03 December 2008

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Mumbai 26/11 Full account of terror attack

Mumbai 26/11 Full account of terror attack


Locations of some of the attacks Location:Mumbai, India Date26 November 2008, 9:20 pm – 29 November 2008

Attack type:Bombings, shootings, hostage crisis

Weapon(s):RDX, AK-47, AK-56 and grenades

Deaths172 Injured293

Suspected perpetrator(s)Controversial; suspects include many terrorist outfits of Pakistan origin- the previously unknown Deccan Mujahideen, the Indian Mujahideen,Lashkar-e-Taiba,Dawood Ibrahim, and Al Qaeda Number of participant(s) sources say 10

Defender(s)Mumbai Police, Anti Terrorist Squad, MARCOS, National Security Guards.

Past history of terrorism India faced in short since 2001 : Indian Parliament attack Srinagar – Akshardham Temple attack – 1st Mumbai 2003 – 2nd Mumbai 2003 – Ayodhya – Delhi 2005 – Varanasi – Jama Masjid – Mumbai 2006 – Malegaon – Samjhauta Express – Mecca Masjid – Hyderabad – Uttar Pradesh – Jaipur – Bangalore – Ahmedabad – 1st Delhi 2008 – 2nd Delhi 2008 – Western India – Agartala – Imphal – Assam – Mumbai 2008

The November 2008 Mumbai attacks were a series of ten coordinated attacks committed by terrorists, which began across Mumbai, the largest city in India and the country's financial capital, on 26 November 2008 and ended on 29 November 2008 when Indian security forces finally regained control of all attack sites.

At least 172 people including at least 34 foreign nationals, have been confirmed dead and at least 293 have been injured.

Eight attacks took place in South Mumbai: at the crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station; at two five-star hotels: the Oberoi Trident at Nariman Point, and Taj Mahal Palace & Tower near the Gateway of India; at the Leopold Cafe, a popular tourist restaurant in Colaba; at the Cama Hospital; at the Lubavitch-owned Nariman House; at the Metro Adlabs movie theatre; and at the Mumbai Police Headquarters where at least three high-level officers, including the chief of the Anti Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra, were killed by gunfire.

There was also an explosion at Mazagaon docks in Mumbai's port area. The tenth incident involved a taxi blast at Vile Parle near the airport but it is uncertain whether this is connected with the South Mumbai attacks.

A previously unknown organization identifying itself as the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility by e-mail sent to news organizations.

Some sources claim the email has been traced to have originated in Pakistan, whereas others point towards Russia.

Chronology of events:
the terrorists involved in this attack are believed to have arrived in the city by water via light, inflatable boats that were dropped off from a larger vessel anchored off port.

One such event was detailed later on at 8:10 pm IST on November 26: a boat carrying around eight young men with several large bags docked at Macchimar Nagar, Mumbai's Cuffe Parade neighborhood, where six of the men disembarked and the rest continued sailing along the shore.

When local residents asked about their occupation, the group responded that they were students. At 8:30 pm 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.The attacks began around 9:20 pm, when two militants armed with AK-47 rifles entered the passenger hall of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station[CST], opened fire and threw grenades, killing at least ten people.

Two terrorists held fifteen hostages, including seven foreigners, in the Taj Mahal hotel.
Forty people were being held as hostages in the Oberoi Trident hotel. Six blasts are
reported to have taken place at the Taj hotel and one at the Oberoi Trident.The Taj Mahal Hotel was reported to be completely under government control at 4:22 am and Indian commandos killed two gunmen inside Oberoi hotel and took control of the building.Both hotels were on fire and were surrounded by Rapid Action Force and Army personnel.About 400 Army commandos and 300 National Security Guards (NSG) commandos and 36~100 MARCOS commandos were sent to the spot.

Interior of Oberoi Trident hotel where forty hostages were heldA number of European Parliament Committee on International Trade delegates were staying in the Taj Mahal hotel when it was attacked.British Conservative MEP Sajjad Karim (who was in the lobby when gunmen initially opened fire there) and German Social Democrat MEP Erika Mann were last heard of hiding in different parts of the building.

