november 2008 Mumbai Terrorist Attack
Locations of the attacks
Location Mumbai, India
Date 26 November 2008, 9:20 pm[1] 29 November 2008 (IST, UTC +5:30)
Attack type Bombings, shootings, hostage crisis[2]
Weapon(s) RDX, AK-47, Type 56 and grenades[3]
Deaths 183[4][5]
Injured 294[6]
Suspected perpetrator(s) Controversial; suspects include many terrorist outfits of Pakistan origin- the previously unknown Deccan Mujahideen,[7], the Indian Mujahideen,[8] Lashkar-e-Taiba,[9] Dawood Ibrahim,[9] Jaish-e-Mohammad and Al Qaeda[10]
Number of participant(s) Unclear, sources say between 10 and 25[11][12][13]
Defender(s) Mumbai Police, Anti Terrorist Squad, MARCOS,[14] National Security Guards.[15]
The November 2008 Mumbai attacks (a.k.a. War On Mumbai) were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks across Mumbai, India's financial capital and the largest city. The attacks began on 26 November 2008 and ended on 29 November 2008 when Indian security forces, in Operation Black Tornado, regained control of all attack sites.[16] At least 188 people,[17] including 31 foreign nationals,[4] were killed and at least 293 were injured in the attacks.[4]
Eight of the attacks took place at sites in South Mumbai proper: the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus,[18] the Oberoi Trident,[18] the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower,[18] Leopold Cafe,[18] Cama Hospital,[18] the Orthodox Jewish-owned Nariman House,[19] the Metro Cinema,[20] and a lane behind the Times of India building behind St. Xavier's College.[18] There was also an explosion at the Mazagaon docks in Mumbai's port area. A possible tenth incident involved a taxi blast at Vile Parle near the airport, but it is uncertain whether this was connected to the other nine attacks.[21]
By the early morning of 28 November, all sites except for the Taj Mahal Palace had been secured by police and security forces. Action by India's National Security Guards on 29 November resulted in the conclusion of the Taj Mahal Palace encounter, ending all fighting in the attacks.[22]
Initially, a previously unknown organization called the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility.[23] Later, Azam Amir Kasav, the single terrorist who was captured alive, disclosed that the attackers were members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba Islamic terrorist group.[24] However, no official attribution of responsibility has been made by the Indian Government.
After two days of gunfire and explosions, the attack was incorrectly reported to have ceased as of the early morning of 28 November in Mumbai.[26][27] The fires were out and soldiers were leading hostages and holed-up guests to safety and removing bodies of those killed in the attacks.[26] Nariman House and the Oberoi Trident were cleared of hostages by Indian commandos.[26][28] Six hostages (all Jewish) were killed at the Jewish center. Later news reports indicated that there were still two or three terrorists in the Taj, with explosions heard and gunfire exchanged.[28] Fires were also reported as having been caused at the ground floor of the Taj with plumes of smoke arising from the first floor.[28] Severe damage has been reported to the Taj, with a dome, and parts of the Heritage Wing of the Taj reported to have been destroyed.[28] National Security Guards action resulted in the conclusion of the Taj encounter, with three terrorists reported killed.[29]
[edit] Perpetrators
[show]
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A previously unknown organization identifying itself as the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility by e-mail sent to news organizations.[3] The email, sent from a Russia-based email address, originated in Pakistan.[30] However, the affiliations of the attackers have not been confirmed. India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said the attacks probably involved people from outside of India.[31] According to police reports, the one terrorist who was captured alive disclosed that the attackers belonged to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba Islamist group,[32][33][34] which may have severe consequences for IndiaPakistan relations. However, Pakistan denied supporting any terrorist organization, and considers all terrorists as having no religion at all.[35][36] The Indian Mujahideen terrorist group had also threatened in September 2008 to carry out bombings at sites in Mumbai.[37][8] According to some news reports, a terrorist holding hostages at the Oberoi told an Indian TV channel that they wanted all 'Mujahideen' in Indian prisons released before they released their hostages. He also indicated that there were seven terrorists holding hostages at that location.[38][39] Other reports indicate that this demand was made through a hostage at the Mumbai Chabad House, in a call to the Israeli embassy in New Delhi.[40] Experts have conflicting views as to whether Al Qaeda played a role in the attacks[10][41][42].
On 4 December 2008, NDTV reports India having proof that Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI was behind the deadly Mumbai attacks. It also reports, "the US has told Pakistan that they have proof of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba's role and sought the arrest of its chief Hafeez Sayeed."[43]
[edit] IndiaPakistan relations
The attacks have damaged India's already strained relationship with Pakistan. India handed over two demarches to Pakistanone was submitted at the Foreign Office in Islamabad by Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs also summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik on 1 December 2008 to lodge a formal protest over Pakistan's failure to curb terrorism emanating from its soil.[44] According to the Indian External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, India in the demarches to Pakistan, asked for the arrest and handover of those 20 persons including gangster, Dawood Ibrahim, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammad, terrorist leader Maulana Masood Azhar and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed who are settled in Pakistan and who are fugitives of Indian law. The external affairs minister has also stated that India will await Pakistans response.[45] He has not ruled out the option of military strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan.[46][47]
[edit] Chronology
Police looking for terrorists outside Colaba.
