, or managing the camps, people involved in training. Names. Details, hit them. Too hard and a waste of resources to hit the camps themselves as they are often just tents and small structures. We need to hit the top leadership of the group, the big planners - these are usually more accessible.

Jagan · Post by **Jagan** » 28 Nov 2008 05:32

Maro goli on CNN right now

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:32

vsudhir wrote:Patil goof-up, TV cameras ‘compromise’ rescue

The Army and the National Security Guards (NSG), which started search and rescue operations early on Thursday, are fuming over a statement by the Home Minister on Wednesday night that revealed that 200 commandoes are leaving for Mumbai from the capital.

The live coverage of the operation by television channels was curtailed after objections by the armed forces that it was hampering operations. The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) issued an advisory for ‘self-regulation’ and ‘self-restraint’ in coverage to enable smooth functioning of security agencies and safety of those caught in the Terror attacks.

The Home Minister, who was talking to television channels, drew flak after he said that the team of NSG commandoes would leave for operations in Mumbai and even revealed the exact time of departure from Delhi, compromising, security forces say, the surprise element in the planned assault.

Told ya. No one to mind the store.

krithivas · Post by **krithivas** » 28 Nov 2008 05:33

Eric Margolis on CNN - WinTV recorder crashed at the wrong time.

R. Krithivas

// Fixed - Now recording after 30 seconds.

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 28 Nov 2008 05:34

Time to test-fire the canisterized 1000km mijjile again. Plenty of camps in Pok and NA, and the ISI HQ in GHQ Rawalpindi for starters....

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:35

shyamd wrote:I don't think the paki establishment is strong enough to take on these their own ISI and the "rogue elements" within it. So no point hitting back at the democratic instituition imo. I think it has to be trace where Hafiz Saeed and the LeT crew are at. Kill/assassinate him. Period. Hit them and hit them hard! We need to target the terror infrastructure in pakistan. People in charge, or managing the camps, people involved in training. Names. Details, hit them. Too hard and a waste of resources to hit the camps themselves as they are often just tents and small structures. We need to hit the top leadership of the group, the big planners - these are usually more accessible.

There are other democracies to help the democracy in Pakistan!!!! These other democracies can do the dirty work, but the publicity should be taken by the Pakistanis.

skher · Post by **skher** » 28 Nov 2008 05:37

Sadly, this chap is absolutely right.

But it was not any normal hostage situation either. These were Fiyadeens, came here for the purpose of dying. Israelis are yet to encounter such rare species, as they are used to suicide attacks only.

He might be right technically,but he certainly isn't helpingby telling us we're incompetent.
We're in a big country,with a big population and have specialized personnel in greater nos.

I would have felt very grateful to his country if it just loaned us the unmanned robots,fibre optics and other gizmos reqd. to do what he says.

Hence,we use force-putting men on the line rather than force multipliers.
The present third world govt. can't seem to tolerate a first-world well equipped military.

A soldier(police/NSG/armed forces) can give up everything-but we have an obligation towards his sacrifice.....for country's sake give him a goddamm weapon!

It is only in movies that someone can answer a 10-magazine 30 round AK-47 with a semi-auto pistol successfully.
And since we're using pistols,why don't our forces have something like a .50 caliber Desert Eagle?
or full body armor (not the kind flashed on news-a rat's teeth could gnaw through it) ?

Use .303 against J&K protesters (it's considered non-lethal in US)....give metro police units an INSAS for such encounters.

Pakistani army is getting equipment freebies and monies while not doing much on terror (other than supporting it).....it's our turn to get some.Our men have earned it.

krithivas · Post by **krithivas** » 28 Nov 2008 05:38

Eric Margolis on CNN - WinTV recorder crashed at the wrong time.

R. Krithivas

a) Fixed - Now recording after 30 seconds.
b) Joker is calling for Afgan war to end, and then wants Kashmir to be solved for such type of terrorist attacks to stop. Now drags in nuclear war with Pakistan.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 28 Nov 2008 05:38

Eric Margolis is vomiting the pig shit that he has eaten. Just completed the show on CNN

amdavadi · Post by **amdavadi** » 28 Nov 2008 05:41

cnn keep saying di*k-khan mujahideen are behind this attack.

They got that wrong, no-di*k-khan pakis...If MMS doesnt do anything after this attack, i am pretty sure he will have lot to answer too when election comes around next year.

Maro-goli said pakis & India are on three minute nuclear trigger & rest were usual blah blah blah.He wants US out of afghanistan so he can keep getting his paycheck from ISI. I wish this idiot was in taj when his pay masters other piglet came to kill innocent people.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 28 Nov 2008 05:43

NRao wrote:
Terrorists spoke Punjabi: Army

Mumbai, November 27
A senior Army officer supervising the operations here said that one arrested terrorist was from Faridkot in Pakistan.

Maj Gen R.K. Hooda, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area, also said the men feigned their identity by pretending to be from Hyderabad and were conversing in Punjabi. Asked if the terrorists are from any foreign country, he said: “All we can say is that one arrested terrorist is from Pakistan’s Faridkot.” — IANS

Indian officials should present this and shout from their roof tops. Perhaphs even allow gora dork media personnel to see for themselves.

Ujjal · Post by **Ujjal** » 28 Nov 2008 05:43

CNN shows that one attacker is still hiding? Any new updates yet, fellas?

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 28 Nov 2008 05:44

Dawn is breaking over Bangalore. TV pictures show the sky still dark over Mumbai - it will probably get lighter in the next 30 min.

There are still some hostages in Nariman house - with no news of a Rabbi, though his wife and daughter are safely outside.

There may still be a couple of Pakistani terrorists holed up in the Oberoi and maybe one more in the Taj - which has apparently been cleared of all civilians at risk. But a search for more people is still on.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 28 Nov 2008 05:48

I have to suspect that the GoI is talking every minute with the US/UK, but has the mute button when it comes to Indian public. This happened during the 123 deal and it is repeating itself again.

What are PM + 'mam doing in Bombay. It still is unsafe.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 28 Nov 2008 05:52

Muruga!!! somebody get Deepak Chopra off CNN. He says India should seek Pakistan's help to assist in terrorism. He is not rooted in realty. He should go back writing his philosophy books. He keeps bringing Hindu extremism into picture.

amdavadi · Post by **amdavadi** » 28 Nov 2008 05:52

Who the fu*k invited deepak chopra on CNN...Is this guy for real? He talks about how muslims are innocent & now hindu extrimist will go after innocent muslims...He is talking about Iraq turn muslims into extrimist. I want to ask this idiot, what about all the killing before Iraq & Afghanistan happen. He also want India to ask pakistan's help...What a fcuking jack A**...I am sick and shame that i use to share same zipcode with this idiot.

I guess he wants muslim to buy his books, as his pony show isnt getting anymore gora & desi to fall for his tricks.