The November 2008 Mumbai attacks are a series of ten coordinated attacks committed by Islamic militants, which began across Mumbai, India's financial capital and largest city, on 26 November 2008 and still had not been overcome by 29 November. The attacks have been dubbed by media as "India's 9/11", an apparent reference to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. At least 195 people, including at least twenty-two foreign nationals, have been confirmed dead and at least 327 have been injured. Eight attacks took place in South Mumbai: at the crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station; at two five-star hotels: the Oberoi Trident at Nariman Point, and Taj Mahal Palace & Tower near the Gateway of India; at the Leopold Café, a popular tourist restaurant in Colaba; at the Cama Hospital; at the Orthodox Jewish-owned Nariman House; at the Metro Adlabs movie theatre; and at the Mumbai Police Headquarters where at least three high-level officers, including chief of the Anti Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra, were killed by gunfire. There was also an explosion at Mazagaon docks in Mumbai's port area. The tenth incident involved a taxi blast at Vile Parle near the airport but it is uncertain whether this is connected with the South Mumbai attacks.
A previously unknown organization identifying itself as the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility by email sent to news organizations. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the attacks probably had “external linkages,” believing that the attack could not have occurred without help. On 28 November, police stated that three terrorists who had attacked the Taj Hotel confessed to being members of the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba Islamist group, which may have severe consequences for India-Pakistan relations. The Indian Mujahideen terrorist group threatened in September 2008 to carry out bombings at sites in Mumbai. According to some news reports, a miltant holding hostages at the Oberoi told an Indian TV channel that they wanted all 'Mujahideen' in Indian prisons released before they released their hostages. He also indicated that there were seven terrorists holding hostages at that location. Other reports indicate that this demand was made through a hostage at the Mumbai Chabad House, in a call to the Israeli consulate in New Delhi. Experts have conflicting views as to whether Al Qaeda is behind the attacks.
After two days of gunfire and explosions, the attack was incorrectly reported ceased as of the early morning of 28 November in Mumbai. The fires were out and soldiers were leading hostages and holed-up guests to safety and removing bodies of those killed in the attacks. Nariman House and the Oberoi Trident were cleared of hostages by Indian commandos. Five hostages were killed at the Jewish center. Later news reports indicated that there were still two or three terrorists in the Taj, with explosions heard and gunfire exchanged. Fires were also reported as having been caused at the ground floor of the Taj with plumes of smoke arising from the first floor. Severe damage has been reported to the Taj, with a dome, and parts of the Heritage Wing of the Taj reported to be destroyed. National Security Guards action resulted in the completion of the Taj encounter, with three terrorists reported killed.
Location and Type of attack
1. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station - Shootings, grenade attacks.
2. South Mumbai Police Headquarters - Shootings.
3. Leopold Café, Colaba - Shootings.
4. Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel - Shootings, six explosions, fire on top floor, hostages, RDX found nearby.
5. Oberoi Trident hotel - Shootings, explosions, hostages, fire.
6. Metro movie theater - Shooting from hijacked police jeep.
7. Cama Hospital - Shootings, hostages.
8. Mumbai Chabad House (Nariman House) - Siege, shootings, hostages.
9. Vile Parle suburb, North Mumbai - Car bomb blast.
10. Mazagaon docks - Explosion, boat with armaments seized.
11. Girgaum Chowpatty - 1 terrorist killed and 1 arrested by team from the Gamdevi police station.
Chronology of events
India has suffered a wave of bomb attacks in recent years, and Mumbai has been the target of many of these attacks.
Many of the terrorists are believed to have arrived in the city by water via light, inflatable boats that were dropped off from a larger vessel anchored off port.
One such event was detailed later on at 8:10 pm IST on 26 November: a boat carrying around eight young men with several large bags docked at Mumbai's Cuffe Parade neighborhood, where six of the men disembarked and the rest continued sailing along the shore. When local residents asked about their occupation, the group responded that they were students. At 8:30 pm another such incident played out in Colaba, when 10 Urdu-speaking men in Zodiac speedboats came ashore. They reportedly told local Marathi-speaking fishermen to mind their business before they split up and headed two different ways; the fishermen's subsequent report to police received little response.
The attacks began around 9:20 pm, when two militants armed with AK rifles entered the passenger hall of the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, opened fire and threw grenades, killing at least ten people. Two terrorists held fifteen hostages, including seven foreigners, in the Taj Mahal hotel.