Also reported present was Spanish MEP Ignasi Guardans, who was barricaded in a hotel room. 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. Kamall also reported that Polish MEP Jan Masiel was thought to have been sleeping in his hotel room when the attacks occurred. He did not leave his room for a long time, but he finally managed to safely leave the hotel. Kamall and Guardans report that a Hungarian MEP's assistant was shot.Also caught up in the shooting were the President of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, while checking in at the Oberoi Trident,and Indian MP N. N. Krishnadas of Kerala, while having dinner at a restaurant in the Taj hotel.

The final operation at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel was completed at 8:00 am 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.

1-Nov 21eveningTen terrorists leave Karachi, Pakistan in a boat & travel for thirty-eight hours, remaining undetected by the Indian Navy.2-Nov 22Each of the 10 men are given 6-7 magazines of 30 rounds each, 8 hand grenades, one AK-47 assault rifle, an automatic loading revolver, credit cards and a supply of dried fruit. Nov 22A separate group check in to the Taj Hotel with arms and ammunition.3-Nov 23The terrorists hijack an Indian trawler, Kuber, killing four fishermen and ordering the captain to sail to India.4-Nov 24The terrorists kill the captain and sail to Gujarat and raise a white flag. Two coast guard officers approach and question them.

They kill one of the officers and force the other to sail them to Mumbai.5-Nov 26They reach within four nautical miles (7 km) of Mumbai and kill the other coast guard officer. They then proceed to board three inflatable speedboats and reach Colaba jetty at dusk. Nov 26The ten men get off at Badhwar Park, Cuffe Parade, three blocks away from Nariman House. Nov 26Four 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.


At the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel

1- Nov 2611:00 PM:Terrorists enter Taj hotel.

Nov 2712:00 AM:Mumbai Police surrounds the hotel.

Nov 2701:00 AM-Massive blast in the central dome, fire in the building.

Nov 2702:30 AM-Army soldiers arrive in two trucks and enter the front lobby. Fire spreads across the top floor.

Nov 2703:00 AM-Fire Engines arrive. Shootings heard inside lobby and heritage building.

Nov 274:00 AM-Firemen rescue people with ladders. More than 200 people evacuated Nov 274:30 AM-Terrorists reported to move from central dome to new tower. Nov 275:00 AM-Commandos and Bomb squad arrive. Police step up heat.

Nov 275:30 AM-Fire brought under control but terrorists holed up in new tower with 100–150 hostages.

Nov 276:30 AM-Security forces say they are ready for encounter.

Nov 278:00 AM-People are brought out of the lobby.

Nov 278:30 AM-Another 50 people brought out of Chambers club.

Nov 279:00 AM-More rounds of firing many more people reported to be stuck inside. Nov 2710:30 AM-Gunbattle reported from inside

Nov 2712 Noon-50 evacuated

Nov 274:30 PM-Militants set fire to a room on the 4th floor

Nov 277:20 PM-More NSG commandos arrive, enter hotel

Nov 2711:00 PM-Operations continue

Nov 272:53 PM-Six bodies recovered

Nov 27–282:53 PM – 3:59Ten grenade explosions

Nov 283:00 PM-Marine commandos recover explosives from Taj.

Nov 284.00 PM-12–15 dead bodies recovered from the Taj by Naval Commandos. Nov 287:30 PM-Fresh explosions and gun shots at Taj Hotel.

Nov 288:30 PM-Reported that one terrorist left at the Taj.

Nov 293:40 AM – 4:10 AMReports of five explosions at the Taj.

Nov 295:05 AM-Revised estimate of one terrorist remaining.

Nov 2907:30 AM-Fire raging on first floor. Black smoke from second floor. Gunshots heard frequently—apparent gun battle.

Nov 2908:00 AM-Indian commandos state that the Taj Hotel is now under control. However they are still conducting room to room searches. People celebrate on the streets.
At the Oberoi Trident Date Estimated TimeEvent

Nov 276 AM-NSG arrives, storms hotel.

Nov 278:40 AM-Firing heard, Top army, navy officers arrive and take stock.

Nov 271:30 PM-Two small explosions. More reinforcements enter building.

Nov 273:25 PM-Some foreign hostages rescued

Nov 275:35 PM-Sikh regiment arrives, fierce gunbattle.

