Mumbai Attatcked Today...

[AA 1818]

MUMBAI, India – Teams of gunmen stormed luxury hotels, a popular restaurant, hospitals and a crowded train station in coordinated attacks across India's financial capital Wednesday night, killing at least 78 people and taking Westerners hostage, police said. A group of suspected Muslim militants claimed responsibility. An explosion followed by a raging fire struck one of the hotels, the landmark Taj Mahal, early Thursday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_india_shooting

It's constantly being updated. What we know for sure - foreigners are being targeted. I will keep you updated.

[AA 1818]

To all of my Indian spotters, and especially to Vishal - just check in when you get the chance to let us know that you guys are ok (if you guys have the chance).

BTW - to anyone familiar with Mumbai - both the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels were targeted.
The Leopold {restaurant} was also attatcked.

So far, 200 injured with 78 confirmed dead. We are unsure as to how many were foreigners - but does it really matter?

[C-FMWQ]

Originally Posted by AA 1818

To all of my Indian spotters, and especially to Vishal - just check in when you get the chance to let us know that you guys are ok (if you guys have the chance).

BTW - to anyone familiar with Mumbai - both the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels were targeted.
The Leopold {restaurant} was also attatcked.

So far, 200 injured with 78 confirmed dead. We are unsure as to how many were foreigners - but does it really matter?

I have been to Mumbai and have cousins there, one of which was flying in to the domestic terminal yesterday. From what I know about Mumbai those area's are in the main financial district, where all the big shots are and the expensive land is.

I hope that everyone is okay in Mumbai, I have cousins there and hope they are doing well there too. To all the people that live in Mumbai we all from the JP.net wish to you that you are okay.

Nehal

[JordanD]

My condolences to everyone in India and those effected personally by this. I wish this crap would stop.

[Vishal Jolapara]

Originally Posted by AA 1818

To all of my Indian spotters, and especially to Vishal - just check in when you get the chance to let us know that you guys are ok (if you guys have the chance).

Thanks for the concern Nishri, Murtazabhai also sms'd me today morning to ask about the situation, thankfully we're all alright but, sadly my city isnt

This seems to be an extremely well co-ordinated & planned terrorist strike orchestrated to attract more attention by specifically targetting most of the signature/iconic landmarks of Mumbai.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/26_Nove...Mumbai_attacks

I woke-up early today at 5am to recieve my cousin who was coming here from Sharjah & no guesses required - heavy security all along the roads leading to the terminal.


On the left is the Air India building, in the centre - Hitlon Towers Hotel & on the right is Hotel Oberoi where there's a hostage situation going-on currently.

Below is INDIA'S MOST FAMOUS HOTEL - The Taj Hotel, situated right beside the Gateway of India.
and here's how it looks right now -


Just saw a clip on TV where 2 British Hotel Guests who managed to escape from the Oberoi Hotel described that terrorists ambushed a restaurant inside the hotel & screamed for British & American Citizens who were then holed-up in a section of the hotel, most of then fortunately managed to escape through a lucky escape/exit door.

Unconfirmed media reports claim that the one of the terrorist caught alive revealed that they entered Mumbai via speedboats from Karachi - Pakistan.

Just have a look at Times of India's website - www.timesofindia.com

[hkgspotter1]

My father has been in India the past two weeks, due to fly from Delhi to Mumbai today. Thats now cancelled and trying to get on a CX flight for Hong Kong tomorrow...

Whoever did these attacks had it well planned, then again if there is not a police force camped outside it would not take much to take over a hotel.. if you had guns and no problem with death.

Lets hope they can find who did this.

[shakermaker]

RIP to the perished. The killers and their leaders will burn in hell.

[turbotraker]

Good to hear you are OK Vishal, BBC reporting 108 dead and at least 7 separate site attacks. Seems very well planned, at least it has been reported that (up to now) 9 terrorist have been detained. Hope they will find out who is behind this carnage.

[Crunk415balla]

Well I'm glad to know you're okay Vishal, that was my first thought as well. However, this is horrible. I hope those bastards are brought to justice and die very slowly.

[turbotraker]

Originally Posted by Crunk415balla

I hope those bastards are brought to justice and die very slowly.

Unfortunately, I doubt they will every get to the real bastards who organised/funded/planned these atrocities. The deluded pawns who carried it out will take the flak for it. Not sure if the death penalty is still given in India?

When those who did this have been brought to justice, the death penalty won't be enough.