The first event was detailed at 20:10 IST on 26 November: a boat carrying around ten terrorists with several large bags docked at Macchimar Nagar, Mumbai's Cuffe Parade neighbourhood, where six of the men disembarked and the rest continued sailing along the shore.[48] When local residents asked about their occupation, the group responded that they were students.[48] At 20:30 another such incident played out in Colaba, when 10 Urdu-speaking men in inflatable speedboats came ashore. They reportedly told local Marathi-speaking fishermen to mind their business before they split up and headed two different ways; the fishermen's subsequent report to police received little response.[49] The attacks began around 21:20, when two terrorists armed with AK-47 rifles entered the passenger hall of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station, opened fire and threw grenades,[1] killing at least ten people.[3] Two terrorists held fifteen hostages, including seven foreigners, in the Taj Mahal hotel.[50]
Facade of the Taj Mahal hotel where hostages were held
Several motorcycles lie in a pool of blood.
CNN reported at 23:00 that the hostage situation at the Taj had been resolved and quoted the police chief of Maharashtra state as saying that all hostages were freed;[51] however, it was later learned that there were still hostages in the hotel.[52] Forty people were being held as hostages in the Oberoi Trident hotel.[53] Six blasts were reported to have taken place at the Taj hotel and one at the Oberoi Trident.[54][55] The Taj Mahal Hotel was reported to be completely under government control at 04:22[51] and Indian commandos killed two gunmen inside Oberoi hotel and took control of the building.[56][57]
Both hotels were on fire and were surrounded by Rapid Action Force and Army personnel.[58] About 400 Army commandos and 300 National Security Guards (NSG) commandos and 36~100 MARCOS commandos were sent to the spot.[3] Reports emerged of terrorists receiving live feeds broadcast by television stations; feeds to the hotels were subsequently blocked.[59] All terrorists were out of the Taj hotel, and police and firefighters were 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. Local Mumbai Suburban Railway trains on the Western Railway were running, whereas those of the Central Railway were suspended. More blasts were reported at the Oberoi as the siege continued.[53] Meanwhile, police seized a boat filled with arms and explosives anchored at Mazgaon dock off Mumbai harbour.[60]
Interior of Oberoi Trident hotel where forty hostages were held
A number of European Parliament Committee on International Trade delegates were staying in the Taj Mahal hotel when it was attacked,[61] but none of them were injured. British Conservative MEP Sajjad Karim (who was in the lobby when gunmen initially opened fire there) and German Social Democrat MEP Erika Mann were hiding in different parts of the building.[62] Also reported present was Spanish MEP Ignasi Guardans, who was barricaded in a hotel room.[63] 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.[62] Kamall also reported that Polish MEP Jan Masiel was thought to have been sleeping in his hotel room when the attacks occurred.[62] He did not leave his room for a long time, but he finally managed to safely leave the hotel.[64] Kamall and Guardans report that a Hungarian MEP's assistant was shot.[62][65]
Also caught up in the shooting were the President of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, while checking in at the Oberoi Trident,[65] and Indian MP N. N. Krishnadas of Kerala, while having dinner at a restaurant in the Taj hotel.[66]
The New York Times reported that terrorists held several hostages at the Mumbai Chabad House (also known as Nariman House) in Colaba, owned by Chabad Lubavitch.[67] It was reported in the early morning of 29 November that Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka Holtzberg, who was six months pregnant, were tortured and murdered with other hostages inside the house.[68] Times Online reports about Sir Gulam Noon - MBE's experience on how he escaped the bombed Taj Mahal Hotel.[69]
Maharashtra state home secretary Bipin Shrimali later announced that the police killed four gunmen when they attempted to flee in cars in two separate incidents, and state home minister R. R. Patil has said that nine suspects were also arrested.[70]
The army was reported to have secured one of the hotels, and eight hostages have been freed at the Jewish outreach group.[71][72][58] On 29 November The Times of India reported that the battle for Mumbai has ended after 60 hours of operation by Indian security forces. The final operation at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel was completed at 08:00 on 29 November. The security forces rescued 250 people in Oberoi, 300 in Taj and 12 families of 60 people in Nariman House. A total of 172 people were reported to be killed by the terrorists.[73]
[edit] Entry into India
Date Estimated Time
(+0530 UTC) Event
Nov 21 evening Ten terrorists leave Karachi, Pakistan in a boat & travel for thirty-eight hours, remaining undetected by the Indian Navy. [74][75]
Nov 22 Each of the 10 men is given 6 to 7 magazines of 30 rounds each plus 400 rounds not loaded in magazines, 8 hand grenades, one AK-47 assault rifle, an automatic loading revolver, credit cards and a supply of dried fruit.[74] [76]
Nov 22 A separate group checks in to the Taj Hotel with arms and ammunition.[74]
Nov 23 The terrorists hijack an Indian trawler, the Kuber, killing four fishermen and ordering the captain to sail to India.[74]
Nov 26 They reach within four nautical miles (7 kilometres) of Mumbai and kill the captain. They then proceed to board three inflatable speedboats and reach Colaba jetty at dusk.[74]
Nov 26 The ten men get off at Badhwar Park, Cuffe Parade, three blocks away from Nariman House.[74]
Nov 26 Four of the men enter the Taj Mahal Hotel, two enter the Oberoi Trident, two enter Nariman House, and the other two men, Azam and Ismail, take a taxi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.[74]
[edit] At the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel
Sources: NDTV[77], Evening Standard[60], and BBC[78]
