Current Hostage Situation & Terrorist Attack in Mumbai

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25 Feared Dead in Mumbai Terror Attack
Wednesday, November 26, 2008

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Nov. 26: A man injured in a gun battle is carried to a hospital in Mumbai, India.
MUMBAI, India — DEVELOPING: At least 25 people are feared dead after gunman targeted luxury hotels, a popular tourist attraction and a crowded train station in at least seven attacks in India's financial capital Thursday, police and witnesses said.

There are unconfirmed reports of westerners being held hostage by the gunmen.

A.N Roy police commissioner of Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the capital, said police were battling the gunmen.

"The terrorists have used automatic weapons and in some places grenades have been lobbed," said Roy.

Some of the gunmen are still holed up in buildings, a police official told Reuters.

Two eyewitnesses told Sky News through mobile devises the gunmen were going after westerners.

"We were asked if there were any British or Americans," they said.

Recent Attacks on Americans or American Interests in India

Gunmen opened fire on two of the city's best known Luxury hotels, the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi. They also attacked the crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station in southern Mumbai and Leopold's restaurant, a Mumbai landmark.

It was not immediately clear what the motive was for the attacks.

"It was really scary. It was like the sound of loud crackers, not one but several, we just ran out of there," said Janice Sequeira, a tourist who had been at a restaurant in the Taj Mahal Hotel.

At the Oberoi, police officer P.I. Patil said shots had been fired inside and the hotel had been cordoned off. He would not give any other details.

The Press Trust of India news agency quoted Mumbai General Railway Police Commissioner A.K. Sharma as saying that several men armed with rifles and grenades were holed up in the train station.

Leopold's restaurant was riddled with bullet holes and there were blood stains on the floor and shoes left by fleeing customers, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene.

At least 25 people had been brought to the G.T. Hospital near the shootings, said hospital official Yogesh Pandey.

The Associated Press, Reuters and Sky News contributed to this report.

Terror attacks in Mumbai; 80 dead, over 250 injured
27 Nov 2008, 0000 hrs IST,



MUMBAI: Terror struck the country's financial capital late on Wednesday night as coordinate serial explosions and indiscriminate firing rocked eight Mortal remains of a taxi after terror attack at western express highway near domestic airport in Mumbai. (PTI Photo)

areas across Mumbai including the crowded CST railway station, two five star hotels--Oberoi and Taj. ( Watch )

At least 80 people were dead and 250 injured in the terror attacks, hospital sources said.

Two terrorists were still inside the Oberoi Hotel and commando operation was on.

Terrorists hijacked white police jeep near Metro cinema in South Mumbai .

Firing was also reported near Maharashtra state assembly building in South Mumbai.

Armed with AK-47 rifles and grenades, a couple of terrorists entered the passenger hall of CST and opened fire and threw grenades, Mumbai General Railway Police Commissioner A K Sharma said.

The terror strike which began at 10:33 PM at Chhatrapathi Shivaji Terminus(CST), formerly known as the Victoria Terminus(VT), claimed 10 lives in the premises of the station alone, police said.

Three persons were killed in a bomb explosion in a taxi on Mazegaon dockyard road and an equal number were gunned down at Taj Hotel. The victims in the hotel were its employees.

The lobby of the Oberoi hotel was on fire and the hotel evacuated, eyewitnesses said.

Maharashtra DGP A N Roy said tonight's attack in "at least seven places" is a "terror strike."

Sharma said 30 persons were injured in the CST incident. Commandoes were rushed to the CST which wore a deserted look and train services suspended.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is cutting his Kerala visit and returning to Mumbai. He described the situation in Mumbai as "very serious".

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has condemned terror attacks in Mumbai and assured Maharashtra government of all assistance.

The NSG commandos were on standby and national disaster response force unit is being rushed to Mumbai, the Ministry of Home Affairs officials said.

Some people were injured in the firing in Oberoi hotel, and taken to a nearby hospital in police vans and ambulance. Firing was also reported in Taj hotel.

Firing was reported at Colaba, Nariman Point and near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal, formerly Victoria Terminus and it was still continuing.

Firing was also reported at Cama Hospital in south Mumbai, police said, adding that a blast was reported in a taxi under a flyover in suburban Vile Parle. A bomb went off in a taxi in Mazegaon dockyard road.

SRPF personnel then entered the iconic BMC building -- just opposite CST -- to take aim at the assailants, BMC commissioner Jairaj Phatak said. "We fear some of the assailants are still inside the station and we want to catch them if they come out," a police official said.

Vikhroli police station senior inspector Habib Ansari was on his way to work from his Colaba home when he saw two armed men, with sophisticated weaponry, trying to run into bylanes near the Gateway of India.

"I rushed back to Colaba and all policemen, including GRP and RPF personnel, were called up," he added.

Bhisham Mansukhani, a journalist, was attending a wedding reception at the Taj's Crystal Room. "I was inside the bar when glass shards almost hit my eye," he said. "More than 200 people were escorted inside Chambers, a business centre inside the hotel," he added. (Drudge Report)

Large number of Terrorist are still at large, 2 are dead. Could this be leading up to the forewarned NY Subway attack?

Please remove the times of india article from this site. I work at the times and this piece had some information that could compromise some of the hostages. I persoanlly know them. It was an earlier version that contained some information that has now been removed from the piece.

already being discussed in this thread
www.abovetopsecret.com...

*spanks*