CNN reported at 11 pm that the hostage situation at the Taj had been resolved and quoted the police chief of Maharashtra state as saying that all hostages were freed; however, it was later learned that there were still hostages in the hotel. Forty people were being held as hostages in the Oberoi Trident hotel. Six blasts are reported to have taken place at the Taj hotel and one at the Oberoi Trident. The Taj Mahal Hotel was reported to be completely under government control at 4:22 am and Indian commandos killed two gunmen inside Oberoi hotel and took control of the building.
Both hotels were on fire and were surrounded and stormed by Rapid Action Force commandos. Reports emerged of terrorists using live feeds broadcast by television stations; feeds to the hotels have subsequently been blocked. All terrorists are out of the Taj hotel, and police and firefighters are working to rescue the estimated 50 people trapped inside. Low-intensity blasts were reported in Vile Parle and a grenade attack in Santa Cruz. Two blasts were reported in the Nepean Sea Road area of south Mumbai. Local Mumbai Suburban Railway trains on the Western Railway are running, whereas those of the Central Railway are suspended. More blasts were reported at the Oberoi as the siege continued. Meanwhile, police seized a boat filled with arms and explosives anchored at Mazgaon dock off Mumbai harbour.
A number of European Parliament Committee on International Trade delegates were staying in the Taj Mahal hotel when it was attacked. British Conservative MEP Sajjad Karim (who was in the lobby when gunmen initially opened fire there) and German Social Democrat MEP Erika Mann were last heard of hiding in different parts of the building. Also reported present was Spanish MEP Ignasi Guardans, who was barricaded in a hotel room. Another British Conservative MEP, Syed Kamall, reports that he along with several other MEPs left the hotel and went to a nearby restaurant shortly before the attack. Kamill also reported that Polish MEP Jan Masiel was thought to have been sleeping in his hotel room when the attacks occurred. He did not leave his room for a long time, but he finally managed to safely leave the hotel. Kamil and Guardans report that a Hungarian MEP's assistant was shot.
Also caught up in the shooting were the President of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, while checking in at the Oberoi Trident, and Indian MP N. N. Krishnadas of Kerala, while having dinner at a restaurant in the Taj hotel.
The New York Times reported that terrorists held several hostages at the Mumbai Chabad House in Colaba, owned by Chabad Lubavitch. Chabad Lubavitch also expressed concern that its representative in Mumbai, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, and his wife, Rivka Holtzberg, were missing. Recent reports as of early morning of November 29 reveal that both the Rabbi and his wife were killed while taken hostages inside the house. Times Online reports about Sir Gulam Noon - MBE's experience on how he escaped the bombed Taj Mahal Hotel.
Maharashtra state home secretary Bipin Shrimali has announced that the police have killed four gunmen when they attempted to flee in cars in two separate incidents, and state home minister R. R. Patil says nine suspects have also been arrested.
About 400 Army commandos and 300 National Security Guards (NSG) commandos and 36~100 MARCOS commandos were sent to Mumbai. The army was reported to have secured one of the hotels, and eight hostages have been freed at the Jewish outreach group.
Events at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel
Date Estimated Time Event
Nov 27 3:30 AM Naval commandos storm hotel
Nov 27 4:30 AM More than 200 people evacuated
Nov 27 6:35 AM Army takes over area, NSG enters hotel
Nov 27 10:30 AM Gunbattle reported from inside
Nov 27 12 Noon 50 evacuated
Nov 27 4:30 PM Militants set fire to a room on the 4th floor
Nov 27 7:20 PM More NSG commandos arrive, enter hotel
Nov 27 11:00 PM Operations continue
Nov 27 2:53 PM Six bodies recovered
Nov 27-28 2:53 PM - 3:59 Ten grenade explosions
Nov 28 3:00 PM Marine commandos recover explosives from Taj.
Nov 28 4.00 PM 12-15 dead bodies recovered from the Taj by Naval Commandos.
Nov 28 7:30 PM Fresh explosions and gun shots at Taj Hotel.
Nov 28 8:30 PM Reported that one terrorist left at the Taj.
Nov 29 3:40 AM - 4:10 AM Reports of five explosions at the Taj.
Nov 29 5:05 AM Revised estimate of one terrorist remaining.