Date Estimated Time
(+0530 UTC) Event
26 Nov 23:00 Terrorists enter Taj hotel.[77]
27 Nov 00:00 Mumbai police surround the hotel.[77]
27 Nov 01:00 Massive blast in the central dome, fire in the building.[77]
27 Nov 02:30 Army soldiers arrive in two trucks and enter the front lobby. Fire spreads across the top floor.[77]
27 Nov 03:00 Fire engines arrive. Shooting is heard inside lobby and heritage building.[77]
27 Nov 04:00 Firemen rescue people with ladders.[77] More than 200 people evacuated.
27 Nov 04:30 Terrorists reported to move from central dome to new tower.[77]
27 Nov 05:00 Commandos and Bomb squad arrive. Police step up pressure.[77]
27 Nov 05:30 Fire brought under control but terrorists holed up in new tower with 100 to 150 hostages.[77]
27 Nov 06:30 Security forces say they are ready for encounter.[77]
27 Nov 08:00 People are brought out of the lobby.[77]
27 Nov 08:30 Another 50 people brought out of Chambers Club.[77]
27 Nov 09:00 More rounds of firing, many more people reported to be still inside.[77]
27 Nov 10:30 Gun battle reported from inside hotel.
27 Nov 12:00 50 people evacuated.
27 Nov 16:30 Terrorists set fire to a room on the 4th floor
27 Nov 19:20 More NSG commandos arrive, enter hotel.
27 Nov 23:00 Operations continue.
27 Nov 14:53 Six bodies recovered.
27-28 Nov 14:53 15:59 Ten grenade explosions.
28 Nov 15:00 Marine commandos recover explosives from Taj.
28 Nov 16.00 12 to 15 bodies recovered from the Taj by naval commandos.
28 Nov 19:30 Fresh explosions and gun shots at Taj Hotel.
28 Nov 20:30 Report that one terrorist remains at the Taj.
29 Nov 03:40 04:10 Reports of five explosions at the Taj.
29 Nov 05:05 Revised estimate of one terrorist remaining.
29 Nov 07:30 Fire raging on first floor. Black smoke on second floor. Gunshots heard frequently apparent gun battle.
29 Nov 08:00 Indian commandos state that the Taj Hotel is now under control though they are still conducting room to room searches. People celebrate on the streets.[79]
[edit] At the Oberoi Trident
Date Estimated Time Event
27 Nov 06:00 NSG arrives, storms hotel.
27 Nov 08:40 Firing heard, top army, navy officers arrive and take stock.
27 Nov 13:30 Two small explosions. More reinforcements enter building.
27 Nov 15:25 Some foreign hostages rescued.
27 Nov 17:35 Sikh regiment arrives, fierce gun battle.
27 Nov 18:00 27 hostages exit Air India building, four foreigners taken to hospital.
27 Nov 18:45 Explosion heard. Two NSG guards, 25 army personnel suspected injured. More people rescued, 31 in total.
27 Nov 19:10 1 terrorist arrested.
27 Nov 19:25 Fire breaks out on 4th floor.
27 Nov 23:00 Operations continue.
28 Nov 10:00 Many hostages evacuated from the Trident building.
28 Nov 15:00 Commando operations at Oberoi over, 24 bodies recovered.[80] 143 hostages rescued alive. Two terrorists shot dead.[81]
[edit] At Nariman House
Date Estimated Time Event
27 Nov 07:00 Police begin evacuating adjacent buildings.
27 Nov 11:00 Cross firing between terrorists and police; one terrorist injured.
27 Nov 14:45 Terrorists throw grenade into nearby lane; no casualties.
27 Nov 17:30 NSG commandos arrive, naval helicopter takes aerial survey.
27 Nov 23:00 Operations continue.
27 Nov 00:00 9 hostages are rescued from the first floor.
28 Nov 07:30 NSG commandos are airdropped onto Nariman house.[82]
28 Nov 19:30 Commandos find all 6 hostages, including Rabbi and his wife, tortured and murdered by the terrorists.
28 Nov 20:30 NSG commandos declare operations over, 2 terrorists killed.
[edit] Victims
Main article: List of victims of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks
Nationality Deaths Injured
Flag of India Indian 140 257
Flag of the United States American 4[83] 2[84]
Flag of Australia Australian 2[85] 2[85]
Flag of Germany German 3[86] 3
Flag of Canada Canadian 2 2
Flag of France French 2[87] -
Flag of IsraelFlag of the United States Israeli-American 2[88] -
Flag of Israel Israeli 2[89][90][91] -
Flag of the United KingdomFlag of Cyprus British-Cypriot 1 -
Flag of the Netherlands Dutch 1[92] -
Flag of Italy Italian 1 -
Flag of Japan Japanese 1 1
Flag of Jordan Jordanian 1 1
Flag of Malaysia Malaysian 1[93]
Flag of Mauritius Mauritian 1[94][95] -
Flag of Mexico Mexican 1[96] -
Flag of Singapore Singaporean 1[97] -
Flag of Thailand Thai 1[98] -
Flag of the United Kingdom British - 7
Flag of Oman Omani - 2[86]
Flag of Spain Spanish - 2[99][86][100]
Flag of Austria Austrian - 1[101]
Flag of the People's Republic of China Chinese - 1[86]
Flag of the Philippines Filipino - 1[102]
Flag of Finland Finnish - 1[86]
Flag of Norway Norwegian - 1[103]
At least 171 people had been killed[104] in the attacks and 294 wounded.[104] This includes nearly 40 Muslims and nationals from 10 countries. [105] Among the dead were 123 Indian civilians, 17 policemen and 31 foreigners. The breakdown of the foreigners was as follows: four Americans, four Australians, three Germans, two Canadians,[106] two Israeli-Americans, two Israelis, two French, one Italian, one British-Cypriot, one Dutch, one Japanese, one Jordanian, one Malaysian, one Mauritian, one Mexican, one Singaporean and one Thai.[51][107][108][109][110][111][112]
In addition, nine terrorists were killed and one was captured.[113]
27 other foreigners of different nationalities were injured in the terror strikes and were admitted to the Bombay Hospital. Hospital sources said the injured foreigners were from Australia, USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Norway, Finland, Oman, China, Japan, the Philippines and Jordan.[111]
Andreas Liveras, a British yachting tycoon (of dual Greek Cypriot and British citizenship), was among those confirmed killed.[114] German TV producer Ralph Burkei, and French lingerie tycoon, Loumia Hiridjee and her husband, were also among the dead.[115][116] Husband and wife, Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and six-month-pregnant Rivka Holtzberg, both of whom were hostages in Nariman House, were tortured and murdered, [117] during the attack.[118][119]
According to Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, 14 policemen and three NSG commandos were killed, including the following officers:[120][109]
* Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad Chief Hemant Karkare,[121] who headed the team investigating the politically sensitive 2006 Malegaon blasts. Karkare had also been receiving death threats recently,[122] including a threat to bomb his residence,[123] but it is unclear if these were related to his death.