Nov 276 PM-27 hostages come out of Air India building, four foreigners taken to hospital.

Nov 276:45 PM-Explosion heard. Two NSG guards, 25 army personnel suspected injured. More people rescued, in all 31.

Nov 277:10 PM-1 terrorist arrested.

Nov 277:25 PM-Fire breaks out on 4th floor
Nov 2711 PM-Operations continue
Nov 2810 AM-Many hostages evacuated from the Trident building.
Nov 283:00 PM-Commando operations at Oberoi over, 24 dead bodies recovered.143 hostages rescued alive. Two militants shot dead.


At Nariman House DateEstimated TimeEvent

Nov 277 AM-Police began evacuating adjacent buildings.

Nov 2711 AM-Cross-firing between terrorists and police; one militant injured.

Nov 272:45 PM-Terrorists threw grenade into nearby lane; no casualties.

Nov 275:30 PM-NSG commandos arrive, naval helicopter took aerial survey.

Nov 2711 PM-Operations continued.

Nov 2712 PM-9 hostages rescued from first floor.

Nov 287:30 AM-NSG commandos airdropped onto the top of Nariman house.

Nov 287:30 PM-All 6 hostages including the Rabbi and his wife found killed by the terrorists.

Nov 288:30 PM-NSG commandos declared the operations over, 2 terrorists killed.

A satellite phone recovered from two dead terrorists reportedly showed calls made to Karachi before and after the attacks commenced.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". 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.


Confession of a captured terrorist:Azam Amir Kasav,
a 21 year old terrorist, was caught trying to escape in a car, at Girgaum Chowpatty Naka in Mumbaiand taken to the Nair hospital. According to preliminary investigations by intelligence agencies, Azam is from Faridkot (near Multan) in Pakistan and had received arms training in Pakistan.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. 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.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."

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.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.ATS sources indicate that blood and urine tests on Azam showed that the terrorist was heavily drugged while committing the acts of terror.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.

He said that they planned to mostly kill indiscriminately while singling out white foreign tourists, and Jews and sparing Muslims whenever possible.

 He also said that he had expected to get away with the assault.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.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.Although not yet confirmed, Kasav is also reported to have told police that the group received help from local Mumbai residents.

List of victims of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks:

At least 172 people had been killed in the attacks and 293 wounded.Among the dead were 123 Indian civilians, 17 policemen and 32 foreigners.

The breakdown of the foreigners was as follows: four Americans, four Australians, three Canadians, three Germans, two Israeli-Americans, two Israelis , two French, two Italians, one British-Cypriot, one Dutch, one Japanese, one Jordanian, one Malaysian, one Mauritian, one Mexican, one Singaporean, one Spaniard and one Thai.

In addition, nine terrorists were killed and one was captured.26 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, Canada, Spain, Norway, Finland, Oman, China, Japan, the Philippines and Jordan.Andreas Liveras, a British yachting tycoon (of dual Greek Cypriot and British citizenship), was among those confirmed killed.German TV producer Ralph Burkei, and French lingerie tycoon, Loumia Hiridjee and her husband, were also among the dead. Husband and wife, Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and Rivka Holtzberg, both of whom were hostages in Nariman House, also died during the attack, along with one American, one dual Israeli-American, one Mexican woman and three other unidentified people.

14 policemen and three NSG commandos were killed, including the following officers: Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad Chief Hemant Karkare, who headed the team investigating the politically sensitive 2006 Malegaon blasts. Karkare had also been receiving death threats recently, including a threat to bomb his residencebut it is unclear if these were related to his death. Additional Commissioner of Police: Ashok Kamte Encounter specialist: Vijay Salaskar Senior inspector Shashank Shinde, who had recently been involved in investigating many of India's recent bombings. NSG Commando, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan NSG Commando Hawaldar Chandar NSG Commando Gajendra Singh Three railway officials of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus had also been killed in the terror strikes.

We salute Indian police ,Mumbai police who fought with terrorist without any equipment, they
fought with pistols, sticks ,without bullet proff jacketes and helmets .

Reality views by sm




2 comments:

Anonymous,  December 04, 2008  

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sm,  December 28, 2009  

Gurpreet Singh,
thanks.