MUMBAI

ATTACKS
RLSPONSL & LLSSONS
2
CONTRIBUTORS
VILSON OlN
PAlL SORIN
ANALI SlARMA
O\IITA BlATTAClARII
KAlSTAV DlAR ClAKRABARTI
AASlTI SALMAN
NISlA VIRMA
3
INDLX
1. Map o attacks
2. Introduction
3. Chronology
4. Lessons o Mumbai
. Central goernment
6. Maharashtra goernment
. Counter Terrorist response
8. Indian political parties
9. International response
10. Corporate reaction
11. Media reaction
12. ihadi reaction
4
THL TOPOGRAPHY OF ATTACKS
5
THL MUMBAI TLRROR ATTACKS
A CASI STlD\ Ol
RISPONSI & RIACTIONS
Introduction
A group o 10 terrorists rom Pakistan, trained by terrorist groups supported
by Pakistan`s Army and Inter Serices Intelligence ISI , directorate, attacked
Mumbai on Noember 26, 2008. The multiple attacks and the counter -terrorist
oensie lasted oer 60 hours, leaing oer 180 people, many o them oreign
nationals, killed, leaing India, and the world, shocked by the audacity o th e
attack.
The Mumbai terror attack was the most serious terrorist onslaught on the
Indian state with grae ramiications or its secular, democratic and economic
aspirations. This `terrorist inasion` o the country seriously undermined, i not
crippled, multiple layers o security and crisis management structures put in
place with considerable inestment and thought to protect the country. The
success o the terrorists in achieing their objecties o damaging the economy
and image o the country, attract global attention towards their cause and create
a world-wide bout o panic and anxiety showed the global agenda o the
terrorist alliances, some o which based in Pakistan, to inluence economic,
social and political changes in soereign countries.
The attack changed, like 9,11 did in the lS, the dimensions o the threat
terrorist groups pose to India. It signal led a dramatic change in strategy as well
as modus operandi in how India aced grae threats rom terrorist groups and
alliances with bases and support within the country, and outside, particularly in
Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The Mumbai attack thereore called or a decisie, isible and comprehensie
response rom India. Vas there such a response rom the Indian state and its
agencies This is the question which this document proposes to address by
documenting the responses o arious arms o the goernment during the crisis
to study obious gaps and possible lessons that can be drawn rom the
experience.
It must be said at the outset that this study cannot, and do not, claim to be a
comprehensie account o the eents that unolded between Noember 2 6,
6
2008 9.30 pm, and Noember 29 , 2008 as it is based entirely on published
accounts. There were meetings, conersations and discussions at the hig hest
leels o goernment which we hae no way o knowing or collating or the
purpose o a detailed assessment. Such assessments are best carried out by
goernment-appointed commissions o inquiry with access to oicial records
and witnesses.
The singular objectie o our exercise is to encourage such an inquiry and
initiate a much-needed debate on a comprehensie, national eort to tackle
terrorism which has shown a high degree o lexibility and ruthlessness as
compared to counter-terrorism mechanisms in place.
****
7
LLSSONS OF MUMBAI ATTACKS
CRISIS MANAGLMLNT
CONCLlSIONS:
lor the irst ie hours, no one took a decision whether the attack in
Mumbai merited a national response. There was considerable delay in
raising the response leel rom loca l gang war, to State leel irings
at CST, Leopold Ca, to National leel hostage situation and assault
on hotels,.
Ien ater the lome Minister ordered airliting o NSG commandos
rom Manesar near Delhi to tackle the situation, no coordination
mechanism was put in place to acilitate the response. The NSG`s
ie-hour delay in reaching Mumbai betrayed the absence o a
command and control mechanism and absence o authority at the
ederal leel.
Too many meetings were held in Delhi during the crisis, no ne o
which resulted in the setting up o a Crisis Management Group to
deal with the unolding situation in Mumbai.
There was no coordination between arious agencies inoled in the
operation.
No proision was made or a regular media brieing twice a d ay,
made by a senior Press Inormation Bureau oicer or the oicial
spokesperson o the Ministry o Ixternal Aairs,Ministry o lome
Aairs,Ministry o Deence. This could hae helped the goernment
to control the low o inormation and preented dama ge done by
the zealous media.
The Prime Minister`s address came almost a day later. An early
broadcast should hae helped ease public anxiety.
No alert was sounded or Chemical, Biological, Radiological and
Nuclear CBRN, containment throughout the crisis. The Natural
Disaster Response lorce NDRl, , stationed in Pune, too could hae
been mobilised.
LISSONS:
8
The Crisis Management Group should hae met round the clock to
reiew the situation and act as bridge between arious agencies
inoled in the operati on in Mumbai.
The Cabinet Secretary, assisted by the National Security Adisor,
should hae taken charge o the reiew and monitoring o the
situation in Mumbai.
The Prime Minister`s Oice should hae independent acility or
broadcast.
NSG teams with CBRN training should orm part o the response
team.
Media brieing or updates on a daily basis must orm part o the crisis
management.
The intelligence agencies should appoint a spokesperson or utilise the
serices o the Press Inormation Bureau to addre ss the media or
respond to questions and clariications sought.
The Natural Disaster Response lorce NDRl, , an eight battalion
orce set up under the Disaster Management Act o 200, comprises
2 battalions each rom the Central Industrial Security lorce CISl,,
the Border Security lorce BSl,, the Central Resere Police lorce
CRPl, and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police ITBP, . The orce is
responsible or mounting proessional response during natural or
man made disasters. lour o these battalions are train ed and
equipped in NBC related disasters. Vhile NDRl is a specialized
orce, despite regular protests by the National Disaster Response
Authority NDMA,, the Ministry o lome Aairs oten deploys
NDRl in election duty like regular assignments.
Some o the aboe loopholes can be rectiied or reduced by adding
`terrorist attacks`` as part o the mandate gien to the National
Disaster Management Authority NDMA, under the Disaster
Management Act, 200. Cyber terrorism is one o the agendas which
include both man-made and natural disasters.
INCIDLNT MANAGLMLNT
CONCLlSIONS
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. And in the case o India's
terror response mechanism, the irst responders were clearly not
9
trained or the job and represented the weakest link. Most o the
security personnel present in CST simply reused to ight as their
training did not inuse in them the conidence to ight well armed
terrorists. At, Cama hospital ATS oicers could not counter the
tactics o their adersary. In both the hotels, the irst responders were
simply not equipped to access the situation and act accordingly.
There are laid out Standard Operating Procedures SOP, or
Command during joint operations in conlict areas like &K and the
North Iast. loweer in Mumbai such a single point command was
completely missing.
Critical coordination between local authorities and armed orces was
absent adding to delays and conusion about the layout o the hotels
and other buildings taken oer by the terrorists.
There was hardly any attempt to cordon o the area to keep the
media and public at a saer distance. The presence o large number o
people in the area o operation could hae jeopardised the operations
and resulted in additional casualties.
Media brieings were conduct ed by dierent agencies and political
leaders giing a conused picture o the situation and the State
response while giing away crucial inormation to the terrorists.
LISSONS
A command and control centre should hae been set up in Mumbai
with the State Chie Secretary as in charge with representaties o the,
Nay, Army, NSG, local police ire -brigade, medical and municipal
authorities.
The need or a well trained, cohesie irst response to terror attacks
is the need o the hour. This could mean rais ing specialised units
within the police departments o cities with high threat perceptions.
These SVAT-like units should be trained in terrorist incidents and
hostage crisis. They should also be mandated to coordinate with
ederal and units o the Armed lorces and Standard Operating
Procedures should be established regarding joint operations and
command related issues. Most western police departments like the
Los Angeles Police Department hae established norms o
responding within 40 minutes.
There is already a blueprint o a Incident Command System which
was deeloped by the Ministry o lome Aairs in collaboration with
the lnited States Agency or International Deelopment lSAID, to
handle man-made disasters. The primary objectie o deeloping the
10
ICS programme was to transorm the conusion during the early
stage o an emergency situation into a well managed response process
by proiding answers to questions such as "who`s in charge " and
"what`s my job" The ICS is broadly based on ie -management
principles a, Command b, Planning c, Operation d, Logistics e,
linance and administration. The structure can be deeloped urther
to handle terrorist situations. The most eectie way to deelop such
an integrated system would be to build on existing emer gency
response capabilities at the state and central leels.
An oicial spokesperson with a media room should hae been in
place within 12 hours o the incident and all media queries should
hae been reerred to him or his representaties.

11
CHRONOLOGY
Noember 26-29, 2008
November26 (Wednesday)
9:20 pm iring near Chhatrapati Shiaji Terminus. Terrorists hijack a police
jeep near Metro Cinema
9: 48 pm iring outside Leopold ca at Colaba in South Mumbai
9: pm iring near lotel Trident
9:9 pm iring at Cama hospital, near CST
10.03 pm liring outside the Taj Mahal lotel in south Mumbai.
10:0 pm iring near the Times o India building
10:1 pm iring outside the Municipal Corporation o Greater Mumbai
headquarters, Gate 2, opposite CST
11:00 pm Blast in a an in Vile Parle in North Mumbai
11:00 pm Mumbai police Anti - Terrorist squad ATS, Chie lemant Karkare
killed in a ire ight with terrorists in Cama lospital.
11:10 pm two blasts at Napean Sea road in South Mumbai
12.00 am: The top loor o the amous hotel catches ire ater a bomb
explosion.
12:29 am: shooting at the State Bank o India
12:3 am: shooting at Vidhan Bhawan
November 27th (Thursday)
2.30 am: Maharashtra DGP A N Roy says no more hostages in Taj .
12
am: An email sent by unknown group, Deccan Mujahideen, to teleision
channels warning o more attacks.
:30 am: NSG commandoes enter the Taj to eacuate people.
9.30 am: Senior Army oicer says 10-12 terrorists still hiding in the two hotels
and the Nariman louse.
11: 1 am Rabbi Gariel loltzberg`s child and an Indian maid seen coming out
o Nariman house in South Mumbai.
11:16 am: Shots heard rom the Mumbai headquarters o the ultra orthodox
ewish outreach group Chabad Lubaitch that was seized by the gu nmen
oernight.
12.01 pm: At least our terrorists are holed up in the Taj lotel where 40 to 0
guests were still trapped, says Major R K looda, General Oicer Commanding
o Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat.
12.13 pm: Anti-mine squad rom Pune also rushing to Mumbai.
12. pm: A day ater the terror attack on the historic Chhatrapati Shiaji
Terminus which let oer hundred killed, serices on the Central Railways were
restored to normal.
1.48 pm: Maharashtra DGP Roy conirm all hostages inside Taj res cued.
lostage-like situation at Trident continued.
1.0 pm: 200 more NSG commandos rushed to Mumbai.
2.40 pm: More NSG commandos reach Taj.
2.40 pm: liring resumes in Taj.
2.43 pm: Grenade blast heard rom Nariman louse.
3.10 pm: The Coast Guard launched a major search or a ship 'M V
Alpha`.Nay`s INS Kunjali and Vindhyagiri are inoled in the chase.
4.13 pm: ewish priest Gabriel among hostages held at Nariman louse.
13
4.18 pm: Major General R K looda, GOC Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat,
conirms 4- militants holed up at Nariman louse.
4.24 pm: Terrorists holed up in Room No 43 o Taj lotel.
4.2 pm: A terrorist reportedly killed in Taj hotel. Commandos began entering
into the rooms o the hotel.
4.40 pm: 30 hostages reed rom Trident, ano ther 3 people still trapped inside
the hotel.
4. pm: Nay spokesman Capt Manohar Nambiar said MV Alpha located.
.40: pm: An NSG team, specialising in managing hostage crisis, moed to
Nariman louse armed with rocket launchers and bazookas.
6.00 pm: 14 more people eacuated rom the Oberoi, 0 more commandoes
enter the Taj.
11: 30 pm : Security orces surround the Nariman louse with reports o resh
iring.
November 28 (Friday)
Iarly morning: NSG commando Major Sandeep lnnikrishnan killed in t he
operation at Taj.
12.0 am: seen hostages reed rom Nariman.
2.2 am: lresh iring begins between NSG and the holed up terrorists in
Nariman house. Reports o an Israeli team being lown in to assist in
operations.
4.1 am: NSG-DG K Dutt said Trident-Oberoi has been sanitised, two
terrorists were in Oberoi, one in Taj and 2 -3 at Nariman.
.00: Third blast heard at Nariman louse. National Security Guard NSG,
commandos take positions.
. am: Police asks media to stop lie telecast o happening s at the Taj. .
14
6. am: One terrorist reportedly spotted at the third loor o Taj.
.1: Commandos airdrop on roo o Nariman louse. Two explosions at
Nariman louse.