Nov 29 02:30 AM Fire raging on first floor. Black smoke from second floor. Gunshots heard frequently — apparent gun battle.
Nov 29 03:20 AM Indian commandos state that the Taj Hotel is now under control. However they are still conducting room to room searches. People celebrate on the streets.
Events at the Oberoi Trident
Date Time Event
Nov 27 6 AM NSG arrives, storms hotel.
Nov 27 8:40 AM Firing heard, Top army, navy officers arrive and take stock.
Nov 27 1:30 PM Two small explosions. More reinforcements enter building.
Nov 27 3:25 PM Some foreign hostages rescued
Nov 27 5:35 PM Sikh regiment arrives, fierce gunbattle.
Nov 27 6 PM 27 hostages come out of Air India building, four foreigners taken to hospital.
Nov 27 6:45 PM Explosion heard. Two NSG guards, 25 army personnel suspected injured. More people rescued, in all 31.
Nov 27 7:10 PM 1 terrorist arrested.
Nov 27 7:25 PM Fire breaks out on 4th floor
Nov 27 11 PM Operations continue
Nov 28 10 AM Many hostages evacuated from the Trident building.
Nov 28 3:00 PM Commando operations at Oberoi over, 24 dead bodies recovered. 143 hostages rescued alive. Two militants shot dead.
Events at Nariman House
Date Estimated Time Event
Nov 27 7 AM Police begin evacuating adjacent buildings.
Nov 27 11 AM Cross-firing between terrorists and police; one militant injured.
Nov 27 2:45 PM Terrorists throw grenade into nearby lane, no casualties.
Nov 27 5:30 PM NSG commandos arrive, naval helicopter takes aerial survey
Nov 27 11 PM Operations continue
Nov 28 7:30 AM NSG commandos are airdropped onto the top of Nariman house.
Nov 28 7:30 PM All 5 hostages including the Rabbi and his wife found killed by the terrorists.
Nov 28 8:30 PM NSG commandos declare the operations over, 2 terrorists killed.
Responsibility
A previously unknown organization identifying itself as the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility by email sent to news organizations. The New York Times has stated that international security experts "drew a blank on" the Deccan Mujahideen group, with one analyst labeling it a "front name". In September, the Indian Mujahideen had warned of future attacks. Their message said that “you are already on our hit-list and this time very, very seriously.” According to a witness, the gunmen were looking for American and British passport holders and left others alone, such as a man claiming to be Italian. Later reports indicate that this was not necessarily the case, with the aim being to kill whoever they could. The Independent has reported that "the attackers were young South Asian men speaking Hindi or Urdu, suggesting they are probably members of an Indian militant group rather than foreigners". Though these languages are spoken in both Pakistan and India. Sky News has reported that one of the terrorists shouted "Are you aware how many people have been killed in Kashmir? Are you aware how your army has killed Muslims?" and spoke in Urdu with what was described as a Kashmiri accent.
According to the chief minister of Maharashtra state, Vilasrao Deshmukh, up to 25 gunmen took part in the attacks. The terrorists looked young, in their early twenties, and wore T-shirts, black shirts, and jeans.[73] The Guardian has reported that they seemed "cool and composed" and "in no hurry".[73] Some have claimed that there were Britons among them.[74] The terrorists had planned the attack several months ahead of time, setting up "control rooms" in the two luxury hotels that were targeted.[75]
Initially, some media reports had attributed these terrorist attacks to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Islamic militant group. Early on 28 November, police investigators stated that three captured terrorists have confessed to being Lashkar-e-Taiba members, with one of them allegedly named 'Ajmal Amir Kamal' and originally from Pakistan's Punjab area. These allegations could have severe consequences for India-Pakistan relations. The divertion of Pakistani military and security forces away from counterterrorism and towards India may have been in part of the motivation for the attack. US intelligence sources are now saying that there is mounting evidence that Lashkar-e-Taiba is behind the attacks. Still, many security analysts have said the November attacks were more likely to have been carried out by indigenous, Indian extremist groups blamed for a series of bombings earlier this year than Pakistani-linked ones.