* Additional Commissioner of Police: Ashok Kamte[121]
* Encounter specialist: Vijay Salaskar[121]
* Senior inspector Shashank Shinde,[121] who had recently been involved in investigating many of India's recent bombings.
* NSG Commando Team Leader, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan
* NSG Commando Hawaldar Chandar[124]
* NSG Commando Gajender Singh Bisht
Three railway officials of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus were also killed in the terror strikes.[125] [126] The Government of Maharashtra announced Rs. 5 lakh (about 10,000 USD) compensation to the kin of those killed in the terror attacks and Rs. 50,000 (about 1,000 USD) to the seriously injured.[127]
[edit] By location
Location Type of attack Dead Rescued
Mumbai Harbour Shootings; hostages. 4 none
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Victoria) railway station Shootings; grenade attacks. 53[128] none
Leopold Cafe, Colaba Shootings; grenade explosion.[129] 10[130] none
Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel Shootings;[131] six explosions; fire on ground, first, and top floors; hostages;[51] RDX found nearby.[52] around 40
(2 commandos) around 250
Oberoi Trident hotel Shootings; explosions; hostages; fire. 30[132] 143
Metro Cinema Shooting from carjacked police jeep.[133] around 10 none
Cama Hospital Shootings; hostages.[134] 5 policemen[135] none
Nariman House (Mumbai Chabad House) Siege; shootings; hostages.[136] 7 (1 commando)[137][138] 9
Vile Parle suburb, North Mumbai Car bomb blast.[139] 1[140] none
Lane behind Times of India building Police killed by gunfire. 9 policemen none
Mazagaon docks Explosion; boat with armaments seized.[60] none none
[edit] Terrorists
Main article: Attribution of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks
Azam Amir Kasav and Abu Ismail Dera Ismail Khan attacked the railway terminus, a police vehicle in Cama Hospital, the Metro cinema, Vidhan Bhavan, and Girgaum Chowpatty. Four terrorists were in the Taj Hotel, two in the Oberoi Hotel, and two in Nariman House: Abu Ali, Fahad, Omar, Shoaib, Umer, Abu Akasha, Abdul Rahman (Bara), and Abdul Rahman.[141] One terrorist was killed and Kasav was arrested near the pedestrian bridge at Girgaum Chowpatty [show location on an interactive map] 18°57′20″N 72°48′46″E / 18.955552, 72.812909 by a team from the Gamdevi police station.[142][143]
According to the chief minister of Maharashtra state, Vilasrao Deshmukh, up to 25 gunmen took part in the attacks.[12] Reporters have estimated between 10 and 25 terrorists.[11][12][13] They looked young, in their early twenties, and wore T-shirts, black shirts, and jeans.[144] The Guardian has reported that they seemed "cool and composed" and "in no hurry".[144] Some witnesses have even said that they smiled and looked happy as they shot their victims. Initially, some reports claimed that there were Britons among the terrorists.[145][86] However, Indian police have stated that they have no evidence to directly confirm this and they are currently investigating the British documents that the terrorists allegedly carried.[145] The terrorists had planned the attack several months ahead of time, setting up "control rooms" in the two luxury hotels that were targeted.[146] They knew some areas well enough to "vanish" and reappear after security forces had left. A terrorist killed at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel had on him a Mauritian identity card along with seven different credit cards, including one issued by Citibank, which may indicate that he was not Indian.[78]
Blood tests on the terrorists indicate that they consumed cocaine and LSD during the attacks, to sustain their energy and stay awake for 50 hours. Police says that they found syringes on the scenes of the attacks. There were also indications that they had been consuming steroids.[147][148]
A previously unknown organization identifying itself as the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility by email sent to news organizations.[3] The New York Times has stated that international security experts "drew a blank on" the Deccan Mujahideen group, with one analyst labeling it a "front name".[149] According to a witness, the gunmen were looking for American and British passport holders and left others alone, such as a man claiming to be Italian.[150] However, some later reports indicate that this was not necessarily the case in general, with the attackers' aim being to kill whomever they could.[11] The Independent has reported that "the attackers were young South Asian men speaking Hindi or Urdu, suggesting they are probably members of an Indian terrorist group rather than foreigners".[151] Sky News has reported that one of the terrorists shouted, "Are you aware how many people have been killed in Kashmir? Are you aware how your army has killed Muslims?" and spoke in Urdu with what was described as a Kashmiri accent.[152]
Initially, some media reports had attributed these terrorist attacks to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Islamic terrorist group.[7][153] Lashkar-e-Taiba denies any involvement.[151] The group has rarely stated that they were responsible for any attack since the Pakistani government banned them in 2002.[10] According to police investigators, the one captured terrorist confessed to being a Lashkar-e-Taiba member and a resident of Pakistan's Punjab area.[32][33][34]These allegations could have severe consequences for IndiaPakistan relations.[36] To halt the developing improvement of relations between Pakistan and India may have been part of the motivation for the attack.[154] A Pakistani news portal 'The News' claims that White House has said that there is no evidence of any Pakistani involvement in the attack[155]. US intelligence sources are now saying that there is mounting evidence that Lashkar-e-Taiba is behind the attacks.[156] The Times Of India reported that intelligence agencies have disclosed tell-tale evidence that the terrorist had Pakistani connections.[157]