.40 am: One more helicopter drops commandoes on top o Nariman louse.
8.0 am: NSG brings more commandos rom Delhi.
10.12 am: Iacuations underway in two loors o Trident -Oberoi hotel.
10.3 am: At least 3-4 more hostages, majority o them oreigners, rescued
rom Trident-Oberoi hotel.
10. am: Southern Command GOC-in-Chie Lt Gen N Thamburaj says one
terrorist may still be holed up inside Taj.
11:26 am: Six oreigners among 3-4 people rescued rom Trident.
11.43 am: Terrorists ire at NSG commandos rom the ourth loor o Nariman
louse.
1.00 pm: Six more teams o Rapid Action lorce RAl, are on way to Taj.
1.24 pm: At least 148 hostages, majority o them oreigners, rescued rom
Trident.
2.00 pm: Operation complete in Oberoi Trident, NSG takes control.
3.26 pm: Coast Guard Commander Satish Chandran said ' Kuber' seized,
belongs to a resident rom Porbandar.
3.0 pm: Nine blasts rock Taj.
4.11 pm: 30 bodies recoered rom Trident.
4.22 pm: Six hostages rescued rom Taj.
4.44 pm: Three explosions at Taj .
15
6. pm: DG NSG K Dutt said the second lo or o Nariman louse cleared,
NSG in the third, ie bodies o hostages recoered.
.40 pm: Two terrorists killed in Nariman louse.
. pm: Operation on at the third loor o Nariman louse.
9.06 pm: DG NSG says "Nariman louse cleared and secured ."
November 29 (Saturday)
12.01 am: NSG moes into lobby o Taj, Director General DG, NSG K
Dutt says operation will end tonight.
3.0 am: Intense gunire on irst loor o Taj.
6.04 am: lie large explosions heard rom inside the Taj. Snipers take pos itions
as security orces launch the 'inal assault' against terrorists holed -up in the
hotel.
.4: lire breaks out on lower loors o Taj.
12.00 pm: NSG conirms all terrorists killed at Taj.
4.30: Indian goernment announces death toll o 183, inclu ding 22 oreigners.
9.00 pm: 22 bodies, including that o the ourth terrorist, recoered in Taj by
NSG commandos.

16
RLSPONSL AND LLSSONS
CLNTRAL GOVLRNMLNT
Crating a multi-dimensional approach to counter terrorism calls or extensie
assessment o the systematic ailures that acilitated the execution o the
Mumbai attack, how the State agencies responded to the crisis, how did the
international community react and respond and what are the possible lessons
which can be drawn rom the experience.
Prime Minister's Office
It is air to assume that the Prime Minister must hae been inormed o the
attacks within the irst hour o the irst attack on CST in Mumbai on
Noember 26, 2008. There are reports that a Crisis Management Group
meeting was called by the Prime Minister at his residence at about 11. 30 pm.
O the seeral calls that ollowed the meeting, one went to the oice the
Directorate General o Military Operations. Diision 8B o the DGMO then
alerted the army`s Special lorces.
The NSA and the intelligence heads, who participated in the meeting, were
asked to prepare bries or the Cabinet Committee on Security CCS, which
met later in the day. The meeting was attended by RAV Chie Ashok
Chaturedi and IB Chie P C laldar besides th e NSA. The CCS meeting was
addressed by the NSA and the lnion lome Minister. Members o the
National Security Adisory Board also met alongside. The CCS meeting was
ollowed by a meeting o the Cabinet Committee on Political Aairs CCPA,.
Both the meetings were oer by 11 in the morning and were ollowed by a ull-
Cabinet meeting later in the day. The CCPA meeting was more o routine
nature and the only reerence to the Mumbai attacks was to oer condolences
to the ictims.
The media was brieed by lome Minister Shiraj Patil ater the Cabinet
meeting where here said the attacks were ery disturbing and we are all
sorry about it.
The Prime Minister addressed the nation at . 30 pm the same day, three hours
later than the scheduled time. The delay in broadcasting the PM`s address was
caused by the absence o the technician handling the teleprompter. The delay
only added to the widespread leel o anxiety among the people about the
17
goernment`s reaction to eents unolding in Mumbai telecast by multi tudes o
teleision channels.
The Prime Minister`s address was measured in tone and tenor but ell short o
sending out a strong message and reassurance to the public that the
goernment was in the know and control o the situation.
The Prime Minister isited Mumbai on Noember 2, and chaired a meeting o
Maharashtra Goernor SC amir, Maharashtra Chie Minister Vilasrao
Deshmukh and others. le also isited the injured in the hospitals. le did not
address the media at Mumbai.
On Noember 29, the Prime Minister remained in Delhi and spoke to Pakistan
Prime Minister \ousa Raza Gillani. Dr Singh asked his counterpart to send the
ISI chie to Delhi or a meeting. Gillani accepted the oer, only to retract
within hours.
le chaired a meeting attended by the three Serice chies and intelligence
agencies to discuss the all -outs o the terror attacks and ways to preent the
recurrence o such incidents in the uture. The meeting reiewed the security
situation. Deence Secretary Vijay Singh, lome Secretar y Madhukar Gupta,
Army Chie General Deepak Kapoor, Naal Chie Admiral Suresh Mehta, Air
lorce Chie Air Chie Marshal lali lomi Major, Coast Guard Director
General Admiral R l Contractor and Intelligence Bureau Chie P C laldar
attended the meeting.
Union Home Minister
Minister Shiraj Patil lew to Mumbai on Noember 2 with National Security
Guards Director General K Dutt and lome Secretary Madhukar Gupta. In
Mumbai, he held an emergency meeting with Maharashtra Chie Minister
Vilasrao Dekhmukh to reiew the situation. Others who attended the hour -
long meeting include Goernor S C amir and Deputy Chie Minister R R Patil
besides top goernment oicials.
In Delhi, on Noember 28, Patil chaired a meeting with top oicials o arious
orces and agencies where it was decided to shore up security measures along
the coastline. The meeting was attended by the lome Secretary, Naal Chie,
the Coast Guard Chie, Army Vice Chie Lt Gen M L Naidu and Special
Secretary Internal Security, in the lome Ministry M L Kumawat. One o the
decisions taken at the meeting was to ask coastal states to register all ishing
ships with the police. At present, ishing ships and small trawlers are simply
18
registered with dierent harbour authorities, leaing the police cluele ss about
their owners and the clients who generally hire them or ishing purposes.
On Noember 29, he called a high-leel security reiew meeting attended by
the NSA, Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrashekhar, lome Secretary Madhukar
Gupta, IB chie laldar and other senior oicials to discuss short, medium and
long term measures to preent attacks like the Mumbai one. The next day, he
participated in the all -party meeting conened by the Prime Minister where he
brieed the members o the situation and the ac tion taken by the goernment.
The same eening, at the Congress Vorking Committee, he submitted his
resignation.
Union Defence Minister
Deence Minister AK Antony conened a meeting o the three Serice Chies
on Noember 2. The meeting was attended by Chies o Sta Committee
chairman and Nay chie, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Vice Chie o the Army
Sta and Air lorce chie lali lomi Major, apart rom top intelligence oicers
o the serices. The Army chie was away on a tour o South Arica. The
meeting reiewed the situation in Mumbai and discussed counter -terrorist
measures. The Directorate o Public Relations, Ministry o Deence, held no
press brieings during the crisis or aterwards.
National Security Advisor/National Security Advisory Board
At the time o the attack, National Security Adisor MK Narayanan was
attending a party at a ormer IPS oicer, Nikhil Kumar`s residence and
returned only ater 11. 30 p m. lor the next two days, he attended all the
meetings called by the Prime Minister and the lome Minister. There is no
indication o the meeting o the National Security Adisory Board during the
crisis.
The National Security Adisory Board also met along with the Crisis
Management Group meeting on the morning o Noember 2 .The board,
whose job is to gie "out o goernment" adice to the National Security
Council and the Centre, is understood to hae coneyed its "dismay" and
"sense o outrage" oer the attacks and urged the Centre to address these
public perceptions.
Intelligence agencies
Both the Intelligence Bureau IB, and Research Analysis Ving RAV, heads
remained busy with meetings called by the Prime Minister, lome Minister and
Deence Minister. Vith the multiple ailures o intelligence and security
19
agencies becoming glaring as the cr isis unolded in Mumbai, the agencies
indulged in selectie leaks to the media to shrug o accountability or the
ailure. Vhile the ederal agencies said speciic intelligence warnings had been
gien prior to the attacks which is true,, the State police , Coast Guard and
Nay argued that such warnings were routine and hence not gien the
importance they desered.
National Crisis Management Committee
The committee, mandated by the Disaster Management Act o 200, to
organise rescue and rehabilitation mea sures in times o crisis ranging rom
earthquake to cyber-terrorist attack did not take any isible action during the
Mumbai crisis. The Cabinet Secretary heads the committee. In Mumbai, the
Chie Secretary, who heads the State committee, was at home and t he crisis
control room was manned by a DGP and senior police oicials. The lome
Secretary was trapped inside the Taj and the Chie Minister was away in Kerala
and reached Mumbai only at 3 am.
The National Security Guards are trained in CBRN Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear, containment by the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre.
Vhether CBRN containment was actored in during the planning o the rescue
operation in Mumbai is not known.
Similarly, there is no indication o the deployment o Natural Disaster
Response Force NDRl,, trained in CBRN contained and stationed at Pune
in Mumbai.
20
MAHARASTRA GOVLRNMLNT
Chief Minister. Vilasrao Deshmukh
The Chie Minister was in Kerala when the attack took place. le called up the
lnion lome Minister who in turn inormed the National Security Guards
about the crisis. The CM returned to Mumbai at 3 am. On Noember 2, he
spoke with the Prime Minister, the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Gujarat
Chie Minister Narendra Modi among others,, receied th e lnion lome
Minister, attended the security reiew meeting and addressed a press
conerence where he said:" This is a most audacious attack. It is a ery serious
situation and gun battles are still on in at least three places." The next day, he
receied the Prime Minister, attended a security reiew meeting with him. On
Noember 29, the CM held a press conerence to declare that Mumbai was ree
o terrorists. On Noember 30, he took his son, and a moie director riend to
inspect the Taj and Trident lotel s. le submitted his resignation on December
1, 2008.
Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil
Deputy Chie Minster and also lome Minister o Maharashtra RR Patil, was
out o station during the irst two days o the crisis and returned to Mumbai o n
Noember 28 and addressed a press conerence. On Noember 29, he said
Tine bade shear mien chute hands ho jota hay. To total ailure nail hay. In
big cities like this, small incidents do happen. It's is not a total ailure.," le
brieed oer the next two days regularly, holding orth on the need or
strengthening coastal security and an elite commando orce like the National
Security Guards NSG, or Mumbai. le reused to resign and argued, beore
the media, that since Gujarat Chie Minister did not re sign ater the
Akshardham was attacked, nor did lnion lome Minister LK Adani ater the
Parliament attack, there was no reason or him to do so. On December 1, he
resigned.
Mumbai Police
Directorate General of Police A N Roy on Noember 2 said "we will ery
soon get them terrorists, either alie or dead". At 2 am, he said there were no
hostages in the Taj and Trident, and there were no talks with militants. le said
``till now ie terrorists hae been killed and nine suspected people hae been
arrested. The situation at the Taj hotel is under control. There is no hostage -
like situation there.``
21
On Noember 28, he said Seeral hostages hae been eacuated rom the
1th loor o the Oberoi hotel by the NSG commandos. Roy declined to gie
any number o people who might be inside the hotel and inormed that our
suspected terrorists were killed in the Taj Mahal operation and that more
deaths were likely.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Ghafoor on Noember 2 said the
attacks were suspected to be "coordinated terrorist acts", and added that
automatic weapons like AK-4 and AK-6 and semi-automatic riles as well as
grenades were apparently used. le was inoled in brieing the isiting
dignitaries and coordinating the police action on the spot as well as in other
parts o the city. le also remained busy in initiating the inestigations.
Municipal authorities
The Disaster Management Cell o the Mumbai municipal authority was
inoled in directing operations and liaisoning with the separate control room s
o police, ire and medical teams. The team members were in constant contact
with each other through the emergency radio network but were not prepared to
handle an emergency o the magnitude which was witnessed in Mumbai. There
is no indication o any coordination with the central authorities.
The Mumbai Fire brigade was brought into action both or extinguishing ire
that erupted oten during the operations in the Taj lotel and Oberoi Trident
and also in the rescue operations. The ambulances o the ir e serices were
utilised or errying the casualties to hospitals. American businessman, C.
