Terror in Mumbai 1

CJUS 615

Terror in Mumbai

Contemporary Issues & Trends in Terrorism

Terrorist attacks wreak havoc on people's lives. When terrorists are at work, they claim a

lot of lives. Terrorism is clearly easy to define but difficult to comprehend. Getting into a

terrorist's head might lead to more unresolved questions. Terrorist assaults, unfortunately, are all

too regular and have become a routine. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to terrorism. All we

can do is be wise, prepared, aware, and cautious. Terrorists are on the loose, and an attack might

happen at any time. Attacks occur without warning and leave lasting wounds from which no one

can ever heal. The Mumbai attacks were unplanned, and people went about their daily lives as

normal, with no one expecting anything horrible to happen. Ten gunmen from the terrorist

organization Lashkar-e-Taiba attacked Mumbai, India, in November 2008, killing at least 170

people and putting the city on edge (Reed & Mani, 2009). The Lashkar-e-Taiba group, according

to the documentary, was a Pakistan-based Islamic terrorist organization that was motivated by

anti-India animosity. Although there was no one-size-fits-all explanation for why Lashkar-e-

Taiba carried out the November assaults, there were several factors at play.

Because the terrorist group saw India's mixed culture and religious liberties as a danger to

Islam, Lashkar-e-Taiba's ultimate purpose was to undermine India in any manner they could.

During my viewing of the video, I discovered that Lashkar-e-Taiba had previously targeted

India, indicating that the decision to strike Mumbai was not made on the spontaneity of the

moment. Mumbai is India's economic and entertainment capital, and it attracts people from all

over the world. Lashkar-e-Taiba was effectively given a worldwide platform to spread their
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message by targeting this location explicitly, and while it was not the worst terrorist act India has

ever seen, it nonetheless sent shockwaves across the world (Rabasa et al., 2009).

At war, soldiers follow a hierarchy that is governed by commands. For the strategy to

succeed, it is assumed that commands would be obeyed. The Mumbai terrorists were following a

Pakistani hierarchy. Although it is difficult to comprehend why someone would choose to

deliberately follow the ideals of a terrorist group, there is always a cause or motive for a

terrorist's activities, whether they are acting alone or just a soldier following orders. Those

issuing instructions may have a legitimate or personal motive for attacking. Many terrorists are

brainwashed by the groups with which they associate and/or work, as well as the ideals that

motivate them. They might be political or religious in nature. Because of this congruence of

views, their desire to obey instructions is typically the same as their beliefs, and the terrorists

who carry out these terrorist operations usually consider themselves as pawns for a cause far

greater than themselves, which provides sufficient justification for their conduct. Furthermore,

these individuals consider themselves to be warriors on a mission (Sonawane et al., 2020).

As I previously stated, assaults are unplanned; no one wakes up expecting they would be

assaulted that day. However, being extra cautious in areas with huge crowds, such as subway and

railway stations, festivals and performance sites, and retail malls, can assist avert a terrorist

attack. Another thing to consider is reporting suspicious circumstances. An abandoned luggage

on a train platform, for example, does not always indicate something terrible. Still, the best

course of action is to immediately alert a member of staff. Alternatively, you can contact the

authorities. Finally, having good ties with diverse religious leaders is crucial because they may

create relationships with one another while respecting differences.

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References

Bashor, M. (1998). International Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction1. Risk

Analysis, 18(6), 675-678. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6924.1998.tb01111.x

Rabasa, A., D Blackwill, R., Chalk, P., Cragin, K., & C Fair, C. (2009). The lessons of Mumbai

(V.249). Rand Corporation.

Reed, D. & Mani, A. N. (Directors). (2009). Terror in Mumbai [Film; Online video]. Quicksilver

Media.