If Lashkar-e-Taiba is involved and if the attack primarily targeted Westerners, then the attack may have a connection to al Qaeda since this would be the first time when that group has targeted Westerners specifically.[10][158] The Guardian has called speculation about al Qaeda "immediate, simplistic and probably misleading".[159] A St Andrews University professor quoted by The Telegraph argues that "Al-Qaeda set the blueprint for terrorist operations and now we see different people, different groups in different parts of the world, copying it."[160] On 28 November, senior Al Qaeda leader Ayman Zawahiri released a videotaped message that did not mention the ongoing Mumbai attacks.[161] This omission has led The Los Angeles Times to speculate that the group did not have a role.[161]
According to some Indian news reports, Indian intelligence agencies believed that attackers came by sea to Mumbai from the Pakistani port of Karachi on the ship MV Alpha.[162][163] This led the Indian Navy and coast guard to begin searching ships off India's western coast.[164] The reports that MV Alpha was involved were later dismissed after a search of the ship by the Indian Navy found no evidence of involvement, though the investigation of the ship continues.[165] The Times of India reported that the Indian Coast Guard seized a fishing boat from Porbandar that was reported hijacked on 14 November.[166] It is suspected that it was used by the terrorists to get to the coast at Colaba. The captain of the boat was found dead and several crew members are missing.[167]
A satellite phone recovered from two dead terrorists reportedly showed calls made to Karachi, Pakistan before and after the attacks commenced.[9] Also, Major General Hooda who ran the anti-terror operations has said that "In the message intercepted by us when the terrorists were interacting between Nariman House and the Taj Hotel, we found that they spoke in Punjabi language. They were trying to pretend to be from Hyderabad".[168] Alleged terrorists Sahadullah Babbar and Imran Babbar called Indian news channel India TV and spoke to the correspondents claiming to be from Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh while speaking in Urdu with a Peshawari/Pashto accent.[169][170]
According to a Times of India story, the terrorists were motivated by religious zeal and specifically released a Turkish couple who said they were Muslims.[171] Another report by The Hindustan Times claims that over 40 of the victims of the terrorist attack were Muslims.[172] The Mumbai Police had received information that some six or seven days ago, the terrorists had made a dry run. They suspect that some local people could have been involved in the attacks.[173] An organization representing Baluchis in the U.S. has said that it suspects Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim played roles in the attacks.[174] However, many security experts doubt that current members of the ISI were involved.[9] The Guardian has also listed Dawood Ibrahim and other organized crime figures connected to Indian terrorists as key suspects.[9] A few Pakistani commentators have suggested that Indian domestic terrorism was behind the attacks[158][175]. It quoted a security expert as saying "The latest attack on Mumbai has the stamp of Dawood Ibrahim... Definitely the people who hit Mumbai were a mixture of local guys who know the city very well, and trained, hardcore fighters who came by sea."[9] According to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R. R. Patil, they had plans to kill 5,000 people.[176]
CNN quoting a U.S. counterterrorism official reports that the United States warned the Indian government about a potential maritime attack against Mumbai at least a month before last week's massacre in the country's financial capital left nearly 180 dead.[177]
According to a former U.S. official from the Department of Defense who spoke with The New York Times, former ISI and Pakistani army officers took part in the training of the terrorists who attacked Mumbai.[178]
[edit] Confession of a captured terrorist
See main article Azam Amir Kasav for details.
One of the terrorists, 21-year-old Azam Amir Kasav,[179][180] was caught at Girgaum Chowpatty Naka in Mumbai trying to escape in a car[181] and taken to the Nair hospital. According to preliminary investigations by intelligence agencies, Azam is from Faridkot in Pakistan[182][183] (near Multan, not to be confused with a town of the same name found in India [184][185]) [179] and had received arms training in Pakistan.[13] Ammunition, a satellite phone and a layout plan of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was recovered from him. He has provided many clues to the investigation agencies and has reportedly described how they arrived at Mumbai from Karachi via Porbandar. He has reportedly said that he and other terrorists had received revolvers, AK-47s, ammunition and dried fruit, from their coordinator.[13] Azam reportedly told the police that they wanted to replicate the Marriott hotel attack in Islamabad, and reduce the Taj Hotel to rubble, replicating the September 11 attacks in India.[13] Kasab also told Indian police that the terrorists targeted Nariman House, where the Chabad center was located, because it was frequented by Israelis, who were targeted to "avenge atrocities on Palestinians."[186]
Mumbai Joint Police Commissioner of Crime Rakesh Maria said, information came out from his interview with Kasab that he is from the Faridkot village in the Okara district of Pakistan's Punjab province. He is the son of Mohammed Amir Kasab[187].