Richard Dienderer, was just one o hundreds o trapped ictims. In news
accounts, he reerred to Mumbai's ire ighters as "angels rom leaen." As
ire crews inally reached Dienderer, they surrounded him in order to
protect him rom gunire. lire ighting eorts were hampered by gunire aimed
at ire ighters, who braely remained at their posts both atop the aerial
platorms and at the ground leel.
Priate ambulance services were pressed into serice rom Noember 2. But
the para-medics and other staers with these serices were hampered by lack
o protectie gear and training to handle rescue and relie operations during a
terrorist attack. The Mumbai ire brigade used its ans to cart the injured to the
hospitals.
22
COUNTLR TLRRORIST RLSPONSL
Units involved in the strike
The Security lorces deised a our tier security ring around the target
areas. The irst tier comprised o crack commandos o the NSG, the
MARCOS and the Army Special lorces. The second tier comprised o
the Army personnel that cordoned o the targets. The third tier was laid
by Mumbai Police ATS and the last tier by regular Mumbai Police.
First responders
State Police, ATS, liremen, Paramedics
Specialist lnits - NSG, MARCOS, Army Spec Ops
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST)
November 26
The Chhattrapati Shiaji Terminus was struck at 9 21 pm on Noember 26.
Two militants - Mohammed Ajmal Amir 'Kasab' and Ismail Khan entered
Platorm 13 where outstation passengers were waiting and began to ire
indiscriminately and lobbed grenades. The station had limited security manned
by poorly equipped local police, and Railway Protection lorce personnel.
These units, trained to maintain law and order and carry out basic policing
duties were neither equipped nor trained to ight terrorists trained in military
tactics. O the police personnel present on the spot, Constable Ajit Kumar
Nalaade ired three rounds at terrorists beore his gun .3 03, jammed The
terrorists enjoyed an oerwhelming adantage oer the police and killed 6
people and injured 98 in CST.
Cama Hospital
November 26
By 11 pm, the two terrorists went to the adjoining Cama & Albless lospital
and lodged themseles somewhere near the terrace. Three policemen soon
arried at the ront gate and a ire ight took place. lsing grenades, the
terrorists killed two while injured the third. The two attackers came down and
were intercepted by Additional Commissioner o Police Sada nand Date who
was injured in the attack.
23
Responding to Date's injury, ATS chie lemant Karkare, ACP Ashok Khamte
and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar, along with 4 constables arried at Cama
lospital in a police Qualis jeep. They were ambushed and al l three oicers
killed on the spot.
Girgaum Chowpatty
November 26-27
The terrorists remoed the bodies and droe the jeep to the V idhan Bhawan
where one o the tyres got punctured. They hijacked a Skoda and went to
Girgaum Chowpatty.
The police had established a barricade on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Marg
in Chowpatty. Two men carrying SLRs Sel Loading Rile, a single ire assault
rile, took positions on either side o the road. The ehicle came to a halt 0
eet rom the barricade. The terrori sts tried to make a l turn and crashed into
the diider. The drier, Abu Ismail ire d at the police who returned ire and
killed him on the spot.
Nine brae policemen, armed only with tatli. batons,, charged at the ehicle,
Assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Ombale moed towards Kasab who ired
rom his AK-4 at him. Ombale grabbed the barrel o the rile and ell on
Kasab. lis act enabled others to capture Kasab alie. Ombale died on the spot.
Taj Mahal Hotel Operation Cyclone
November 26-27
The iconic 6-room Taj Mahal hotel was stuck by our terrorists at around 10
in the eening o Noember 26. Terrorists barged into the hotel through the
ront entrance ater a shootout in the nearby Ca Leopold that was meant to
cause a diersion which gae the as sailants complete surprise at the Taj. They
targeted the ront desk and began to ire indiscriminately at the guests.
According to eyewitnesses, they then stormed the adjoining eateries - the
larbour Bar and the Golden Dragon and killed most o the guest s who had
not moed to secure locations by then. They also broke into the cellar and
lobbed grenades, killing eeryone. They took hostages, especially American and
British citizens, and lodged themseles on the 19th loor. In the meantime,
hotel sta, showing admirable strength and presence o mind, escorted around
20 guests to the members only Chambers area. loweer their location was
gien away by media reports and soon the terrorists began to comb the
24
Chambers. It thus became eident that the intent o the terrorists was to cause
maximum casualties and take hostages only or the sake o prolonging the
siege, increase international media attention and make rescue operations
diicult, and perhaps attempt a getaway.
Ater sounds o gunire and grenade ex plosions were heard, eight police
oicers armed with pistols arried at the Taj, becoming the irst responders.
lnable to conront the terrorists, reinorcements were soon called the ighting
continued.
By two in the morning, elite special orces o th e Indian Nay, MARCOS,
stationed at INS Abhimanyu near Mumbai entered the scene an hour ater
being requested by the Maharashtra goernment. Their entry was delayed as the
Nay reused to commit its assets unless requested by the Chie Secretary,
which is the laid down norm with specialized orces like the MARCOS. Two
Prahar teams, each comprising 8-9 operaties entered the Taj and continued to
lush out` guests by checking into their rooms, according to Vice Admiral
.S.Bedi, Chie o the Vestern Naal Co mmand. Contact was made with the
terrorists on the second loor and an exchange on gunire took place, injuring
one o the commandos.
At three in the morning, militants lobbed a grenade and the amous dome o
the old wing was set on ire. At this moment iremen arried on the scene and
in iteen minutes, the irst hostage was rescued. They made multiple rescue
attempts using cherry-pickers and were gien coer by MARCOS.
By the end o their mission, the MARCOS had cleared 40 suites and more than
300 hostages were rescued.
NSG operaties, under the tactical command o Col Sheoran, entered the new
building o the Taj complex, known as the Taj Towers. Two teams, led by
Major Sandeep lnnikrishnan and Major Kanwal push the terrorists to the old
building through the connecting door while rushing rescued hostages though
all possible exit points.
By 2 pm it became clear that instead o two, there were our terrorists holed up
in Taj. They were reported to be shiting between the top loor restaurant and
the bar below and lobbed grenades wheneer threatened by the commandos.
The NSG planned to moe the trapped guests into a centralized area rom
where they could be eacuated. Most guests trapped in their rooms reused to
open the door. Improising, the NSG c irculated a password among the trapped
25
guests these are not to be conused with hostages that were being kept at gun
point, in order to communicate with them. It should be noted that electronic
keys had been disabled due to the pressure o the grenade bla sts. By the end o
Thursday, more than 400 hostages had been rescued.
November 28
Throughout the night o the 28th ire ights continued between the holed up
terrorists and NSG commandos. Terrorists moed into the 4th loor and
secured themseles in room 43. In the ensuing attempt to break into the
room, a commando was injured. Major lnnikrishnan was hit while trying to
sae the injured commando and dies in the process. Both the terrorists are
killed.
At 11 am 28th,, GOC Southern Command, Lt. Gen. Th amburaj told the
media that the Taj Towers new building, had been cleared and that one
terrorist remained in the old building. Later in the eening, Mumbai Police
Chie A N Roy said that two huge caches o explosies, capable o causing
major damage` hae been ound at two locations at either side o the Taj.
November 29
Series o explosions were heard in the morning. lire broke out in the lower
loors o the Taj due to the now constant grenade blasts. NSG made another
moe to eliminate the remaining two terrorists, who, isolated on the irst loor
began to show signs o atigue and low morale. NSG commandos lobbed a
grenade into the room and killed the irst terrorist who alls o the window.
The other terrorist is shot dead in the corridor, thus bri nging the 60 hour
Operation Cyclone to an end.
Security orces recoered magazines, AK series weapons, magazines, grenades
and also, a Mauritius ID card, ;1200 and Rs 6000 in cash, dry ruits and a host
o credit cards rom the terrorists.
At least 0 ciilians lost their lies during the siege in the Taj. Rescue
personnel, comprising the police, the ire brigade, the NSG and MARCOS
rescue more than 400 hostages. NSG lost one o its oicers while eliminating
all our terrorists.
Hotel Oberoi-Trident Operation Black Tornado
November 26-27
26
Terrorists attacked the Oberoi - Trident lotel at 9 pm on Noember 26, in
synchronization with the assault on the Taj. Two terrorists attacked the ront
desk, and moed towards the amous Tiin restaurant and open ed
indiscriminate ire, killing most present. They then moe towards the upper
loors to gain tactical adantage in the ire ight with the security orces that
ensued. At 2 2 security orces, comprising the state ATS, Police and the Quick
Reaction lorce o the Mumbai Police entered the hotel complex but had to be
pull back soon aterwards. Reports suggest that they were successul in rescuing
some o the hostages. One and a hal Prahar units o MARCOS were deployed
in Trident but were kept on standby and did not take part in the rescue
operation.
In the morning between -8 am, the 1 Special Action Group SAG, o the
National Security Guards began preparations or the hostage rescue mission.
They receied maps rom the hotel sta and also ideo ootage rom a 21 Para
Special lorces, oicer on leae. Soon the 0 Guards stormed the hotel in two
teams, one led by Squadron Commander Major Bharat Singh and the other by
Lt Col Sharma. They used the ire exits and climbed to the 21st loor. By
adopting the top down` approach, they were able to diminish the adantage
held by the two terrorists.
lirst contact was made on the 18th loor and in the ensuing ire ight, the
terrorists moed into room 186 and were surrounded. The NSG used land
leld Thermal Imagers llTI, to locate them but were unable to do so. Major
Saura Shah was injured in the process and was eacuated. By three in the
aternoon, the terrorists were zeroed in. NSG kept up the ire in order to
exhaust the terrorist`s ammunition.
November 28
By aternoon, the two terrorists moed to the 18th loor and were spotted.
They moed into the washroom o a room and set up deences. Commandos
surrounded them and both are eliminated. The Trident -Oberoi complex is
secured and thus Operation Black Torn ado reaches its end. Two AK series
assault riles, one pistol and lie grenades are ound rom the scene.
Almost 10 hostages were rescued rom the Trident Oberoi lotel, 30 killed
with the security orces not suering any casualties. Both the terrorists w ere
killed.
Nariman House
November 26-27
27
Nariman louse was targeted at around 9 30 pm on Noember 26 by two
terrorists. Located in the highly congested area o Colaba, Nariman louse
which houses the ultra-orthodox ewish Chabad Lubaitch outreach group
presented the trickiest challenge or the security orces. The ie -storey tall
Nariman louse is located in the in one o the most congested localities in
Mumbai and had limited entry points rom the ground. The NSG has come
or seere criticism rom inter national experts, especially ormer Israeli special
orces personnel or the manner in which the rescue operation was carried out.
Throughout Noember 2 and the early hours o Noember 28, security
personnel positioned themseles in and around the house but are not able to
break in. It was suspected that there were at least 2 terrorists holed up in the
house along with seeral Israeli and Indian hostages, the ate o whom was
unknown. Sporadic exchange o gunire took place between the holed up
terrorists and the security orces that had cordoned the building. Late on
Thursday night, seen hostages were rescued rom the Nariman louse.
November 28
Between seen and eight in the morning, NSG launched a rescue operation in
the Nariman louse. Sources clai m that intelligence gathered rom intercepted
communications reealed that there were two terrorists and that all the
hostages had been killed. IAl MI -8,1 helicopters hoered on top o the
locality and commandos slithered down to the roo o the target b uilding and
the adjacent buildings. Almost simultaneously, NSG teams also began to moe
rom the ground loor. The entire episode was captured by lie TV and was
seen by people around the world, including the terrorist`s handlers` based in
Pakistan.
lighting started almost immediately ater the Guards rappelled down into the
roo top. By aternoon, NSG was in control o the ourth and the ith loors.
By six in the eening, NSG guards were seen moing out o the Nariman
louse, which caused a huge crowd to gather outside in the streets and
premature celebrations soon began, much to the embarrassment o the security
oicials responsible or cordoning the area. loweer, soon aterwards, a series
o explosions were heard. Some reports hint that the secon d terrorist was
gunned down at this time. Others suggest that these explosions were
deliberatiely caused by the NSG to demolish booby traps. By nine at night,
DG NSG K Dutt said the operation was oer.
28
RLSPONSL OF
INDIAN POLITICAL PARTILS
Congress
In a statement issued on Noember 28, Congress president Mrs Sonia Gandhi
said the attacks caused her both distress and outrage. The incident was a
challenge both to the country and the Indian society and eeryone must ace it
as one. This is not just a question o India`s security but its prestige |too|.
