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Gunmen have carried out, on Wednesday 11/26/2008 at about 23:00, a series of coordinate attacks, in the Southern luxury suburb of the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay), killing at least 125 people and injuring 350 more. Mumbai, the pumping heart of India's economy, was often targeted in the past by Islamic terrorists. "The perpetrators have used automatic weapons and in some places grenades have been lobbed," said AN Roy, police commissioner of Maharashtra state.

At least ten high-profile locations were hit in India's financial capital, including two luxury hotels, Taj Mahal Palace, where about 40 hostages were reported to be held on the fifth floor, and the Oberoi Trident Hotel, where over 100 more hostages were reported to be held. The two hotels were used by foreigners as well as local businessmen and leaders. Several European legislators visiting Mumbai ahead of a European Union-India summit, were reportedly among people who had barricaded themselves inside the Taj Mahal. Fire crews evacuated people from the upper floors of the Taj Mahal Palace.

11 officers were killed in the skirmishes around and inside the Taj Mahal lobby in the first evening when the terrorists managed to turn the lobby and the entrance of the hotel to a killing zone using hand grenades. Among those killed are the head of Mumbai's anti-terrorism unit Hemant Karkare and two other senior officers, officials say. Other 5 policemen where killed in other locations in the opening hour of the attack.

The luxury Leopold's restaurant, neighbor to the Taj Mahal Palace was taken over by terrorists who tried to select British and American citizens out of the other guests in the restaurant. After a short time, probably because of police fire, the Leopold's attackers withdrew to the Taj hotel.   

In the city's crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji train station the terrorist opened fire indiscriminately on the crowd, killing many and wounding many more. Some of the assailants were shot dead or captured by the police on the scene. A hospital nearby was also attacked by indiscriminate fire as well as the police headquarter located nearby.

The Jewish ultra-orthodox group ‘Habad' center, popular among many Israeli backpackers, was seized by more then 4 terrorists and six Israelis were taken hostage after the hostage takers released the Rabbi's young son and Indian nanny.   

Commandos have surrounded the two hotels and the Jewish Habad center, where it was believed that the armed men are holding dozens of hostages. The Taj Mahal Palace, was eventually cleared from terrorists, on Thursday 11/27/2008 evening, after a whole day fighting, which caused enormous damage to the Hotel. Three terrorists, one of them a Pakistani, were captured in the hotel and a yet unknown number of them were killed.

At Oberoi hotel and the Jewish center exchange of fire continued all day long. At night an Indian commando set free 7 hostages in an apartment close to the Jewish Habad center but the center itself remained in the hands of the perpetrators. On Friday 11/28/2008 before dawn the Indian Commando finished to clear the Oberoi hotel and began to take control of the Jewish Habad Center where the battle is still runs wild (11/28/2008 08:30 GMT).   

A claim of responsibility has been made by a previously unknown group calling itself the ‘Deccan Mujahideen' in emails to news agencies. But it is still premature to know who is really behind the attack.

As to Friday 11/28/2008, the whole picture of the right number of casualties, the number of terrorists who took part in the horrendous raid, their origin and motivation is yet unclear. The Indian authorities are reluctant to release any information obtained from the captured terrorists and the initial results of the investigation. 

The latest shootings come at a time when ties between India and Pakistan, which often supported terror in India over the Kashmir ongoing crisis, have improved. Just days ago Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari told a summit in Delhi that Pakistan would not be first to carry out a missile strike on India.  

The two countries have a joint anti-terror mechanism whereby they are supposed to share information on terrorist attacks

Summary

* A well coordinated attack on several locations, simultaneously, is typical to Al Qaeda or other Islamic radical organizations. But Islamic organizations prefer, as a weapon of choice, to use explosives and to base their attacks on bombings. In some cases shooting was used by Islamic militants to pave the way for suicide bombers, car loaded with explosions or diversion but not as the core of the attack. The INDIAN Parliament Attack in Delhi, on 12/13/2001, also based on using light arms and shooting, was a rare exception.   

* The attack in Mumbai was carried out by few dozen attackers, 15 of them are already dead or captured. It is a huge waste, from terrorists point of view, of dedicated and devoted men power. Eventually most of the attackers will be killed, wounded or captured. Generally the usage of bombs enable the terrorist to carry out several repeated attacks, over a long period of time, before being caught or killed, rather then executing just a one single attack. (For example - the INDIAN Mujahideen network, of few dozen members, carried out a long string of bombings, which caused hundreds of casualties in India, before being arrested in Mumbai (see - Mumbai-Arrests ) on 09/24/2008.

* The very fact that 9 assailants were already captured suggests that the attackers are not the fanatic suicidal type of terrorists but in another state of mind. 

* Such a terror attack, executed by a relative large number of few dozens well trained perpetrators, which dragged the local army and police to few days of street fighting and urban guerilla, caused major confusion and paralyzed a multi million metropolis for about 24 hours, is unprecedented in the history of modern terror attacks. The original thought, the daring tactics, the long preparation and the bold execution of the attack resemble The 9/11. Such also will be the consequences.    

* If indeed, as initial intelligence and investigation reports suggested, the terrorists' base of operation was in Pakistan, the attack is a major blow to peace efforts in the Indian subcontinent and to the new fragile democratically elected civilian regime in Pakistan. It also raises the question if the Civilian regime is able to control its intelligence apparatus, and much more important, its nuclear capacity.  See - Mumbai-carnage investigation