3 terrorists killed at Taj, operations officially on:
NEW DELHI: The 59-hour siege of old Taj hotel ends with the NSG killing three terrorist who were holed up inside. NSG said they would not declare the operation over before sanitising each and every floor."Three terrorists have been killed but we are still continuing our operations," Director General of NSG, J K Dutt, told reporters outside the hotel.On whether all the terrorists have been killed and hotel is now free, he said that it could be ascertained after the combing operation is over.During the night, terrorists holed out in the hotel engaged in a fierce gun battle with security forces as some places in the first and the ground floors of the 565-room building set afire by terrorists amid explosions in the over 100-year-old heritage complex in the Colaba area.
Two more militants killed, Taj hotel operation over: police:
MUMBAI: Indian commandos on Saturday shot dead two more Islamic militants inside Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel and the security operation has now come to an end, the city's police chief told media. "We shot dead two terrorists early this morning at the Taj Hotel," Hassan Gafoor said, adding it was still unclear how many more gunmen were still holed up inside the hotel."This was the final assault," he said, of the current operations in progress inside the hotel.
Thai woman killed in Mumbai attacks: foreign ministry:
BANGKOK: A female Thai hotel worker has been killed in the bloody militant assault in Mumbai, Thailand's foreign ministry said Saturday, the country's first reported death in the attacks. The woman, who worked at the Oberoi/Trident spa, was one of six Thais employed by the luxury hotel which was attacked on Wednesday. "Five Thais have been rescued, but sadly one who worked in the spa was killed by gunfire," the statement said. The ministry said officials at the Thai consulate in Mumbai would quickly arrange for the repatriation of her body.
Britain probes links with Mumbai attackers:
LONDON: Britain was probing Saturday whether any of the gunmen who carried out attacks in Mumbai were from here, though officials have insisted there is "no evidence" thus far to support those claims. Foreign Secretary David Miliband said it was too early to tell whether or not any of the attackers were British, while Prime Minister Gordon Brown said his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh had not mentioned a British link in a telephone conversation Friday."We have spoken to Indian authorities at a high level and they have said that there is no evidence that any of the terrorists either captured or dead are British," a foreign ministry spokesman in London said Friday. According to British media reports, Indian media has reported that "British citizens of Pakistani origin" were among the attackers who stormed two luxury Mumbai hotels and other key targets on Wednesday, leaving up to 160 dead, among them foreign hostages.British newspapers, meanwhile, reported on Saturday that as many as seven of the gunmen had a connection with Britain, though the papers cited unidentified Indian security sources.Singh said Thursday that those behind the attacks were based "outside the country" -- which was widely interpreted as meaning neighbouring Pakistan. Miliband said British detectives, who have already travelled to India, will work with their Indian counterparts to shed light on the source of the coordinated attacks in India's financial capital. "We obviously will want to work very, very closely with the Indians on that, but it is too early to say whether or not any of them are British," he told a television channel."Obviously, the priority of the Indian authorities is to complete this operation. They can then start identifying who are the terrorists, what is their background."
Five U.S. citizens killed in Mumbai attacks: State Dept:
WASHINGTON: The State Department said on Friday that five US citizens had been killed in the attacks on Mumbai, India, and that more Americans remained missing."The Department is now able to confirm the deaths of five American citizens. Consular staff have been in contact with all of the victims' families," Gordon Duguid, acting deputy spokesman, said in a statement. "The Consulate in Mumbai will continue to work with the Indian Police until all missing American citizens have been accounted for," he added.
Gunfire, blasts at Mumbai hotel as militants fight to death:
MUMBAI: Indian commandos were locked in heavy fighting inside a Mumbai hotel Saturday as they battled to end two-day-old assault by Pakistan-linked militants which has left up to 160 dead, including foreigners. Heavy gunfire and explosions rocked the historic Taj Mahal hotel, where a tiny group of heavily armed gunmen were engaged in a fight to the death some 60 hours after the start of the killing spree across India's financial capital. Elite troops had already stormed a Mumbai Jewish centre and killed two gunmen -- but also found five dead Israeli hostages, including a US-based rabbi and his wife, who were murdered as the commandos closed in. The other luxury hotel that was attacked, the Oberoi, was declared clear of militants late Friday, with scores of trapped guests rescued and 24 bodies found."They were the kind of people with no remorse -- anybody and whomsoever came in front of them they fired," an Indian commando leader said of the young gunmen who slipped into Mumbai on Wednesday evening. "We could have got those terrorists but for so many hotel guests," he said. Indian media reports said up to 160 people were dead and 327 others wounded. TV channels described the attacks as "India's 9/11." Around 18 foreigners were among those killed, including the Israelis, two Americans, two French nationals, a German, a Japanese, a Canadian, two Australians, a British Cypriot, an Italian and a Singaporean. One group entered the city by boat, while others were believed to have been inside the city -- stockpiling arms and explosives -- well before the attacks were launched. A government minister said the overall toll could rise further as more corpses are recovered.