Terrorists are enemies o the nation and we hae to deal with them as such. No
challenge can withstand a determined nation. I want to tell those who want to
harm India through maniacal |acts| that we will rest only ater eliminating
terrorism, she said. The Congress Vorking Committee CVC,, on Noember
30, expressed serious concern oer the Mumbai terrorist strikes. At the CVC
meeting, chaired by the Congress president, disturbed members demanded
exemplary steps to check recurrence o similar attacks and to restore public
conidence in the goernment
Bharatiya Janata Party
The BP said on Noember 2 that it will rerain rom being critical o the
Goernment at this juncture in iew o the Mumbai Terror s trikes which it
termed as a "national crisis". BP chie Rajnath Singh spoke to party Prime
Ministerial candidate L K Adani oer phone rom aipur and decided "not go
critical" o the goernment on the issue "in this time o crisis", the party said.
The party also asked the people to rise aboe political ailiations and stand by
the security orces in their ight against terror. It is a time o national crisis.
The country has been challenged. It is time or us to rise aboe politics. There
is no goernment side or opposition side. Our top leadership has decided to
stand by all steps to deeat the orces who challenge our soereignty," BP Vice
President Mukthar Abbas Naqi said. Senior BP leader L K Adani on
Noember 28 blamed the intelligence agencies or Mumbai terror attacks,
saying their preoccupation with "lindu terror" helped the terrorist plot go
undetected. "It now appears that a mobile phone with a terrorist is o Pakistani
origin. This reinorces the act that intelligence agencies' energy is being
dierted to nail the so-called lindu terror which eidently enabled the Mumbai
attackers' plot go undetected", Adani said in a statement.
Communist Part of India-CPI
The CPI described the Mumbai terror attacks "as a colossal ailure" on part o
the intelligence agencies and said lome Minister Shiraj Patil should "bear the
29
ull responsibility or this ailure. Repeatedly the intelligence system ailed to
thwart terrorist attacks. The lome Minister must bear ull responsibility or
this ailure," the party's Central Secretariat said in a statement. It wondered how
"such a well-planned attack ailed to attract the notice o the intelligence
network" and dubbed it as a "colossal ailure. Condemning the dastardly
attacks on unarmed and peaceul citizens o Mumbai, it said, "the terror attacks
are intended to weaken and destabilise India and to diide its people.
Terrorists will not succeed in their nearious design. India stands aliantly
united in containing such terror incidents which hae unortunate ly been
mounting in the country," the statement said.
On Noember 29, the CPI M, issued a statement stating that `` The country
has experienced a sense o relie at the successul conclusion o the security
operations against the armed men who had perpet rated the terrorist outrage in
Mumbai. The lessons rom this grim incident hae to be drawn correctly and
promptly. The continuous and widespread terrorist attacks which hae
occurred in the country hae shown up the weakness in our intelligence and
security systems. The country expects the Goernment to immediately take
eectie steps to reamp and strengthen the intelligence and security set up. A
beginning has to be made by identiying and taking steps against the orces with
external links who hae perpetrated this crime. This is the time or all sections
o the people and political circles to rise aboe any sectarian interests and
ensure that the unity and integrity o the country is saeguarded by curbing all
orms o terrorism whateer their source.
CPM Polit Bureau member Sitaram \echury wrote in an article that what was
required is to ensure strong response rom Pakistan against terrorist
organization and personnel working in that country. Noting that the issue was
to get the Pakistani goernment act against extremist groups, Mr. \echury said
all eidence collected should be presented to that goernment which should be
asked to act promptly. CPM leader Prakash Karat ully endorsed the iew o his
party leader. The party criticized both the congres s and BP or their ailure to
present a united ront in the wake o grae national emergency.
Bahujan Samaj Party
lP Chie Minister and BSP chie Mayawati on Noember 2 condemned the
terrorist attacks and demanded stern action against the culprits.Ms M ayawati
appealed to the political parties to shed their dierences and be united in this
critical situation beore the country. The CM also urged the political parties not
to rake up issues to derie political mileage at this juncture. Ms Mayawati,
paying homage to the martyr police oicials and common people, who died in
30
the ghastly terrorist attacks, said the incident was o great concern or the
country.
Samajwadi Party
Mulayam Singh \ada-led Samajwadi Party SP, blamed intelligence ailure or
the Mumbai terrorist attacks, but said it was not the opportune time to go
critical in this regard. ''It is an intelligence ailure...but, this is not the time or
post-mortem. Instead, we should take lessons rom such heinous acts,'' SP
general secretary Amar Singh said. le said, ''Ve are anguished and ashamed
oer such incidents as seeral innocent citizens and security persons had to lay
their lies.'' It is time to eole a solid strategy so that such incidents were not
repeated instead o doing politics oer it, he noted.
Shiv Sena
The Shi Sena, which had earlier targeted slain Anti -Terrorism Squad chie
lemant Karkare or the inestigations into the Malegaon blast, castigated the
Congress-NCP coalition goernment on Noember 29 or sending him into
the jaws o death symbolised by the "Islamic terrorism. Paying tributes to the
"martyrdom" o Karkare, Sena chie Bal Thackeray in an editorial in party
mouthpiece 'Saamana' said, "The oicers o the calibre o Karkare and his
colleagues Salaskar and Kamte who led rom the ront in combating terrorists
had done Maharashtra proud with their supreme sacriice. Accusing the state
goernment on its policy o Muslim appeasement, the edit said, "Vhat needs to
be condemned is the politics played by the ruling coali tion in directing ATS to
go ater lindu organisations and in the process ignoring the real danger o
'Islamic terrorism' that held Mumbai hostage."
31
INTLRNATIONAL RLSPONSL
United States
The lS said that Mumbai attacks were the handiwork o extremist gr oups since
lS and British citizens were targeted. In a news conerence at Pentagon on
Noember 2, Secretary o Deence Robert Gates said that it was clearly an act
o extremist group primarily targeting lS and British nationals.
President George Bush condemned the Mumbai terrorist attack and pledged to
support India to inestigate these attacks and bring the culprit to justice. The
lS State Department immediately condemned the attacks. The Spokesman
Robert Vood said: "Ve strongly condemn the terrorist att acks that hae taken
place in Mumbai and our sympathies go out to the amilies and riends o those
killed and injured, and to the people o Mumbai. Ve are monitoring the
situation ery closely and stand ready to support the Indian authorities."
lollowing the terror attacks in Mumbai, The Vhite louse National Security
Council conened oicials rom counter -terrorism and intelligence agencies as
well as the State and Deence departments to analyse the Mumbai attacks.
In the daily brieing to the media, he said that India`s not going to orget and
neither the lS is going to orget those terrorist acts. This is the reason we want
to hae joint inestigation - we want to try to ind out who did this, who
carried out these attacks, and bring them to justice. At the same time, we also
need to igure out how we can preent these attacks rom happening again. ``
Similarly, Brooke Anderson, spokesman or Barack Obama said that the
President-elect Obama strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Mu mbai. le
said these co-ordinated attacks on innocent ciilians demonstrate the grae and
urgent threat o terrorism. The lS must continue to strengthen the
partnerships with India and nations around the world to ight and destroy
terrorist networks. Obama receied see ral intelligence brieings and spoke
with the lS Secretary o State, Condoleezza Rice. Obama said he expected
Islamabad to ully cooperate with New Delhi in the inestigations into the
Mumbai terror attacks ater India accused it or indulging in the terr orist attack.
le said India, like other soereign nations , had the right to protect itsel.
According to senior lS oicials, both the lS Secretary o State, Condoleezza
Rice and Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman o the oint Chies o Sta, issued
32
stern warnings to the Pakistan goernment to crack down on militant groups in
Pakistan near its borders with Indian -administered Kashmir and with
Aghanistan. The oicials said that the lS had warned India in mid -October o
possible terrorist attacks against t ouristy areas requented by Vesterners in
Mumbai, but that the inormation was not speciic.
The lS oicials said on Noember 28 there was still no eidence that
Pakistan`s goernment had a hand in the operation, though inestigators were
searching or clues o outside support or the terrorists. There`s ery little
doubt that L-e-T is responsible, but beyond that we need to learn more, said a
senior American oicial. Deence Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters in
Pentagon that it is important or both Pakistan and India to exercise restraint
and to ind out who was responsible to the attacks.
Secretary o State Rice, on a isit to India and Pakistan December 3 -4, said
there was irreutable eidence` o inolement o elements in Pakistan in the
Mumbai attacks and that it needs to act urgently and eectiely to aert a
strong international response. Ater meeting President Asi Ali Zardari, Prime
Minister \ousa Raza Gillani, loreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and
Chie o Army Sta General Ashaq Parez Kayani in Islamabad , Rice said
Islamabad`s options were quite limited contrary to the ormal statements issued
by Pakistani authorities. She is reported to hae said that the response needed
to be eectie and ocused and that India was thinking on similar lines.
Vhile appreciating Pak`s oer to cooperate in probing the Mumbai incident ,
Rice said, Pakistan bore a special responsibility to get to the bottom o the
Mumbai incident. She assured PM Gillani that her goernment would ext end
support to Pakistan or enhancing the capacity o its paramilitary orces to
conront increasing challenges o extremism and terrorism. She said Pak should
also take necessary steps to preent any non state actors rom indulging in such
actiities in other countries rom its soil.
Meanwhile, a lS counter-terrorism oicial said that a militant group ighting
Indian rule in Kashmir, possibly Lashkar -e-Taiba, may hae been responsible
or the deadly wae o attacks in Mumbai. "Some o the things that ha e been
learnt thus ar do point in the direction o a Kashmiri connection. But it's still
too early or deinitie conclusions" said the oicial. "At this point people are
looking ery hard at the Lashkar -e-Taiba," which is based in Pakistan and
ighting Indian rule in Kashmir. The group is notorious or a deadly assault on
the Indian parliament in 2001 that pushed New Delhi and Islamabad to the
brink o war. The lS counter -terrorism oicial declined to gie more details,
33
citing the ongoing inestigation. loweer, the Lashkar-e-Taiba has denied any
responsibility or the assault.
In an address at loward lniersity, lS National intelligence Director, Michael
McConnell did not name any speciic groups but said the organisation inoled
in 2006 train bomb bl ast and 2001 Parliament attacks was behind the terror
acts in Mumbai. A senior lS expert on South Asia, Christine lair cautioned
against rushing to blame game oer the terrorist attacks. In an article in New
\ork Times, she said that India`s domestic probl ems and long tensions
between local communities were at the root o the rise o terrorism in that
country. She added, the style o the attacks on the targets suggested that
militants were likely to be local people and not linked to Al -Qaeda or abroad.
During his isit to Pakistan, the lS Senator McCain opposed military strikes
against Pakistan by India and said there was no hard eidence to suggest that
Pakistan goernment was inoled in the incident. le was encouraged by
Pakistani leadership`s resole and urged Pak to take timely, transparent and
speciic steps to preent urther escalating tensions with India.
The Chairman o the lS oint Chie o Sta Committee Admirl Michael
Mullen isited Islamabad and met with President Zardari and Army Chie
Ashaq Perez Kayani and discussed the latest situation on the Var on Terror`
and Indo-Pak relations. During the meeting, he demanded that Pak should act
with sincerity against all elements and groups linked to the Mumbai attacks.
The lS also warned Pakist an against uture attacks emanating rom its soil.
Brieing the media in Vashington, the State Department Spokesman, Sean
McCormick said that the lS was closely monitoring Pak action against the
Mumbai suspects.
Meanwhile, the lS President -elect, Obama called upon to take up a new
approach in the war against militants in South Asia. In an interiew to a
teleision channel, he said that the lS needs a strategic partnership with
Pakistan, India and Aghanistan in the ight against the Al -Qaeda.
Pakistan
On Noember 2, Pakistan Prime Minister \ousu Raza Gilani condemned the
attacks, and said Pakistan and India will continue their joint struggles to
counter the actions o terrorists. In addition, a statement on behal o loreign
Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi condemned the attacks, saying
34
that terrorism was a menace threatening humanity and that Pakistan itsel has
suered because o terrorism and sacriiced much in ighting this threat."
Likewise, President Zardari also strongly condemned the atta cks. le stressed
the need or strict measures to eradicate terrorism and extremism rom the
region. le promised strong action against any Pakistani elements ound
inoled in the Mumbai attacks ollowing his meeting with lS Secretary o
State Rice who asked the goernment here to act with urgency to bring the
perpetrators to book. President Zardari telephoned Congress leader Sonia
Gandhi, to condemn the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. le termed the killings o
innocents as a detestable act and said both co untries need to cooperate in
eliminating this menace.
loweer, the Deence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar said that Pakistan should not
be blamed like in the past. le said this will destroy all the goodwill we created
together ater years o bitterness and will say in ery categorical terms that
Pakistan is not inoled in these gory incidents. le said that Pakistan has no
role in the Mumbai attacks. Iarlier too, India had acted like this but later it
proed wrong.