If Lashkar-e-Taiba is involved, and the attack primarily targeted westerners, then the attack may have a connection to al Qaeda since this would be the first time that that group has targeted Westerners specifically.[80] Lashkar-e-Taiba denies any involvement. The Guardian has called speculation about al Qaeda "immediate, simplistic — and probably misleading". A St Andrews University professor quoted by The Telegraph argues that "Al-Qaeda set the blueprint for terrorist operations and now we see different people, different groups in different parts of the world, copying it."
According to some Indian news reports, Indian intelligence agencies believed that attackers came by sea to Mumbai from the Pakistani port of Karachi on the ship MV Alpha. This led the Indian Navy and coast guard to begin searching ships off India's western coast. The reports that MV Alpha was involved were later dismissed after a search of the ship by the Indian Navy found no evidence of involvement, though the investigation of the ship continues. The Times of India is reporting that the Indian Coast Guard has seized a ship that was reported missing a few days ago. The fishing boat from Porbandar was reported hijacked on 14 November and it is suspected that it was used by the terrorists to get to the coast at Colaba. The captain of the boat was found dead and several crew members are missing. The Gujarat Police had said the terror strikes were similar to the Akshardham Temple attacks of 2002.
A satellite phone recovered from two dead terrorists reportedly showed calls made to Karachi before and after the attacks commenced. Also, Major General Hooda who ran the anti-terror operations has said that "In the message intercepted by us when the terrorists were interacting between Nariman House and the Taj Hotel, we found that they spoke in Punjabi language. They were trying to pretend to be from Hyderabad". Alleged terrorists Sahadullah Babbar and Imran Babbar have called Indian news channel India TV and spoke to the correspondents claiming to be from Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh while speaking in Urdu with Peshawari/Pushto accent.
According to a Times of India report, the terrorists were motivated by religious zeal and specifically let go of a Turkish couple who said they were Muslims. The Mumbai Police had received information that some six or seven days ago, the terrorists had made a dry run. They suspect that some local people could have been involved in the attacks. An organization representing Baluchis in the US that it suspected Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim to be involved in the attacks.
Confessions by captured terrorist
Azam Amir Kasav, a 21 year old terrorist was caught and taken to the Nair hospital. According to preliminary investigations by intelligence agencies, Azam is from Faridkot in Pakistan and had received arms training in Pakistan. Ammunition, a satellite phone and a layout plan of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was recovered from him. He has provided many clues to the investigation agencies and has reportedly described how they arrived at Mumbai from Karachi via Porbandar. He has reportedly said that he and other terrorists had received automatic loading revolvers, AK-47s, bullet magazines and dried fruit from their coordinator. Azam reportedly told the police that they wanted to replicate the attack on Islamabad's Marriott hotel attack, and reduce the Taj Hotel to rubble, replicating the 9/11 attacks in India.
It is reported that Azam told the police that he and his associate Ismail Khan were the ones who shot Anti-Terror Squad chief Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte. According to the police, Kasav entered Taj posing as a student from Mauritius and had planted explosives in the room.
ATS sources indicate that blood and urine testing on Azam showed that the terrorist were under the influence of drugs.
Casualties
Article: LIST of Dead, injured and Rescued People
At least 160 people have been killed in the attacks and 327 wounded. Seven Britons, three Americans, two Australians, two Canadians, and one Filipino were among those injured. Among the dead are 81 Indian civilians, 14 policemen and six foreigners, including four Australians, three Germans, five Americans, two French, one Spaniard, one Japanese, one Singaporean, one Jordanian, one Briton, one Italian, and two Canadians. In addition, nine terrorists were killed and nine more were arrested. According to British High Commissioner in India, Sir Richard Stagg, seven Britons have been injured in the terror strikes and one dead. Andreas Liveras, a British yachting tycoon, was among those confirmed killed. German TV producer Ralph Burkei, and French lingerie tycoon, Loumia Hiridjee and her husband, were also among the dead. Husband and wife, Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and Rivka Holtzberg, both of whom were hostages in Nariman House, also died during the attack. Eleven other foreigners of different nationalities were injured in the terror strikes and were admitted to the Bombay Hospital. Hospital sources said the injured foreigners are from Australia, USA, Norway, Spain, Canada and Singapore. However, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained that no Singaporean had been injured in the attacks, although a Singaporean was later found killed in the Trident Oberoi hotel. According to Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, 14 policemen and 3 NSG commandos have been killed in total, including the following high profile officers:
* Chief of Anti Terrorist Squad Hemant Karkare, who headed the team investigating the politically sensitive 2006 Malegaon blasts. Karkare had also been receiving death threats recently, including a threat to bomb his residence,[129] but it is unclear if these were related to his death.