It is reported that Azam told the police that he and his associate, Ismail Khan, were the ones who shot Anti-Terror Squad chief Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte. According to the police, Kasav entered the Taj posing as a student from Mauritius and had planted explosives in the room.[188]
Azam also revealed that he and his associate stayed in Room 630 in the Taj Mahal Palace hotel where they stored ammunition and had many visitors. They had booked the room for four days using fake Mauritian identities.[189] ATS sources indicate that blood and urine tests on Azam showed that the terrorist was heavily drugged while committing the acts of terror.[190]
On 29 November, Kasav named his colleagues as Abu Ali, Fahad, Omar, Shoaib, Umer, Abu Akasha, Abu Ismail Dera Ismail Khan, Abdul Rahman (Bara), and Abdul Rahman.[191] He said that they planned to mostly kill indiscriminately while singling out white foreign tourists, and Jews[192][193][194] and sparing Muslims whenever possible.[191] He also said that he had expected to get away with the assault.[191] Two more names are available: Imran and Shahdullah (or Shadullah) Babar (or Babbar) mentioned above. They called an Indian TV station from mobile phones making demands and justifying their attacks, and gave their names as such. It is unclear if these names are the real names to nicknames mentioned above, or that the information emerging is still incomplete.
Times of India reported that, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the terrorist arrested by Mumbai Police, has told his interrogators that their plan was to get off the dinghy near the fishing village at Badhwar Park, Cuffe Parade, at dusk and strike all targets except Nariman House between 7 pm and 8 pm. However, the landing was delayed and they reached at 8.45 pm.
They knew that the crowds at CST would be thickest at 7.30 pm and their bullets would cause the greatest harm, said an Indian officer on condition of anonymity. Kasab told interrogators that Cama hospital and Metro cinema were not in their plan which was to take hostages at CST and return to base by hijacking a boat off the Gateway of India.[195]
Kasav is also reported to have told police that the group received help from local Mumbai residents, but this has not been confirmed.[196].
Kasab admitted that he and his accomplice, Abu Ismail Khan, had put explosives in the cab that exploded in Wadi Bunder[197].
Investigating police official said the terrorists spent the last three months in Pakistan training and planning their strike[198].
On 3 December 2008, Indian authorities defused a bomb in Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway stationone of the first locations targeted in last week's terrorist siege. Location of the bomb was provided by Kasab during investigation[199].
[edit] Reactions
Main article: Reactions to the November 2008 Mumbai attacks
In a televised address, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said India will go after individuals and organizations behind the terrorist attacks, which were well-planned with external linkages.[200] In addition, he said: "The well-planned and very orchestrated attacks, probably with external linkages, were intended to create a sense of panic by choosing high-profile targets and indiscriminately killing innocent foreigners," Singh said in a televised address to the nation.[201] Leader of the opposition L K Advani has asked the people of India to stay united during this time of emergency.[202]
The Mumbai attacks have elicited a strong response from leaders around the world, largely expressing condemnation for the acts of terrorism and condolences for the relatives of those killed.[201][203] The Congress government reportedly refused an offer of assistance from Israeli intelligence to investigate the attacks.[204] Several Western countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, France and Canada, have advised their citizens to defer travel to Mumbai in the short term (4872 hours).[205][206]
[edit] Criticism of politicians and resignations
Indians criticised their political leaders after the attacks, saying their bickering and ineptness was at least partly responsible. The Times of India commented on its front page that Our politicians fiddle as innocents die".[207]
Political casualties in the wake of the Mumbai attacks
Official ↓ Name ↓ Resignation details ↓
Minister for Home Affairs Shivraj Patil Resigned 30-Nov-2008[208]
National Security Advisor MK Narayanan Offered to resign 30-Nov-2008; rejected by Prime Minister[209]
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh Resigned 01-Dec-2008[210]; Deshmukh will stay on until a replacement is announced
Deputy CM of Maharashtra R. R. Patil Resigned 01-Dec-2008[211]
The anger against the political class in wake of the Mumbai terror attack boiled over with slain NSG commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's father literally shooing away Kerala chief minister V S Achuthanandan".[212] Public furore was further exuberated with Mr. Achutanandan's statement in a television interview that "If it had not been Sandeep's house, not even a dog would have gone there".[213] This statement was highlighted by the television channel video interview[214] After this became a major controversy, The chief minister later issued an written apology stating that his remarks were misunderstood.
On 30 November the Minister for Home Affairs Shivraj Patil resigned, taking moral responsibility for the security lapse.[215] National Security Advisor MK Narayanan also offered to resign on the same day, but Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh did not accept his resignation.[216] There were rumors that the chief minister of Maharashtra may also resign but it is still not confirmed. After the resignation of Shivraj Patil on 30 November 2008, P. Chidambaram was made the Union Minister for Home Affairs,[217] while Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh took over the Finance Ministry from the latter.
The list of political casualties in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks expanded with the resignation offer by Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. The ruling Congress party was in consultations with alliance partner NCP before it can decide on the new nominee for the top post in the state.[218] Deshmukh will stay on until a replacement is announced.
On 1 December the Deputy CM of Maharastra R. R. Patil resigned, when National Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar asked him to tender his resignation. Patil was under tremendous pressure to resign after commenting that the Mumbai terror strikes were "minor incidents." Patil quit his post after National Congress Party (NCP) and Union Agriculture Minister Chief Sharad Pawar asked him to tender his resignation.[219]
[edit] Criticism of the anti-terrorist operation
The NSG commandos based in Mehram Nagar, Palam Airport, Delhi took 10 hours to reach the terrorists.[220] There were 10 hours of delay after the notice of the attack until the NSG troop reached the places attacked.[221] They were ready at 1 am but had to wait for 3 hours, until 3:15 am for an aircraft to arrive from Chandigarh, when the policy is that a plane be at Palam permanently. The NSG commandos landed at Mumbai Airport at 5:15 am, but had to wait 1 hour for the Bombay Police to arrange a BEST bus for them. They reached the Taj Mahal hotel and the Oberoi Trident hotel at 7 am, but were not given detailed maps of the hotels. Also NSG commandos did not have non-lethal weapons to incapacitate terrorists[citation needed], nor did they use robots to gather intelligence or to fire weapons inside the buildings[citation needed] despite the fact that these robots and non-lethal weapons are readily available with the DRDO and US and Israel already use these in their operations.