The loreign Minister Qureshi, who was in Indi a at the time o the Mumbai
terror attack, proposed a hotline between the intelligence Chies o India and
Pakistan or inormation sharing. le said that India should rerain rom any
knee-jerk reaction and the two countries should jointly combat the sco urge.
The Samjhauta incident , he said indicated that ``we hae to be cautious in our
expressions``. le said he had no knowledge about the arrest o any Pakistani in
connection with Mumbai attacks and asked India to urnish concrete eidence
in this regard. le also asked the Indian media to show restrain and denied
reports o existence o any training camps in Pakistan.
lollowing the attacks, and mounting international pressure, PM Gillani, on
No.28, had readily agreed to send the Inter Serices Intellige nce Pakistani
Intelligence, Chie to New Delhi to discuss the Mumbai terror attacks when
Indian Prime Minister, Man Mohan Singh called him oer the phone. loweer,
ater a meeting o Pakistan`s Army Chie Ashra Perez Kayani, the President,
PM and the Pakistani establishment realized that the ISI Chie was too senior a
person to be sent to India or this purpose and decided to send another
representatie o ISI in his place.
The political leaders in Pakistan, too, joined hands to condemn the Mumbai
terrorist attacks but rejected "hasty allegations" made against their country. The
35
resolution concluded a meeting o the leaders o nearly all Pakistan's parties and
was a rare example o unity among ractious politicians. The resolution said
they shared India's grie ater the Mumbai attacks but took strong exception to
"unsubstantiated allegations made in haste against Pakistan". The parties,
seeral dozen in number, said they all irmly supported the goernment and the
armed orces in deending Pakistan's security interests.
Pak enoy to lS, lussain laqqani urged India not to jump to conclusion oer
the Mumbai attacks. le said, terrorists hatched a conspiracy to derail the peace
process between the two countries. le suggested that Aghanistan, Pakistan
and India should jointly deliberate on this issue. Inormation Minister, Sherry
Rehman while addressing a news conerence in London hoped that Mumbai
attacks would not be a setback to Indo -Pak relations and both countries will
continue their dialogue on conidence building measures.
lormer ISI Chie, lamid Gul iewed that this kind o operation, so
meticulously planned and executed can only be an insider`s job. Inestigations
into the Samjhauta Ixpress and Malegaon blasts hae reealed, he said, that the
Indian army and intelligence were inoled in creating situations where they
can blame Pakistan. The Indians hae gone to the extent o saying that the ISI
should be disbanded altogether. The ormer ISI Chie, Asad Durrani said this
was the irst time both the countries hae decided to use the joint anti -
terrorism mechanism signed two years back rather than leel allegations. le
said Pak technical team should analyse the eidences irst and then decide what
kind o cooperation was required.
The Chie o amaat-e-Islami, Qazi lussain Ahmed said the Mumbai attack
was a conspiracy against Pakistan. In Lahore, he said that the decision to send
ISI Chie to India and then backtracking has brought a bad name to the
country. le said seeral incidents o terrorism occurred in Pakistan but no
demand was eer made to call the Chie o Indian intelligence serice. le said
RAV was behind whateer was happening in the tribal areas, but `` we neer
called the Chie o RAV``.
Likewise, the Opposition leader in the Pak Na tional Assembly, Choudhary
Nissar blasted the goernment blasted the goernment`s decision to send an
ISI operatie to Delhi terming it as ill adised and ill time d. le said that the
goernment has no right to barter national interests and push around its
premier security agency at the behest o oreign powers.
36
Pak Interior Minister, Rehman Malik ruled out action against aish -e-
Mohammad chie, Maulana Masood Azhar , until concrete eidence o his
inolement in Mumbai attacks was urnished by India. le sa id in the absence
o an extradition treaty between Pakistan and India, cooperation in this regard
could be extended as part o the global Var on Terror`. le said the both the
Indian and Pakistan goernment is seriously examining steps to deal with the
atermath the Mumbai attacks. le said both India and Pak don not want war
and they are cooperating with each other in the ongoing inestigations.
Amidst strong international pressure and Indian allegations, the Pak Cabinet
Deence Committee outlined the country`s strategy and stated that Pak want
peace and stability in the region and want to deeat diisie orces which want
to iolate this peace.
Meanwhile, Pakistan, Aghanistan and Turkey owed to eole a joint strategy
to combat terrorism and work or r egional peace, stability and security In a
joint declaration during a trilateral summit, President Zardari, President Karzai
and President Abdullah Gul in Istanbul condemned the terror attacks in
Mumbai and expressed the determination o the three countrie s to conront the
scourge o terrorism in all its orms and maniestations. Pakistan and
Aghanistan also agreed to deelop a joint comprehensie strategy or
combating terrorism.
China
Chinese oicial media reaction to the terrorist strikes in Mumbai r elected the
nuance implicit in the absence o any initiatie by the Chinese leadership to
coney any expression o sympathy telephonically to the Indian counterparts.
Chinese oicial media report ing the attacks generally commented either
actually on the attacks or pointed to the sectarian strie in India. An article
reerred to the disaection in arious sections o Indian society exempliied by
armers committing suicide etc., alluding thereby to the possibility that the
perpetrators o the terrorist attacks could hae been others.
China urged India and Pakistan to settle the matter through diplomatic
channels. An article by the Delhi -based correspondent o the oicial
mouthpiece o the Chinese Communist Party CCP,, 'People's Daily' on the
28th Noember '08 was more pointed. This article reerred to the actiities o
the right-wing lindu elements and claimed that they were angered by the Indo -
lS Ciilian Nuclear Agreement. It added that the terrorists wore red threads
on their wrists which are worn by lindus and concluded that the terrorists
were, thereore, lindu extremists. The article has eoked a response and the
37
Ixternal Aairs Ministry called in the Political Counsellor in the Chinese
Imbassy and the People's Daily correspondent in Delhi to co ney its
displeasure. China's reaction to the terrorist attacks relect Beijing's attitude
towards India. The latter is isible in the inconclusie border negotiations
between the Special Representaties o the two countries and the arious
articles posted on PLA-approed Chinese websites. Many o the articles
question the Chinese leadership's decision on Sikkim and urge the leadership to
recoer Chinese territory, mainly Arunachal Pradesh, presently in India's
possession.
At a daily press brieing, Qin Gang, Chinese loreign Ministry spokesman, said
that the Chinese people oered their deepest condolences to those who died.
Likewise Prime Minister Ven iabao said the Chinese goernment "strongly
condemned" the attacks and that China was "irmly opposed to terrorism o
any orm." On behal o the Chinese goernment and himsel, Ven expressed
deep grie or the ictims o the attacks and coneyed sincere condolences to
the relaties o the ictims and those wounded in the iolence."
At a press brieing in Beijing on December2, the loreign Ministry
Spokesperson said, China is all set to cooperate with the international
community including India to strike atal blow to terrorism. le said, the attack
on Mumbai was shocking. The spokesperson said that India and Pakistan
would step up cooperation and hold dialogue to saeguard peace and stability in
the region.
China also ruled out the possibility o Indo -Pak war ollowing the Mumbai
attacks. Talking to media in Islamabad, the Chinese enoy to Pakistan, Lu
Xong lui said that there is no possibility o a war between the two countries.
le said, China would continue to cooperate with Pakistan in deence related
ield despite the ongoing crisis.
Dr Gao Zhikai, Director, China`s National Association or International
Studies says that all eidence points to the direction o some extreme religious
actions, with strong hate against the lS and lK. le added, whateer policies
adopted by the lS and lK or other western countries as a whole, which will
impact upon the Musli m population in the world will hae its echoes among
the Indian Muslim populations. loweer, the Mumbai attacks hae no direct
relations to the Kashmir issue.
38
Russia
Russia reacted strongly to the incident and the Russian President Dmitry
Medede said that Russia is concerned about the loss o lie and consider that
acts o terrorism o this type are harmul to the whole international order and
are a challenge to humanity. le said "The monstrous crimes o terrorists in
Mumbai arouse our wrath, indignat ion and unconditional condemnation. The
inhuman terrorist attacks are crimes directed against the ery basis o ciilized
society. Those guilty o them should be seerely punished. Russia ully supports
resolute actions o the Indian goernment to cut shor t terrorist actions, he said.
The Russian Parliament also oiced indignation at the incident and called or
early approal o an India-drated anti-terrorist conention. There can be no
justiication or the atrocities committed by terrorist outits, no matter what
ethnic and religious disguise they don, the Duma, Lower louse, said in a
statement unanimously adopted. The Duma statement expressed concern oer
the deadlocked discussion at the lnited Nations on the Comprehensie
Conention on International Terrorism tabled by India and called or its
adoption at the earliest to proide the main legal basis or ighting terrorism.
The Russian Parliamentarians also criticised the lS, without naming it, or
dierting resources rom ighting terror to an arms race. It is impermissible to
waste resources and eorts by creating and deploying weapon systems against
mythical and hypothetical threats at a time when thousands o innocent people
are dying rom a real eil, it said.
United Kingdom
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned the attacks, saying that the
incident was shocking and outraged the tragic destruction o innocent lies. le
said, Ve will do eerything we can to help the Indian goernment and our
irst duty is towards British citizens cau ght up in this terror in Mumbai. Our
second responsibility is obiously to root out terrorism - to help the Indian
goernment with their action and that's why at the same time we hae oered
support to the Indian establishment and sending police emergency teams that
are well ersed in Indian terrorism and we will try to gie what support we can
through British police and security oicials to the Indian goernment at this
time." loreign Secretary Daid Miliband condemned the attacks, stating them
as 'an attack on the whole world and not just India `. le said the attacks bore
the hallmark o Al-Qaeda but it is too early to pinpoint inger on certainty at
the terrorists.
The British ligh Commissioner to India, Richard Stagg called the attacks
``appalling`` and said there was a need to work together closely to deal with
39
this threat. le said the Indian police and intelligence oicials hae been ery
helpul with terrorism in the lK and ``we are oering the same collaboration
to the Indian authorities at the moment.`` The lead o Counter-Terrorism
Operation in the loreign Oice in London will be isiting Delhi to assist in the
inestigation.
Germany
The German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrote to India: "I was appalled to hear
the shocking news about the terror attacks on your country. Germany strongly
condemns these criminal acts and would like to express deepest sympathy to
the people o India.
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Press Agency quoted an oicial source in the Kingdom saying that
Saudi Arabia strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act, and oers
condolences and sympathy to the riendly goernment and people o India.
The Saudi loreign Ministry said that their embassy in New Delhi and Saudi
Consulate in Mumbai hae ormed a working committee to monito r situation
in Mumbai aiming to proide help to Saudi citizens. Issuing a statement, King
Abdullah proposed to set -up an international centre or combating terrorism.
Iran
Iran also condemned the attacks. The loreign Ministry spokesperson lassan
Qashqai said that Iran is also a ictim o terrorist attacks and is ready to ight
against such eil acts on all leels. le expressed sympathy o the Iranian people
and goernment toward the India and the amilies o the ictims. The Iranian
President Ahmadinejad condemned terrorist attacks saying that they aim at
destabilizing the region, and added, "I am sure that the sinister phenomenon
|terrorism| cannot hinder the deelopment o the nations o the region". The
Speaker o Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani warne d India and Pakistan against
alling into a trap hatched by some western countries. le termed the Mumbai
attacks a heinous crime and said there was conspiracy to embroil the region in
new conlicts.
Nepal
Nepal condemned the terrorist attacks in Mumbai th at killed seeral people and
let oer 200 hundred injured. In a message to the India President Pratibha
Patil on Thursday, the Nepali President Ram Baran \ada said, "Nepal strongly
condemns this cowardly attack and killing o innocent peoples. Similarly ,
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said, "These attacks, directed against
innocent people and to terrorise the industrial and commercial centre o India,
40
desere unequiocal condemnation rom all oer the world." In the message
issued by the Ministry o loreign Aairs MolA,, Dahal urther said that the
goernment and people o Nepal completely deplore the cowardly terrorist
attacks and expresses ull solidarity with the goernment and people o India at
this hour o distress.
Bangladesh
The Bangladesh loreign Minister Itekhar Ahmed Chowdhury strongly
condemned the terrorist act in Mumbai. le said, These are acts o terrorism
and terrorism seres no purpose. Many innocent people hae suered, many
hae been killed, others injured and we send them our c ondolences."