India needs new leadership to fight terror: Booker winner Adiga:
LONDON: India and its financial hub Mumbai need new leadership that is better equipped to fight terrorism, Booker Prize winner Aravind Adiga said in a newspaper article Saturday.Adiga, who was born in Chennai but now lives in Mumbai, slammed authorities in the city and the country's capital New Delhi, writing in a paper: "The failure of the rulers of Bombay and India to anticipate or prevent this terror attack has been complete.""We should applaud the bravery of the police, firefighters and soldiers who have fought the terrorists so valiantly -- but we should hold their bosses, the politicians, to account."In Mumbai, meanwhile, security forces were fighting it out inside the historic Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where a tiny group of heavily armed gunmen were engaged in a fight to the death as the more than 52-hour-old battle, which has left up to 165 dead, entered its final stage.Adiga described the Mumbai city government's ruling Shiv Sena grouping as "xenophobic Hindu nationalists who have let the city's infrastructure go to seed, while deepening the divisions between its various religious communities." "The government in Delhi has given the impression, for over four years now, of being clueless on how to tackle the growing problem of terrorism within India," he continued, before noting that opposition politicians were no better. "This system is not working for Bombay or India," he wrote. "This attack was not inevitable, it was not unpreventable. "Every blackened scar, every charred roof, every smashed window in the facade of the Taj Mahal Palace screams to the onlookers of Bombay: 'You must find better men and women to lead this city; to lead this country. You must not let this happen to me again'."Adiga, an Oxford-educated former journalist, was awarded the 2008 Booker Prize, one of the literary world's most prestigious awards, last month for his first novel, "The White Tiger".
Terrorists will not defeat India's 'great democracy': Obama:
WASHINGTON: President-elect Barack Obama on Friday expressed sorrow for the victims of the attacks on Mumbai and said the militants who staged the assault would not defeat India's "great democracy" or the global coalition arrayed against them."Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the American citizens who lost their lives in the outrageous terrorist attacks in Mumbai," Obama said in a statement, following reports that a Virginia man and his daughter had been killed as well as a rabbi from New York. "Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and with all who have been touched by this terrible tragedy," Obama said. "These terrorists who targeted innocent civilians will not defeat India's great democracy, nor shake the will of a global coalition to defeat them. The United States must stand with India and all nations and people who are committed to destroying terrorist networks, and defeating their hate-filled ideology." In a phrase he has used repeatedly since his electoral victory on November 4, Obama said there was only "one president at a time," saying he was receiving regular updates from President George W. Bush's administration. "I will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground in Mumbai, and am grateful for the cooperation of the Bush administration in keeping me and my staff updated. "We fully support the Bush administration's efforts to protect American citizens and assist the government of India during this tragic time."
Relieved British lawmaker lands back home from Mumbai:
MANCHESTER: A British Euro MP caught up in the terror attacks in Mumbai was greeted by emotional scenes on Friday when he arrived in Manchester. Sajjad Karim, who was part of a European Parliament trade delegation staying at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in India's financial capital when gunmen burst in, embraced his two children while friends and family wept in the northern English city. Upon arriving at Manchester Airport after flying through Paris and London, the 38-year-old Conservative member of the European Parliament said he was "delighted" to be back, and would take a few days to spend time with his family and reflect on the Mumbai attacks."I am delighted and very pleased to be back, and really appreciative of all the messages of goodwill I have had," the MEP for northwest England said. "It is great to see everybody. I think now I am going to take a few days to reflect and think through things. "I need a few days to get back with my family and spend some time with everybody and just let things settle down." When gunmen began firing in the luxury hotel in India's financial capital, Karim and other guests took refuge in a basement restaurant and barricaded the doors. Early Saturday in Mumbai, Indian commandos were battling to end the assault, carried out by suspected Pakistan-based Islamic militants, which has left up to 155 dead.Security forces were fighting it out in the Taj Mahal hotel, where a tiny group of heavily armed gunmen were engaged in a fight to the death as the more than 52-hour-old battle entered its final stage. Earlier, elite troops abseiled from helicopters and stormed a Mumbai Jewish centre and killed two gunmen -- only to find five dead Israeli hostages, including a US-based rabbi and his wife.
NEW DELHI: The 59-hour siege of old Taj hotel ends with the NSG killing three terrorist who were holed up inside. NSG said they would not declare the operation over before sanitising each and every floor."Three terrorists have been killed but we are still continuing our operations," Director General of NSG, J K Dutt, told reporters outside the hotel.On whether all the terrorists have been killed and hotel is now free, he said that it could be ascertained after the combing operation is over.During the night, terrorists holed out in the hotel engaged in a fierce gun battle with security forces as some places in the first and the ground floors of the 565-room building set afire by terrorists amid explosions in the over 100-year-old heritage complex in the Colaba area.
