[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Mumbai rocked by deadly attacks



Eyewitness reaction and local TV footage from the scene

Gunmen have carried out a series of co-ordinated attacks across the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay), killing at least 80 people and injuring 200 more.
At least seven high-profile locations were hit in India's financial capital, including two luxury hotels where hostages were reported to be held.
A fire is sweeping through the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai's most famous hotel, which is now ringed by troops.
Police said four suspected terrorists have been killed and nine arrested.

 

 

 

Attacks leave India reeling
Witnesses tell of violence
In pictures: Mumbai attacks

The situation is still confused but the city's main train station, a hospital, a restaurant and two hotels - locations used by foreigners as well as local businessmen and leaders - are among those places caught up in the violence.
There are reports of gunfire and explosions taking place elsewhere in the city, and reports of a hostage situation at a hospital.
Commandos have now surrounded the two hotels, the Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi Trident, where it is believed that the armed men are holding dozens of hostages.
One eyewitness said that the attackers had singled out British and American passport holders.
If this report is true, our security correspondent Frank Gardner says it implies an Islamist motive - attacks inspired or co-ordinated by al-Qaeda.
See detailed map of the area

A claim of responsibility has been made by a previously unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen.
Our correspondent says it could be a hoax or assumed name for another group.
The motive is far from clear - but the attacks come amid elections in several Indian states, including in disputed Kashmir.
In the latest developments:
• Fire crews have been evacuating people from the upper floors of the Taj Mahal Palace, from where flames and smoke could be seen billowing
• The head of Mumbai's anti-terrorism unit and two other senior officers are among those killed, officials say
• The White House holds a meeting of top intelligence and counter-terrorism officials, and pledges to help the Indian government.
Gunmen opened fire at about 2300 local time (1730 GMT) at the sites in southern Mumbai.


Mumbai journalist: "Gunmen were looking for Westerners"

"The terrorists have used automatic weapons and in some places grenades have been lobbed," said AN Roy, police commissioner of Maharashtra state.
Local TV images showed blood-splattered streets, bodies being taken into ambulances and dramatic shots of what appeared to explosions and fire inside the Taj Mahal hotel.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Video
One eyewitness told the BBC he had seen a gunman opening fire in the Taj Mahal's lobby.
He said he had seen people fall before he fled the lobby.
"All I saw was one man on foot carrying a machine gun type of weapon - which I then saw him firing from and I saw people hitting the floor, people right next to me," he said.

 

BOMB ATTACKS IN INDIA IN 2008
30 October: Explosions kill at least 64 in north-eastern Assam
30 September: Blasts in western India kill at least seven
27 September: Bomb blasts kills one in Delhi
13 September: Five bomb blasts kill 18 in Delhi
26 July: At least 22 small bombs kill 49 in Ahmedabad
25 July: Seven bombs go off in Bangalore killing two people
13 May: Seven bomb hit markets and crowded streets in Jaipur killing 63

 

International reaction

There has been a wave of bombings in Indian cities in recent months which has left scores of people dead. Most of the attacks have been blamed on Muslim militants, although police have also arrested suspected Hindu extremists.
Mumbai itself has also been attacked in the past: in July 2006 a series of bomb attacks on busy commuter trains killed almost 190 people and injured more than 700.
Police accused Pakistan's intelligence agency of planning those attacks, which they said were carried out by an Islamist militant group, Lashkar-e-Toiba.
Pakistan rejected the allegation, saying there was no evidence that its intelligence staff were involved.
But the latest shootings come at a time when ties between India and Pakistan have improved.
Just days ago Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari told a summit in Delhi that Pakistan would not be first to carry out a missile strike on India.
The two countries have a joint anti-terror mechanism whereby they are supposed to share information on terrorist attacks.

 

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

if you ask me, they took hostages so that they could escape with them, the pictures released of one of the gunmen, he is wearing a tourist back pack and t-shirt, aside from the AK he would blend in the tourist crowd that is being held hostage...

They are trying to escape in the chaos like the Vietcong during the Tet Offensive..

it was also clearly an inside job, by some kind of coincidence the two ranking Anti-Terrorist officers of the military-police were killed at simultaneous attack at a hospital.

This is a serious operation pulled off with rookie decoys to distract the real agenda, which I imagine has elements of a coup if there is inside involvement. Most coups are not as obvious as some kind of military takeover or revolution, usually they are just casual regime changes or changes within cabinets or shifting of military officers etc etc, usually very low-profile, and often things like these attacks serve as an excellent distraction and opportunity for such political activity..

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

pray for those.

 

[phoenix]

its awful

[Glice]

I was surprised that none of the news articles I've read have pointed out the potential minority groups that have 'beef' with the HJP, and any terrorist groups which may have links to the minority, perhaps a little more north-west up the landscape. So, good work BBC (so far).

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

Video
One eyewitness told the BBC he had seen a gunman opening fire in the Taj Mahal's lobby.
He said he had seen people fall before he fled the lobby.
"All I saw was one man on foot carrying a machine gun type of weapon - which I then saw him firing from and I saw people hitting the floor, people right next to me," he said.

Given the gravity of the situation, you'd think the BBC might have found an eyewitness with a decent command of English!

[Glice]

It's not like there's a shortage of people speaking decent English in India either (in fact, by the straw-poll of my own experience, Indians tend to speak better English than most Brits).

[shentov]

man i hate when conflicts like this go THAT way.
damn that world.

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by Glice

It's not like there's a shortage of people speaking decent English in India either (in fact, by the straw-poll of my own experience, Indians tend to speak better English than most Brits).

This is indeed true. There's an Indian fellow lives just a few doors down from me who I've never once heard utter a double negative. Not even in anger.

[Glice]

I used to go out with an Indian girl whose Dad was easily one of the most frighteningly erudite men I've ever met.

Round of applause, Indian people myself and dr666 have met!