In a message sent to the Indian President, Pratibha Patil, Bangladesh President,
Iajuddin Ahmed said, Bangladesh stands irmly by the side o its riendly
neighbour. The BNP Chairperson, Khaleda Zia and Awami League President,
Sheikh lasina condemned the terror attacks and expressed deep grie oer the
killing o innocent people.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa condemned the brutal terrorist acts
carried out in Mumbai. le expressed deepest sympathies to the amilies o the
deceased and wish a speedy recoery to those injured and the sae and early
release o hostages. le said that the attacks on leading hotels, hospitals and
public transport in Mumbai, the business and inancial capital o India show
that the terrorists are targeting an important sector o the Indian economy with
a iew to destabilize Indian democracy.
Japan
apanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said that this kind o terrorism is
unorgiable, extremely despicable and icious and eel strong resentment and
deeply condemn it. apan is with the Indian people who are ighting against
terrorism and we will cooperate with the Indian goernment, he said.
Australia
The newly elected Australian Prime Minister Kein Rudd condemned the
atrocious attacks and said "Ve are de eply concerned by these deelopments,
deeply concerned by the potential impact on Indian citizens and other citizens
and will hae urther to say about this during the course o the day. le said
that whicheer group has perpetrated this attack are cowards, absolute cowards,
and murderers. This cowardly attack on India's stability, peace and democracy
reminds us all that international terrorism is ar rom deeated and that we must
41
all maintain our igilance. The ormer Prime Minister ohn loward said that he
has no doubt that the terrorists planned it to say to President -elect Obama:
Don`t you imagine because you`re replacing President Bush who we despise
that we`re going to like you . we`re not.`"
Australia also lauded Pakistan`s role in keeping the tens ion down in the region
by adopting a constructie approach said that the Australian loreign Minister,
Stephen Smith.
Afghanistan
Aghan President lamid Karzai said that the goernment and people o
Aghanistan stand by India in the atermath o this horri ic and inhuman act o
terror. Nothing is more heinous and deplorable than taking the lies o
innocent people in such a cowardly attack on public places. Terrorism is a
threat to us all, aecting India, Aghanistan and the region. Responding to this
threat requires nothing less than a joint strategy to deeat this menace.
Canada
Canadian loreign Minister Lawrence Cannon condemned the terrorist attacks
in Mumbai. le said that these cowardly attacks are truly appalling." People in
east-end Toronto's Littl e India neighbourhood expressed shock and disgust at
the news. le conirmed that two Canadians had been killed in the attack on the
Taj Mahal lotel and oered his sympathies or the amilies.
Israel
Israeli loreign Minister Tzipi Lini condemned the Mum bai terror attacks and
said that it is another painul testimony that terrorism is the main challenge that
Israel and the International community are dealing with. She said, "Israel, India
and the rest o the ree world are positioned in the oreront o t he battle
against terrorism and extremists. lnortunately, we were harshly reminded o
this once again yesterday. The struggle against terror must be a communal
struggle, and compels us to improe our cooperation on this ront." She
oered aid, saying "i they need us we will help where needed".
The Israeli loreign Ministry twice , on Noember 28, directly and strongly
accused the Indian orces o mishandling the counter -terror operations in
Mumbai. conducting operation Mumbai without gathering enough int elligence.
Ixpressing their dissatisaction a t the operation, it said the action had resulted
in the death o many people.
42
Magen Daid Adom also dispatched a team o paramedics, medics and other
proessionals to Mumbai on Noember 2 to assist in rescue eorts. The
delegation helped to treat casualties and locate missing persons in coordination
with the loreign Ministry o Israel the oint Distribution Committee and the
International Red Cross.
Israel oered all possible help to deal with the Mumbai t error attack. The Israel
embassy spokesperson in Delhi said Israel was concerned with the situation
and sad news o loss o lies. ``But we hae complete aith in the Indian
security orces and the goernment to deal with the situation ``. loweer,
oicials rom Israel`s security orces told The erusalem Post that the Indian
counter-terrorist orces were well trained but had ailed to gather suicient
intelligence beore engaging the terrorists. The report said ``the orces showed
up at the scene and immediately began exchanging ire with the terrorists
instead o irst taking control o the area.
On the other hand, the Israeli Interim Prime Minister Ihud Olmert praised the
Indian goernment and military, stating that "At no stage were the issues o
whether or not Israel should join the operation or do things that were within
the power o the Indian goernment and its strong and trained military to do
alone on the agenda. Meanwhile, Israeli newspapers reported that India had
turned down an oer by Israeli Deence Minister Ihud Barak to send counter -
terrorist units to help ight the attackers.
Norway
Norwegian Prime Minister ens Stoltenberg condemned the terrorist attacks
that took place in Mumbai. le denounced the attacks and expressed
condolences and sympathies to the Indian people. le also expressed to extend
support to the Indian goernment to help the injured and what has happened
and apprehend those responsible or the terrorist attack.
France
lrench Ixternal Aairs Minister Bernard Kouchner doe s not ind any direct
role o Pakistan goernment in the Mumbai attacks. le said that Pak
goernment is acing the same problem, since the assassination o Benazir
Bhutto. These Pakistani suspects hae been placed eerywhere, in Iraq and
other countries. They are trained at arious terrorist centres. They are not
Pakistani: een the Indian goernment has not made such claims so ar.
Ieryone thinks that these are people linked to Al-Qaeda. loweer, we can
admit that they could be groups trained by Pakistani army which has links with
Taliban and others but Pak goernment could not hae planned such act.
43
loweer, the lrench goernment appreciated the leel o maturing the Pak
leadership displayed in dealing with the situation arising atermath the Mumbai
incident.
Singapore
The Ministry o loreign Aairs o Singapore condemned the attacks. The
oicial press statement said the Mumbai attacks underscored the common
terrorist threat that the world continue to ace today. Singapore stands irmly
behind the Indian Goernment in its ight against terrorism. Later, in a letter to
India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister Lee lsien Loong
said: ``I was shocked to learn o the series o terrorist attacks in Mumbai on 26
No 08. loweer, Singapore stands r eady to assist the Indian authorities in any
way to root out terrorism. The Mumbai attacks are another reminder that
terrorism continues to be a common threat to all o us and we strongly support
your goernment's eorts in ighting the scourge o terrori sm``.
Turkey
Turkey said "Terrorism is a crime against humanity. The Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Irdogan said an eectie ight against terrorism was
possible only by the help o international cooperation and solidarity. "The
attacks in Mumbai once again showed that terror has no religion, nationality
and country while President Abdullah Gul said that Turkey, as a country wishes
to strengthen relations with India in the ight against terror and share the pain
o the riendly Indian people.
INTLRNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
United Nations
The lN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson's statement stated,
"The Secretary-General condemns the shootings and blasts in Mumbai. Such
iolence is totally unacceptable. le reiterated his coniction that no c ause or
grieance can justiy indiscriminate attacks against ciilians and called or the
perpetrators to be brought to justice. The 1 members o the lnited Nation
Security Council issuing a statement expressed their condolences to the amilies
o the ictims and to the people and Goernment o India, underlined the need
to bring perpetrators, organizers, inanciers and sponsors o these
reprehensible acts o terrorism to justice. It said that all acts o terrorism are
criminal and unjustiiable, regardles s o their motiation." The Council
reiterated in its statement that the Mumbai attacks are just the latest in a series
o acts o terrorism to strike the South Asian nation oer the course o the past
44
year. The north-eastern state o Assam and the cities o Ahmedabad,
Bangalore, aipur and Delhi hae all allen ictim to the scourge.
Luropean Union
The lrench President Nicolas Sarkozy, in his role o both President o lrance
and President o the Iuropean Council strongly condemned the indiscriminate
iolence that took place in India. The Il condemned the terrorist attack in the
strongest possible manner. The lrench Presidency o the Council o the
Iuropean lnion condemns with equal orce the hostage taking which still
continues in a hotel in Mumbai. The Pr esidency also recognised the Indian
people`s attachment to democracy, which has been directly targeted by these
terrorist acts and joined the mourning o the Indian Nation and stands beside it
during this distressing trial. Likewise, the Iuropean lnion - ligh
Representatie or the Common loreign and Security Policy aier Solana also
condemned the heinous terrorist attacks in Mumbai. le said that these acts
show once again the need or the international community to stand united
against terrorism and ight it with determination.
Organization o the Islamic Conerence
A spokesman o the OIC condemned the Mumbai incident and expressed
regret oer the deaths o innocent people due to the attacks. The spokesperson
coneyed heartelt condolences to the Indian goernment and the amilies o
the ictims and wished or the speedy recoery o the wounded. The
spokesperson also stressed that such iolent acts run counter to human alues
and that they can not be justiied.
NATO
The NATO Secretary General aap d e loop Scheer condemned in the
strongest possible terms the mindless and indiscriminate terrorist attacks in
Mumbai. le said that attacking innocent people, tourists and patients in
hospitals is despicable and cowardly. On behal o the Alliance, he expr essed
solidarity and sympathy to the Indian authorities, to Indian people and
especially amilies o the ictims. le said that the NATO, as part o the
international community is determined to spare no eort to ight the scourge
o terrorism which should hae no place in the 21st century.
Interpol
45
Interpol sent a team to India to assist in the inestigation. Interpol Secretary
General, Ronald Nobel headed the eight member team. Interpol compared the
names, ingerprints and DNA o suspected terrorists kil led or captured with the
global database to ind out their linkage to international terrorist organisations.
46
CORPORATL RLACTION
DR VILlRIID AlLBlR, MANAGING DIRICTOR & CIO,
DAIMLIRClR\SLIR INDIA PVT LTD:
"This will not hae a major impact on oreign direct inestment in India. India
remains a ery positie lDI location and we hope that the incident will be
inestigated and dealt with in a calm and act -based manner. Ve will continue
to do our business as usual but deinitely eerybody will be adised to be
careul."
SlANKAR NARA\ANAN, MD, CARL\LI INDIA ADVISORS PVT
LTD, CARL\LI GROlP:
"The country is strong and resilient. Nothing has changed undamentally. The
country will emerge stronger out o it. Ve are committed to inesting in India.
Ve are ery optimistic about the uture o India. The undamentals o the
country don't change."
SlSlIL GlPTA, MANAGING DIRICTOR VIST,, A SIAN lOTILS
LTD. :
"Ve hae beeed up security in all our hotels. It is early to say exactly how this
would aect the hotel industry. There will be some eect which we can't
quantiy at the moment, but I hope things would improe in a ew days once
the goernment comes up with a concrete plan o action".
AKlIL GlPTA, ClAIRMAN, BLACKSTONI INDIA :
"Mumbai is a ery ery resilient c ity. The last time we had terror attack, the city
was up and running within 24 hours. I don't think business conidence or any
inestment outlook will be hit much."
V. ANANTlA NAGISVARAN, ClIIl INVISTMINT OllICIR lOR
ASIA PACIlIC AT BANK lLIlS BAIR IN SI NGAPORI:
"I don't think the impact on business, should be big, should be short -lied i
there is one. Things hae already become diicult anyway beore this rom a
macro perspectie. That is what will dominate more than this as an issue.
"Attacks in Bali did not hae a big impact on Indonesian markets or business
conidence because things were good. I think this time around also additional
impact coming rom this is not going to be long -lasting
47
NARA\AN MlRTl\, ClIIl MINTOR, INlOS\S TIClNOLOGIIS
"Gien the act that all Indians will regroup quickly, gien the act that the
goernment will ight it and we will take necessary precautions, I am not at all
worried that this would hae any permanent eect in terms o business low
into India."
RAllL BAA, ClAIRMAN, BAA AlTO LTD
low it aects the business, corporates, the inancial situation, I repeat, is
secondary. The goernment must proide security whether by law, whether by
quota, whether by something I am not an expert... Some people just hae to
change.
VIA\ MALL\A, ClAIRMAN, KINGlISlIR AIRLINIS
"The goernment needs to really start acting tough. In our political system we
sot peddle issues many times... but this kind o national disgrace needs to be
dealt with a ery irm hand."As ar as Kingis her Airlines is concerned we hae
put eerybody on high alert and we are reiewing the lights schedule in and
out o Mumbai."
PAlL DI VOIS, MD, VOLVO CAR INDIA:
"It's too early to say whether it will hae an impact on oreign inestment,. At
the moment, I would say, we are much concerned about what is happening in
Mumbai. But or us that, it doesn't mean any... no it doesn't hae any inluence
so ar. I think it certainly sends the wrong signals, but most o all its bad its
happening, doesn't matter i its or oreigners or anyone."
RANl VOlRA, MANAGING DIRICTOR, AVINDlS ADVISORS PVT
LTD: "In the short term it does not mean well or us. Vhat has been under
siege are business landmarks. In the short term, will hae an impact. It will take
time to heal.
"I don't think it will hae an eect on portolio inestments in the country. I
do not anticipate any change in portolio inestment leels rom where we are."