* Additional Commissioner of Police: Ashok Kamte
* Encounter specialist: Vijay Salaskar
* Senior inspector Shashank Shinde, who had recently been involved in investigating many of India's recent bombings.
* NSG Commando, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan.
* NSG Hawaldar Chandar
* NSG Commando Hawaldar Gajendra Singh
Three railway officials of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus also have been killed in the terror strikes.
The Government of Maharashtra announced Rs. 5 lakh (about 10,000 USD) compensation to the kin of those killed in the terror attacks and Rs. 50,000 (about 1,000 USD) to the seriously injured. The Times Now reported that six bodies had been recovered from the Oberoi Trident. It was also reported that ten grenade explosions happened at the Taj.[citation needed] NSGs commandos named the Nariman House Operation Black Tornado. In addition, twenty more commandos were rushed to the Nariman House. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked the prime minister of Pakistan Yousaf Raza Gillani to send ISI officers to Delhi, which the Pakistani PM has agreed to do. Pakistan initially said it would send the chief of the ISI, but later reversed its position, and said it will send a representative of the ISI instead.
Aftermath
As a result of this incident, all schools, colleges, and most offices, including the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange remained closed on 27 November 2008. Shooting of Bollywood films and TV serials has also been halted in the city. Many international airlines temporarily discontinued operations to Mumbai in the interest of passenger and crew safety.
The two remaining one-day internationals of the seven match series between the visiting England cricket team and India were cancelled. The visiting team is set to fly home soon. The inaugural T20 Champions League scheduled from 3 to 10 December, Mumbai being one of the host cities, was postponed. There were threats to blow up ITC Fortune Hotel in Navi Mumbai after Mumbai police received a bomb threat from the terrorists.
Rumours about further shootings at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus were doing the rounds in Mumbai on 28 November and were widely reported by the news channels. The Railway Police denied these rumours but stopped trains approaching CST.
At the request of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Ahmad Shuja Pasha, was reported to be coming to India to share intelligence and help the investigation, but later on it was decided by Pakistani authorities that Instead of Director General of the ISI, his representative will visit India to help Indian government in the investigations of Mumbai mayhem.
Reactions
In a televised address, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said India will “go after” individuals and organizations behind the terrorist attacks, which were “well-planned with external linkages.” In addition, he said: "The well-planned and very orchestrated attacks, probably with external linkages, were intended to create a sense of panic by choosing high-profile targets and indiscriminately killing innocent foreigners," Singh said in a televised address to the nation. Leader of the opposition L K Advani has asked the people of India to stay united during this time of emergency.
The Mumbai attacks have elicited a strong response from leaders around the world, largely expressing condemnation for the acts of terrorism and condolences for the relatives of those killed. The Congress government reportedly refused an offer of assistance from Israeli intelligence to investigate the attacks. Several western countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, France and Canada, have advised their citizens to defer travel to Mumbai in the short term (48-72 hours).
Security meeting
On Thursday 27 November, Gujarat's Chief Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting to discuss waterfront security along the coastline. At the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided that a number of steps be taken to improve security:
* Increase the number of police stations to 50 (from 10)
* Increase the number of police to 1500 from 250
* 30 modern surveillance boats
Media coverage
The Mumbai attacks highlighted the increasing importance of social media and citizen journalism in the way events are reported. Many people covered the unfolding event on websites like Twitter and Flickr, which are largely clustered under search tags such as "mumbai" and "attack" (to which Twitter adds hashtags). The day after the attacks, the Indian government asked Mumbai citizens to cease updating Twitter with live coverage of police activity. The New York Times and BBC offered live textual coverage online, as did many Indian bloggers. A map of the attacks was set up using Google Maps. Wikipedia was also noted for its more detailed reports and more rapid updates compared with many traditional media outlets.
A senior officer in the country's elite Black Cat commando unit said that the gunmen were able to trawl the internet for information once they lost cable television feeds to the two luxury hotels and office block. The men looked beyond the instant updates of the Indian media to find worldwide reaction to the events in Mumbai. Their analysis of at least five BlackBerry mobile phones recovered suggested the terrorists had links to England.
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