[edit] Nationalism among the Indian public
The attack has put challenges for the Congress-led Indian government ahead of general elections, and also to persuade Pakistan to act against terrorists. Many general public want some kind of clear response to the attack, from identifying and punishing the masterminds to trade sanctions against Pakistan, or passing firm anti-terrorism laws within India.[222] On the evening of 3rd December 2008, a week anniversary of the attacks, protests and peace marches were organized across the country including The Gateway Of India. Most of these rallies were spontaneously organized in which hundreds of thousands of Indians participated and raised anti-pakistan and anti-politician slogans. The perceived inactivity of Government of India even after regular terrorist attacks in many cities of India in last 6 months outraged general public against its politicians.
[edit] Indian Muslim Council refuses to bury terrorists
An Indian Muslim organization, the Indian Muslim Council, has refused to bury the nine killed terrorists involved in the attack, and is sending messages to other organizations in India to refrain from burying them. The Muslim Council of India decided not to allow burial of the bodies of the nine terrorists killed during the Mumbai siege in the Marine Lines Bada Qabrastan (cemetery). The council said it was trying to send a message to all cemeteries in India that none of the bodies should be buried on Indian soil[223][224][225][226]. BBC News reported, "Indian Muslims say they do not want the gunmen killed by the security forces during the attacks in Mumbai to be buried in Muslim graveyards."[227]
[edit] Demand for guns
The war on Mumbai has left the corporate sector of India angry; vulnerable sectors want to be armed. A meeting convened by the Karnataka government with industry heads led to strong suggestions from industry demanding automatic weapons for internal security or a general right to bear arms.[228]
[edit] Tribute to victims by Naxalites
Naxalites, who are raging a bitter insurgency in parts of India, gave a gun salute to the victims of Mumbai attack. The Times of India noted that this gesture marked a significant shift in their policy of sympathizing with the "jehadis as victims of the Indian state".[229]
[edit] International support for investigations
President of the United States George W. Bush told Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh that American agencies will "throw their weight" behind India's investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks and demonstrate a "shared commitment" to combat terrorism.[230]
The United States sent a team of agents from its own Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assist in the probe into the Mumbai attacks and American President George W. Bush pledged "full support" to India in its efforts to unearth the plot behind the deadly terror strikes. While a group of FBI agents were en route to India, a second group of investigators was on alert to join the first team if necessary.[231]
"The FBI continues to monitor the situation in Mumbai and the Counterterrorism Division is reviewing all of the information and intelligence available," bureau spokesman Richard Kolko told The Washington Post.[232]
Australia has sent a team of Federal Police to Mumbai. A group of seven officers have arrived to study the terror attack and the modus operandi used by the terrorists.[233]
Britain has sent 15 forensic experts from the intelligence services to Mumbai to help with the investigations on the attacks on Indias financial capital. A Scotland Yard team is also investigating the terror attack.
Israel had offered a forty-strong team of special operation forces and assistance in investigations.[234]
Malaysian authorities are investigating reports that Malaysian-issued credit cards were found in the belongings of the terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks. Malaysia will also coordinate with Interpol over reports that some of the Mumbai attackers passed themselves off as Malaysian citizens.[235]
[edit] Media coverage
The Mumbai attacks highlighted the increasing importance of social media and citizen journalism in the way events are reported.[236] Many people covered the unfolding event on websites like Twitter and Flickr, which are largely clustered under search tags such as "mumbai" and "attack" (to which Twitter adds hashtags). The day after the attacks, the Indian government asked Mumbai citizens to cease updating Twitter with live coverage of police activity.[237] The New York Times and BBC offered live textual coverage online, as did many Indian bloggers;[237][238] A map of the attacks was set up using Google Maps.[239] The attacks have been dubbed by some journalists as "India's 9/11", a reference to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.[240][241]
[edit] Aftermath
Office-workers at Ballard Estate reacting to rumors of shooting at Victoria Terminus, three minutes away from the Estate
As a result of this incident, all schools and colleges, and most offices were closed. The Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange remained closed on 27 November 2008.[242] Shooting of Bollywood films and TV series has also been halted in the city.[243] Many international airlines temporarily discontinued operations to Mumbai in the interest of passenger and crew safety.[244]
The two remaining one-day internationals of the seven match series between the visiting England cricket team and India were cancelled. The visiting team flew home, but may return to continue the test series.[245] However, the venue of the second India-England test match, scheduled on December 19-23, was shifted from Mumbai to Chennai.[246] The inaugural Twenty20 Champions League scheduled from 3 to 10 December, Mumbai being one of the host cities, was postponed.[247]
The attacks have brought into significance the issue of 379 Indian boats and 336 fishermen apprehended by the Pakistan marine agency for entering their waters. Nearly 200 of the boats have reportedly been auctioned, now recognized as a national security issue for India. On Friday Nov 28, Pakistan released 99 fishermen who were apprehended, as part of confidence building measures with India.[248]
There were threats to blow up ITC Fortune Hotel in Navi Mumbai after Mumbai police received a bomb threat from terrorists.[249]
Rumours about further shootings at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus were doing the rounds in Mumbai on 28 November and were widely reported by the news channels. The Railway Police denied these rumours but stopped trains approaching CST.[250]
[edit] Recovery
The Leopold Cafe opened its doors to customers just four days after the attacks. The owners want to repair the damaged parts of the cafe while retaining some of the damaged pieces as a tribute to those who lost their lives in the attacks.[251]
Security forces handed back control of the Taj Mahal Hotel to the Taj group on 1 December 2008 and work on its repairs begun the very same day.[252]. Celebrated artist M.F. Hussain, whose art was destroyed in the attacks, has agreed to replace the paintings with a series that will condemn the attack. Hussain plans this series as a tribute to the staff of the hotel who laid down their lives to save other people.[253]
Control of the Trident has already been handed back to the management and the hotel will resume operations in 10 days while the Oberoi, still in control of security forces will take 3-4 months to resume operations.[254]
Nariman House will also reopen soon. but it is not known exactly when. Several young Chabad couples from all over the world have stepped forward to move to Mumbai and continue the movement's work.[255]
[edit] Security agencies upgrades
A Cabinet Committee on Security meeting will be held on Tuesday 2nd December to discuss expanding the National Security Guards (NSG) to cities outside Delhi.[256] The aim is to have permanent presence of NSG anti-terrorist squads in cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata, to avoid wasting precious time traveling from Delhi.