AMAR LlLLA, OINT MANAGING DIRICTOR, CIPLA LTD
"It is a total breakdown o the security syst em in India. In terms o
international business, the ear and uncertainty which was already there in the
minds will be exaggerated. Business sentiment will be aected. It doesn't bode
well or business."
48
RAIIV ClANDRASlIKlAR, lICCI PRISIDINT
It is time we all join this debate on terrorism and demand stronger and irmer
leadership and approach to this threat o terrorism, including better laws. le
said the Indian business has so ar been mute and ery detached rom this
debate on terrorism and tougher approach to terrorism and terrorists, including
anti-terror laws.
ClANDRAIT BANIRII, DIRICTOR GINIRAL CII
The Conederation o Indian Industry said there was a need or an
administratie and organised mechanism to deal with terror and hae in place a
coordinated response mechanism to counter such terror attacks. It said that
these terrorist acts would not aect India`s business and industry in the long
run.
CII PRISIDINT and ICICI BANK CIO and MANAGING DIRICTOR
K.V. KAMATl
The attacks clearly show that our institutions could be ulnerable whether
institutions o commerce such as hotels or any institutions doing any sort o
business.
ASSOClAM PRISIDINT SAAN INDAL
Tthe Goernment should take steps to preent recurrence o such incidents.
le said security should be tightened at sensitie places, including business
hubs.
VINl SRINIVASAN, ClAIRMAN, TVS MOTORS
The Mumbai crisis had seerely dented India`s image as a aourable place to
lie in and do business. It has created a great sense o i nsecurity within any
part o the country right rom trains to hotels.
RC BlARGAVA, ClAIRMAN, MARlTI SlZlKI
This is a horrendous act that would impact dierent sectors including tourism.
It will also aect the isit o oreigners to India. Ve need to b e more proactie
than reactie. The Goernment will hae to bee up security and build
conidence among the people.
SOM MITTAL, NASSCOM PRISIDINT
It is a ghastly act, and we strongly condemn it. Ve hae seen similar instances
in London and Madrid in the past, and now in Mumbai. These cities that hae
been targeted in the past hae shown resilience, and Mumbai too will spring
back.
49
ONGC ClAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRICTOR RS SlARMA
Ve hae increased securities and sureillance in the area and een at our
oshore installations. Ve hae been telling our people that there is no need to
panic. Ve are taking adequate measures to saeguard lie and property and hae
reinorced security.
RATAN TATA, ClAIRMAN, TATA SONS
"The terrible wanton attacks last night on innocent people and the destruction
o prominent landmarks in India desere to be uniersally condemned. My
sympathies and condolences go out to all those who hae suered, been
injured, and those who hae lost their loed ones in this terrible act o hatred
and destruction."Ve cannot replace the lies that hae been lost and we will
neer orget the terriying eents o last night, but we must stand together,
shoulder to shoulder as citizens o India, and rebuild what has been destroyed.
Ve must show that we cannot be disabled or destroyed, but that such heinous
act will only make us stronger. It is important that we do not allow diisie
orces to weaken us. Ve need to oercome these orces as one s trong uniied
nation.
50
MLDIA RLACTION
International
US
New York Times
N\T said India must share with Pakistan its intelligence reports about the
Mumbai attacks. In its editorial , N\T adised India to limit its demand rom
Pakistan, and clariy its interention in Aghanistan. The newspaper adised
Indian Goernment to arrest those persons who are directly inoled in the
Mumbai attacks instead o making allegations against Pakistan. It adised India
to resole all outstanding issues including Kashmir with Pakistan immediately
or long lasting peace i n South Asia. The newspaper also urged Pakistan to
cooperate with India in the inestigations o Mumbai attacks i India proided
it with concrete eidence. On Noember 29, correspondent N\T
correspondent Nicholas Kristo wrote: The educated guess is that the
terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks were rom Lashkar -e-Taiba or aish-e-
Muhammad, both Pakistani groups that hae ocused on Kashmir. The result is
that we ace a real danger o escalating tensions that will be bad or India and
bad or Pakistan and Aghanistan. The risk is that Indian nationalists, such as
the hot-headed chie minister o Gujarat, Narendra Modi, use the Mumbai
attacks to gain ground and be more conrontational toward Pakistan. That in
turn would empower Pakistani nationalists and ra dicals, and we would see more
terror attacks in Pakistan and India alike. Moreoer, since Aghanistan is one o
the ields o competition between India and Pakistan, Aghan's uture would be
compromised as well.
The Washington Post
In its editorial dated No. 29, the Post said: Many things about the saage
terrorist attacks on hotels, restaurants and other `sot targets` in Mumbai are
not ully known: the group or groups responsible, their links, i any, to Pakistan
or other outside orces such as al -Qaeda. But morally, the releant acts are
perectly clear. The assaults cost the lies o at least 14 people. The ast
majority were ciilians, Indian and oreign, including two isitors rom Virginia
and an American-born rabbi whose crime, to the terrorists , seems to hae been
helping ews passing through Mumbai. Vhateer its ostensible ideology, this
was murder. And it is a stark reminder, i any were needed, that, een when
goernments are properly busy ending o a global inancial crisis, they cannot
neglect the threat o terrorism. Beore these awul raids, news rom South Asia
51
had been encouraging. The central problem remains paciying Aghanistan,
where l.S. and other NATO orces struggle to stamp out Taliban and al -
Qaeda elements. Resurgent terrorist groups enjoy haens in Pakistan`s tribal
areas as well as alleged protection or support rom elements o Pakistani
military intelligence. lor Pakistan`s army, Aghanistan is a traditional sphere o
inluence that must be denied to India, whose ties with K abul hae grown since
the lnited States ousted the Taliban rom power. ad_icon Vashington,
howeer, wants the Pakistani army`s cooperation in ighting terrorism.
Newsweek
Newsweek said the attacks were perpetrated by an indigenous group, the Indian
Mujahideen. The article says the attacks hae some signiicant indigenous
connection, not necessarily rom Pakistan or Bangladesh or anymore else, but
rom Indian soil. The lS magazine said the Mumbai attacks `` may hae
heightened ears among oters oer their own saety, the politics o a
considerable swath o the country could lurch rapidly to the right -with big
implications or the growing tensions between lindus and Muslims. These
local elections could set the stage or a similar shit in national elections to be
held sometime beore May 2009. The recent iolence is a boon to the right -
wing lindu dominated Bharatiya anata Party BP,. Ien beore the latest
iolence, a series o blasts across the country claiming at least 200 lies this year
had already helped the BP, which has lagged terrorism as an issue in the
campaign``.
Time
On No 29, the lS weekly said: The Mumbai operation that killed more than
10 people oer two days in the heart o India's commercial capital marks the
emergence o an unprecedent ed hybrid o terror tactics. "This didn't inole
suicide bombers and booby-trapped cars that we commonly see in Islamist
terror attacks - ones which usually end with the explosion -deaths o the
kamikazes carrying them out," notes lrench terrorism speciali st Roland
acquard. "This is essentially a small army sent into the heart o society with
orders kill and keep killing as long as possible. And they're technically capable
o creating a lot o damage and death beore they can be killed. So this is more
like terrorism used with insurgency and guerrilla warare."
UK
The Times
Correspondent eremy Ingland writes: "Last night's attacks also appear to it
into a new campaign to hit busy urban targets, popular with oreigners and
wealthy Indians, to cause maximum damage to India's economy and
52
international reputation. le suggested Deccan Mujahideen could be an
oshoot o the Indian Mujahideen, an Islamist group unknown until it said it
was behind multiple bomb attacks on Indian cities in the past year.
Guardian
A growing narratie within India and outside emotiely describes the recent
terror strike in Mumbai as "India's 9,11". On Thursday, the scion o Nehru -
Gandhi dynasty called the Mumbai attacks assaults on the nation's soereignty,
while the editorials in two o India's largest newspapers, the Times o India and
the lindustan Times carried the 9,11 comparisons orward by describing it as
an act o war. A clear subtext o these comparisons is to respond to the attacks
in the same way as the Americans respon ded by waging a "war on terror".
Pakistan's inolement is being cited again in popular media and the political
establishment. Clearly, the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan
is at risk, gien the increasingly hawkish tone set by the lindu na tionalist
groups. lor these reasons, the 9,11 narratie needs to be challenged now.
The Independent
Peter Cockburn wrote: In the immediate atermath o the murderous attacks in
Mumbai much o the analysis has a amiliar ring, but now it is the Vest which
is downplaying oreign inolement. Indian allegations about `external
linkages` o the terrorists is wearily reported as an unortunate resumption o
Pakistani-Indian inger pointing. Teleision and newspaper commentary on
terrorist outrages is requentl y proided by sel-appointed `terrorist experts`
whose credentials remain mysterious. These supposed experts now emphasise
the alienation o Indian Muslims and suggesting that the origin o the terrorist
assault on Mumbai is home grown, the ruit o the ra dicalisation o Indian
Muslims by systematic discrimination against them by the Indian state. Ixactly
who was behind the bloody mayhem in Mumbai is still unclear. The lindu
newspaper was yesterday reporting that three o the suspects captured by the
police were members o Lashkar -i-Taiba the Army o the Pious,, which has
seeral thousand members in Pakistani -controlled Kashmir, and the gunmen
had arried In Mumbai by ship rom Karachi in Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia
Al Hayat/Al Madina
The Saudi-owned Daily .t a,at oiced suspicion oer India`s strategic
relationship with the lS. It reported that India hae mandated the lS to
launch war in the subcontinent, whose management will be in India`s hand. In
its editorial Saudi Arabia`s daily .t Maaiva said: Terrorism also threatens
Pakistan`s ery existence, and harms its soereignty oer its territory, eery time
53
the lS attacks what Vashington claims is a terrorist` target within Pakistan.
Similarly, the Saudi daily Al -azirah blamed the lS policies in Aghanistan as
the deeper cause o the current tensions in South Asia. It said, The terror
attacks in Mumbai were extremely serious and gae rise to serious political and
military tension between India and Pakistan, which may een lead to a war.
Such a war would be a war between two nuclear powers whose security has
been undamentally undermined by the l.S strategies in the region.
Iran
Kayhan/al Hayat
The hardliner Iranian daily, Ka,lav, accused the lS, Britain and Israel or the
attacks and said neither the al Qa ida nor the Pakistan goernment was inoled
in the incident. .t a,at pointed out that repeated reerences to 9,11 in the
wake o the Mumbai attacks only bring back the atmosphere o the lS 9,11.
Iran`s state-run .tavic Revbtic ^er .gevc, IRNA, said the Americans were
going to great lengths to connect the group which perpetrated the 9,11 attacks
with terrorists who struck in Mumbai. It cited the isit by lS Secretary o State,
Condoleezza Rice to New Delhi, where she reportedly stated that those who
attacked Mumbai and those blamed or the 2001 terror attacks in New \ork
were rom the same circles. It reported that i there is any connection between
the Mumbai attacks and those o September 11 it is to be ound in the lS
response. Thereby, the lS now s ees a similar opportunity arising rom the
Mumbai carnage to pursue its interests in South Asia.
Iranian newspapers prominently published Pakistan`s iew on Mumbai terror
attacks. Kehan International says , terrorists were trained by CIA and
MOSSAD . Iran Daily writes that during the last ew years , Goernments
changed attitude towards Muslims has led to crisis. Daily urther writes
treatment to Kashmiris is unjustiied and security orces biased attitude towards
minorities has resulted in such aggressie attitude. Iran news stated that India
always neither blames Pakistan and Bangladesh or terrorism but could nor
proes it. The daily writes that the BP may be behind the Mumbai Attacks to
gain mileage in coming elections. Kehan International writes that without any
doubt it can be said that MOSSAD and CIA trained the terrorists who were
behind Mumbai Attacks.
Syria
Al-Thawra
On Noember 30 a columnist lassan lassan wrote an anti -Semitic column
about the eents in Mumbai or the Syrian paper Al -Thawra . It attacked the
lnited States and Zionism which, he claimed, were responsible or global
54
terrorism. Islam, according to the article, is a religion o peace, not iolence,
and religious extremism is common to all nations and not just Islam. The article
also claimed that accusing Islam o responsibility or global iolence and
terrorism was "anti -Islamic aggression" and bore the ingerprints o Zionism.
That proed that the international community, led by the lnited States , was
not serious about dealing with the problem o terrorism, despite the claim that
it was waging a war against it. The article ended by saying that "the problem o
terrorism will remain as long as Zionism stirs things up behind the scenes,
eerywhere, with complete liberty, especially in iew o the lack o international
law and order, and the lack o balanced political standards, which hae led to
anarchy and the collapse o countries."