No speculation intended, but just when tensions between Pakistan and India were easing.......

[Vishal Jolapara]

Originally Posted by turbotraker

Not sure if the death penalty is still given in India?

Under Indian law, the death penalty can be imposed for:

• murder
• gang robbery with murder
• abetting the suicide of a child or insane person
• waging war against the government
• abetting mutiny by a member of the armed forces
• In recent years, special courts have also extended the penalty to cases of terrorism under anti-terror legislation.

Originally Posted by turbotraker

When those who did this have been brought to justice, the death penalty won't be enough.

Thats the point isnt it.
How can you replace the life of those 100 odd souls (and counting) who have just been murdered ?
Killing the few dozen terrorists dosent really 'solve' anything as there'd be an equal or perhaps double number of replacements ready to ashame the very god they wish to please.

[shakermaker]

It doesn't seem as though the current Government has done much about the terrorist situation in India. If they have, it has not been visible.

Yet I prefer substantive behind-the-scenes action, over a knee-jerk over-reaction to appease the public, but I feel that all these attacks this year could have been prevented with some reliable intelligence and close co-operation between counter-terrorist agencies at the state and federal levels.

[Sreenath Yellamrazu]

The hostage situation is still going on right now inside the Oberoi/ Trident.
The Maharashtra State Director-General of Police has told media that the Hostage situation at the TAJ is OVER.

These hotels were the favorite layover for many international airline crews flying to Mumbai. So no crew security. Being the holiday season, visiting-home NRIs/ tourists may cancel their reservations. As it is the aviation-travel industry is in a slump.. so don't expect any "good times" for the industry now. The streets are quiet as ever.

NDTV News Live streaming.

[AA 1818]

Vishal, I cannot be certain, but I was told that the "Leopold" was one of the first places to be attatcked? Was it attatcked?



Personally, I was devestated. I spent 4 hours calling Mumbai to check on family and friends. My very first phone call was to my uncle in Atlanta as my Aunt (his wife) is a FA for DL. She always does the ATL-BOM route, and when she is in Mumbai is either at her inlaws (in Mumbai) or at the Taj. I called her cell phone and she did not pick up, which she NEVER does, so I panicked and called him. She was in Atlanta (at the airport), and was telling me that they were trying to ascertain exactly what was going on. She and I ate at the Leopold for days and days on end when we were in Mumbai the last time. We stayed at the Taj. This was not an attatck against combattants, these were innocent lives snuffed out by a heinious crime. Simply put - I understand that I am bound to non-violence (ahimsa) as a Hindu, but I pray for vengence. When the smoke has cleared, and when the toll has been set - I will stand behind my conuntrymen and support them in any way to bring these villinaious miscreants to justice. May we show them the dignity that the failed to show us, and when the time is right, and whey they may they beg for forgiveness, may we not be as bold as they to do the unthinkable - kill for a message. In the mean while - I pray for a steadfast response.

What sickens me most is that these men dance upon such a perverse distraction of the truth. This is not Islam! Islam is a religion of truth, of light, of peace. These men loudly recite verses - fueling their 'mission' altogether missing the true nuances of most sacred of statments, mulling over the intracacies of their cultures, their histories and the realities of their religion. These men are not Muslims, for they commit atrocities that are neither sanctioned nor supported by the holiest verses of the Qu'ran. These men are terrorists - extremists, and should be dealt with as such. My furstration will lie in the upcoming months as these men as apprehended. They will hide behind the veil of their farce - claiming that they were propelled to hatred by one of humanities greatest gifts. Hopefully, Bharat-mata will find her vengence as well as her justice, and provide these men with truth - undeniable, inalienable truth so as to show them the truth of their actions, the truth of our compassionate souls, and the truth of their perversion of religion.

[tommyalf]

Truly devastating news. My support and sympathy to all those lost.

[uy707]

Good to read from you fellow Mumbai based members
RIP to all who lost their lives
all the work done in pitching Mumbai as an attractive business and tourism destinations has been wreck by a few
Everything will have to be reconstructed again both metaphorically and materialistically
Wish success to the Indian Army in killing these pricks and altogether confirm India is in the club of the most determined ones.

[laroche spotters]

Hello all
It's been really sad to heard such a bad news nowadays . Hope everything comes to an end as soon as posible.
All of you guys from India, be carefull.
Rest in peace to all the people that haven't survive and my suport to their families.
Take care