All NSG commandos will now undergo a new module of training to learn how to deal with future anti-siege operations[257] because the Taj terrorists were in a gun battle for 59 hours continuously.[258]
After seeing the disparity between the quality of helmets and bulletproof vests used by NSG commandos and the police, the Police Commissioner of Pune, Satyapal Singh said his police officers need the same quality equipment as used by the NSG to reduce deaths and improve performance.[259]
The CST railway station was upgraded with metal detectors, but reports say that these are ineffective because the attendants cannot hear their beeps in the crowd. Civilians have tested these using their own licensed weapons.[260]
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on an all party conference declared that legal framework will be strengthened in the battle against terrorism and a federal anti-terrorist intelligence and investigation agency, like the FBI, will be set up soon to co-ordinate actions against terrorism.[261]
[edit] Requests for Pakistan's cooperation
At the request of Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Ahmad Shuja Pasha, was reported to be coming to India to share intelligence and help the investigation,[262] but later on it was decided by Pakistani authorities that instead of Director General of the ISI, his representative will visit India to help Indian government in the investigations.[263]
India handed over two demarches to Pakistanone was submitted at the Foreign Office in Islamabad by Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs also summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik on 1 December 2008 to lodge a formal protest against Pakistan's inaction against terrorist groups operating within the country.[264]
The Indian foreign ministry released a statement describing the actions it expects Islamabad to take. "It was conveyed to the Pakistan high commissioner that Pakistan's actions needed to match the sentiments expressed by its leadership that it wishes to have a qualitatively new relationship with India," the statement said. "He was informed that the recent terrorist attack on Mumbai was carried out by elements from Pakistan. Government expects that strong action would be taken against those elements, whosoever they may be, responsible for this outrage," it said.[265]
The CNN-IBN reported that India has asked Pakistan to hand over Mumbai Underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim, Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Maulana Masood Azhar for their suspected involvement in the Mumbai terror attack.
Dawood, Indias most wanted criminal, is suspected to have helped the LeT terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26. Azhar, founder of the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad, is on India's most wanted list of people it accuses of terrorism. India freed Azhar from prison in exchange for passengers on a hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 in 1999.[266]
Times of India, quoting Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee reported Now, we have in our demarche asked (for) the arrest and handover of those persons who are settled in Pakistan and who are fugitives of Indian law"
"...there are lists of about 20 persons. (These) lists are sometimes altered and this exercise is going on and we have renewed it in our demarche," Mukherjee said adding India "will await" Pakistan's response in Indian-Arab forum.[267]
In an interview with NDTV Pranab Mukherjee has not ruled out the option of military strikes against terror camps in Pakistan. Mukherjee said that every country has the right to protect its territorial integrity and take appropriate action when necessary. He also said that it has become difficult to continue the peace process with Pakistan in this.[268]
US officials fear that should the firm evidence emerge that the Mumbai terror attacks were planned and directed from within Pakistan, it would certainly escalate tension between the neighbouring countries and could also provoke an Indian military response, even strikes against terrorists, a media report said on Saturday.[269] U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday urged Pakistan to give its "absolute, total" cooperation in finding those responsible for last week's attacks on Mumbai.[270] Rice will travel to India on Wednesday at the request of President George W. Bush in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, the White House said on Sunday. "Secretary Rice's visit to India is a further demonstration of the United States' commitment to stand in solidarity with the people of India as we all work together to hold these extremists accountable," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement.[271]
Sovereign nations have the right to protect themselves, US President-elect Barack Obama said, when asked if India could follow the same policy he advocated during his election campaign of bombing terrorist camps in Pakistan if there was actionable evidence and Islamabad refused to act on it.
(with other varying spelling depending on sources, such as Mohammad Ajmal Amir Iman[1], Ajmal Qasab[2], Ajmal Amir Kamal[3] Ajmal Amir Kasab[4], Azam Ameer Qasab[5], Mohammad Ajmal Qasam [6], Ajmal Mohammed Amir Kasab,[7] or Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasar[8], or Amjad Amir Kamaal [9]) is a terrorist involved in the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.[10][11] Azam is the only gunman captured alive by police and is currently in Indian custody.