Al jazeera
Al-azeera TV said the terrorists who targeted Mumbai on 26th Noember,
did not dierentiate between lindus, Muslims and Christians as their target
was India with all its religious and ethnic elements. The amous Muslim
populated area Mohammad Al Marg is barely a kilometre away rom the CST
railway Station and there were at least 30 Muslim caus alities apart rom tens
others who were injured in the attack. The Al -azeera TV spoke to seeral
Muslims recuperating rom their injuries in Mumbai lospitals as they narrated
their story o acing the horror.
Pakistan
The Daily Times
In its Noember 29 editorial, the newspaper said: : The Mumbai stando with
the terrorists went into its third day on lriday with remnants o the attackers
ensconced in the buildings they had occupied along with hostages, including
symbolically the Nariman louse ewish centr e. The death tally had gone up to
12 with 9 oreigners killed too. India is jolted and commentators are calling it
India`s 9,11, the same way Pakistan called the attack on the Marriott lotel in
Islamabad Pakistan`s 9,11. In the middle o this the Indian p rime minister, in a
nation-wide address, said that `neighbouring nations would hae to ace a cost
i they allowed their territory to be used to launch attacks on India`, a thinly
eiled reerence to Pakistan. This shows the domestic pressure he has to ac e,
especially rom the BP and other rightwing groups who hae already accused
his goernment o being sot on the Muslims. But the statement does threaten
to throw a spanner in the works o the normalisation process. lor its part
Pakistan has already condemned the attacks and warned that `jumping to a
conclusion` won`t help either side. It is clear that Pakistan has not `allowed` its
territory to be used by Al Qaeda. In act, it is under attack rom Al Qaeda and
its many ailiate groups
55
The News International
New Delhi would do well to desist rom childish inger -pointing antics. I
indeed it comes up with eidence o any kind o cross -border inolement, this
must be shared with Pakistan. The two nations hae, ater all, already agreed to
step up cooperation against terror while Pakistan`s oreign minister, currently
in India, oered all possible assistance in the Mumbai iolence probe hours
ater the mayhem that enguled that city broke out. This is despite the act the
current goernment in Pakistan clearly has no sympathy or terrorists. New
Delhi is also, quite blatantly, attempting to swing world opinion to its side with
its accusations. Pakistan`s response so ar has been mature and well -planned. It
has instantly condemned the tragedy in uncompromi sing words and stressed
the need or the two South Asian neighbours to act together in ending a
terrorist menace that has greatly damaged both nations. It must, at this moment
in crisis, remind India o the risks inherent in raising tensions or pushing
orward the distrust and suspicion that exists in either country. Doing so
amounts to playing into the hands o the extremists and to the hawks on either
side o the border, who oppose a more peaceul uture or the region. As it
struggles to recoer rom a t errible act o terrorism, that has let people shaken
and bewildered, India must ocus irst o all on putting its own house in order.
It must ace up to the act that dangerous extremist outits operate within its
territory as do some o the world`s most notorious maias and underworld
gangs. As the saying goes, people who lie in glass houses should not throw
stones. This is something India needs to keep in mind in the atermath o the
eents it has seen unold in Mumbai. The tragedy is bad enough. loolis h
actions will only make its atermath worse.
Pakistan Television
PTV said the Indian Goernment and the Indian Media always accuse Pakistan
or terrorist actiities in India. loweer the inestigation always has proed
that the roots o terrorists are in India only. In March 2000, Indian Agents
attacked a Sikh illage in Anantnag and beheaded 36 Sikhs. Indian Goernment
blamed Pakistan or the incident. Later, Indian Army killed ie Kashmiri
youths claiming they had toots in Pakistan. The Sikhs o Chhitisinghpura
dismissed the Indian ersion o eents and declined the Indian Army`s oer o
security, but welcomed lurriyat leaders who came to show unity. ustice
Pandian Committee ormed to probe the incident said the innocent people in
Pathribal were killed by the military in ake encounter.
56
Other teleision channels ran panel discussions and special shows deoted
exclusiely to the coerage o the Mumbai attacks by the Indian media. On talk
shows about the impact o the attacks on the relations between the two
countries, among the irst questions that anchors shot o were: "Do you think
the India media should hae pointed a inger at Pakistan within such a short
time, and without any eidence Vhy do we see this knee -jerk response eery
time some terrorist incident takes place in India"
Top Pakistani journalists are asking why the Indian media, more speciically the
electronic media, hae been so willing to accept the goernment theory that the
attackers came rom Pakistan. They dismiss ed o reports in the Indian press
that the terrorists had links with Lashkar -e-Tayyeba, or that they landed in
Mumbai in a boat rom Karachi. Instead, they are asking why these reports are
not demanding the goernment or eidence o these allegations.
On Dawn News, three top guns o the Pakistani media - anchors lamid Mir,
Talat lussain and Nasim Zehra - dissected the coerage in an hour -long
programme that was aired both on Saturday and Sunday. Their scathing
conclusion - Indian media are "too nationalistic", "smug", th ey told "lies" or at
best "hal-truths", "did not ask questions", resorted to "clichs" and hae
perected the art o projecting Pakistan as the enemy.
A similar programme aired on Geo TV on Noember 30. "|The| Indian media
is oercommitted to projecting India as a success story. They are not used to
reporting state ailures. They are used to reporting India as a country where
nothing bad happens, its Army as the best thing in the world. It projects its
heroes as supermen, taller than the limalayas.So the gap between what the
Indian media are committed to reporting, and the crass state ailure they had to
do report |in Mumbai|, they ended up illing it with lies," Mr. lussain, a top -
rated anchor with Aaj TV, told Dawn News.
On the same programme, Mr. lami d Mir, who anchors Geo's lagship show
Capital Talk, asked why the Indian media were not asking hard questions o the
Indian goernment. Vhen Pakistani orces say they hae killed ie Al -Qaeda,
when they say Rashid Rau has been killed in a drone attack, Pakistani media
are asking them questions - show us the bodies. But Indian media are not
asking important questions.
57
JIHADI RLACTION
Chat rooms were looded by complimentary messages or LeT with some een
describing it as a orce on par with Al Qai da in waging global jihad, according
to the Vashington based SITI Intelligence Group. Not surprisingly, many o
those who hae exchanged such messages in online debating rooms had no
qualms about describing themseles as wannabe LeT terrorists and exhorte d
the outit to carry out more such attacks. These messages were also marked by
anti-lS, lK and Israel iews. Some o the message writers gae inormation
on how to join LeT, urged the outit or similar strikes in the lS and lK. They
called Ajmal Amir Kasab and the nine others inoled in the Mumbai attack as
heroes.
lS-based 1errori.v Movitor, in an assessment, said jihadi orum members were
eager to learn anything about the Mumbai terror attacks, hoping or clues that
al-Qaeda had perpetrated, in a jihadi perspectie, these "great and admirable
attacks." In response to this interest, the jihadi orums hae circulated an
analytical article about the Mumbai attacks by the Kuwaiti Salai cleric lamid
al-Ali h-alali.org, December 1,. Al -Ali is on the l.S. list o terrorism
supporters and inanciers and is best known or his early 2001 atwa religious
ruling, approing the use o suicide attacks, including lying an aircrat into a
building. Al-Ali's article receied oer iteen hundred hits in on day and was
reposted in major jihadi orums and websites muslm.net, December 2,
alboraq.ino, December 2, hanein.ino, December 2,.
In an article entitled, "The Secret Behind India's oy oer the Mumbai
Incident," lamid al-Ali alleges that the attacks came right ater a training
exercise or l.S. oicials in which a map o Pakistan was included in the
training scenario showing Pakistan dismantled into smaller states. The Mumbai
attacks ollowed this conspiracy by the lnited States and India, says al -Ali,
claiming that the end objectie is to dismantle the only Islamic country armed
with nuclear weapons.
According to al-Ali, India sides with the Zionists, occupies Pakistani Kashmir
against the well o its Muslim majority and commits heinous crimes against
Kashmiris. Al-Ali reminds his readers that India also backed Bangladesh against
Pakistan in the 191 war o Bengali secession. India's lindus were alarmed
when the Taliban began to exert power and inluence in nuclear -armed
Pakistan and began supporting Kashmiri Muslims' aspirations or
58
independence. Thereore, the hidden agenda o India aims to penetrate
Aghanistan under the l.S. umbrella, with Israeli cooperation, to eliminate
jihad and the Islamic moements.
Secondly, India is endeaoring to dismantle Pakista n under the pretext that
Pakistan is the springboard or all global jihadi moements. Al -Ali reiterates
India's role in instigating the Vest against Pakistan. India's argument, says al -
Ali, is that the "Taliban moement sprung rom Pakistan, where the most
dangerous terrorists reside in Pakistan's Vaziristan. Pakistan is oerloaded with
religious schools illing Muslims' minds with Takiri ideology. Pakistan is the
only Islamic nuclear state ehemently interacting with Islamic issues." Al -Ali
goes on to elucidate the many serices and aors India rendered to Israel to
win the support o the Vest against Pakistan. linally, al -Ali predicts Indian
escalation and possible all out war, backed by the lnited States, against the
mujahideen in Kashmir with the collusion o the corrupt president o Pakistan,
Asi Zardari.
Al-Ali's analysis receied many comments rom jihadi orum members.
Although corroborating al -Ali's conspiracy theory in general, some jihadi orum
chatters raised three main arguments on the Mumbai attacks. The majority o
orum members are coninced that al -Qaeda was inoled in the attacks one
way or another, pointing to a ideo by al -Qaeda deliered to news agencies in
the Indian city o Srinagar last year. In the alleged al -Qaeda ideo a man cal ling
himsel Abu Abdulrahman al -Ansari claimed to be a high ranking member o
al-Qaeda and threatened to wage holy war against India abrar.org une 8,
200,. Vhether the Pakistani army decides to track down Islamic moements
in Kashmir or is orced into a conrontation with the Indian army, it will ease
Pakistani pressure on the tribal areas where the Pakistani Taliban operates.
Hamas
Opinions opposing the oicial stance could be ound on the Internet sites o
lamas and the Qatari Al -azeera TV, whose editors gae a orum to surers
wishing to identiy with the terrorists in Mumbai. Talkbacks on those sites
expressed support or the attacks and identiication with the attackers and their
goals, expressing hope that such acts o iolence would be carried o ut against
Israel and the lnited States .
Surers on lamas' PALDl lorum , which appears on the Palestine -ino
website lamas' main website,, expressed support, their remarks shown next to
pictures o those in killed in the attacks. The orum did not post any talkbacks
criticizing the terrorist attacks .
59
An op-ed article in lamas' organ ete.teev December 2, 2008 , accused Israel
o responsibility or the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Dr. Issam Shahwar, in his
column "lree Zone," claimed that the captie in Indian custody 1 had said that
the objectie o the attack was to kill as many Israelis as possible in retaliation
or the "barbaric crimes" Israel has committed against the Palestinians. Thus,
he claimed, Israel bears responsibility or international terrorism and or the
dangers aced by many countries around the world.
Hizbollah
The Lebanese militant group, lizbollah, said India was part o the western
alliance in war against terror. In a statement, Sayyid Nawwa al -Musawi,
lizbollah`s head or international relations, said India has neer succumbed to
international pressures since its independence. loweer, these attacks will be
an opportunity or the lS to blackmail both Pakistan and India and inringe on
their soereignty. lizbollah warned India a gainst the pitalls o depending on
Israeli intelligence. It said Israel sets this additional trap to inundate states with
misleading intelligence and iniltrate their security and military establishments.
It said that the Mumbai perpetrators were o the Takiri ideological persuasion.
Takiris are extremists who iew the entire non -Muslim world as a
battleground, with the majority o Muslims also being termed inidels.
Commenting on how it enisaged its relations with India, lizbollah said that it
desires to consolidate dialogue and riendship with the Indian people o arious
groups in order to uphold reedom o mankind and conront the orces o
arrogance, Takir, and Zionism, because these orces cooperate and stand
together to reap the ruits o thei r common work.
Jamaat-ud Dawa or Lashkar-e-Tayyeba
amaat-ud-Dawa blamed lindu extremists groups or the Mumbai attack.
Talking to the media, the uD spokesperson said that Muslims cannot kill
people in hotels and public places. loweer, lindu extremists, who killed
hundreds o innocent people in Samjhauta Ixpress and thousands in Gujarat
riots can commit more heinous crimes. The uD accused the Indian authorities
o trying to shit the blame to LeT.
The amaat-ud-Dawa Chie, laiz Mohammad Saeed condemn ed the Mumbai
incident and said that the organisation does not beliee in killing innocent
people. le said jihad was an important component o Islam but terrorism and
jihad cannot be linked together.