Two more militants killed, Taj hotel operation over: police:
MUMBAI: Indian commandos on Saturday shot dead two more Islamic militants inside Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel and the security operation has now come to an end, the city's police chief told media. "We shot dead two terrorists early this morning at the Taj Hotel," Hassan Gafoor said, adding it was still unclear how many more gunmen were still holed up inside the hotel."This was the final assault," he said, of the current operations in progress inside the hotel.
Thai woman killed in Mumbai attacks: foreign ministry:
BANGKOK: A female Thai hotel worker has been killed in the bloody militant assault in Mumbai, Thailand's foreign ministry said Saturday, the country's first reported death in the attacks. The woman, who worked at the Oberoi/Trident spa, was one of six Thais employed by the luxury hotel which was attacked on Wednesday. "Five Thais have been rescued, but sadly one who worked in the spa was killed by gunfire," the statement said. The ministry said officials at the Thai consulate in Mumbai would quickly arrange for the repatriation of her body.
Britain probes links with Mumbai attackers:
LONDON: Britain was probing Saturday whether any of the gunmen who carried out attacks in Mumbai were from here, though officials have insisted there is "no evidence" thus far to support those claims. Foreign Secretary David Miliband said it was too early to tell whether or not any of the attackers were British, while Prime Minister Gordon Brown said his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh had not mentioned a British link in a telephone conversation Friday."We have spoken to Indian authorities at a high level and they have said that there is no evidence that any of the terrorists either captured or dead are British," a foreign ministry spokesman in London said Friday. According to British media reports, Indian media has reported that "British citizens of Pakistani origin" were among the attackers who stormed two luxury Mumbai hotels and other key targets on Wednesday, leaving up to 160 dead, among them foreign hostages.British newspapers, meanwhile, reported on Saturday that as many as seven of the gunmen had a connection with Britain, though the papers cited unidentified Indian security sources.Singh said Thursday that those behind the attacks were based "outside the country" -- which was widely interpreted as meaning neighbouring Pakistan. Miliband said British detectives, who have already travelled to India, will work with their Indian counterparts to shed light on the source of the coordinated attacks in India's financial capital. "We obviously will want to work very, very closely with the Indians on that, but it is too early to say whether or not any of them are British," he told a television channel."Obviously, the priority of the Indian authorities is to complete this operation. They can then start identifying who are the terrorists, what is their background."
Five U.S. citizens killed in Mumbai attacks: State Dept:
WASHINGTON: The State Department said on Friday that five US citizens had been killed in the attacks on Mumbai, India, and that more Americans remained missing."The Department is now able to confirm the deaths of five American citizens. Consular staff have been in contact with all of the victims' families," Gordon Duguid, acting deputy spokesman, said in a statement. "The Consulate in Mumbai will continue to work with the Indian Police until all missing American citizens have been accounted for," he added.
Gunfire, blasts at Mumbai hotel as militants fight to death:
MUMBAI: Indian commandos were locked in heavy fighting inside a Mumbai hotel Saturday as they battled to end two-day-old assault by Pakistan-linked militants which has left up to 160 dead, including foreigners. Heavy gunfire and explosions rocked the historic Taj Mahal hotel, where a tiny group of heavily armed gunmen were engaged in a fight to the death some 60 hours after the start of the killing spree across India's financial capital. Elite troops had already stormed a Mumbai Jewish centre and killed two gunmen -- but also found five dead Israeli hostages, including a US-based rabbi and his wife, who were murdered as the commandos closed in. The other luxury hotel that was attacked, the Oberoi, was declared clear of militants late Friday, with scores of trapped guests rescued and 24 bodies found."They were the kind of people with no remorse -- anybody and whomsoever came in front of them they fired," an Indian commando leader said of the young gunmen who slipped into Mumbai on Wednesday evening. "We could have got those terrorists but for so many hotel guests," he said. Indian media reports said up to 160 people were dead and 327 others wounded. TV channels described the attacks as "India's 9/11." Around 18 foreigners were among those killed, including the Israelis, two Americans, two French nationals, a German, a Japanese, a Canadian, two Australians, a British Cypriot, an Italian and a Singaporean. One group entered the city by boat, while others were believed to have been inside the city -- stockpiling arms and explosives -- well before the attacks were launched. A government minister said the overall toll could rise further as more corpses are recovered.
India needs new leadership to fight terror: Booker winner Adiga:
LONDON: India and its financial hub Mumbai need new leadership that is better equipped to fight terrorism, Booker Prize winner Aravind Adiga said in a newspaper article Saturday.Adiga, who was born in Chennai but now lives in Mumbai, slammed authorities in the city and the country's capital New Delhi, writing in a paper: "The failure of the rulers of Bombay and India to anticipate or prevent this terror attack has been complete.""We should applaud the bravery of the police, firefighters and soldiers who have fought the terrorists so valiantly -- but we should hold their bosses, the politicians, to account."In Mumbai, meanwhile, security forces were fighting it out inside the historic Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where a tiny group of heavily armed gunmen were engaged in a fight to the death as the more than 52-hour-old battle, which has left up to 165 dead, entered its final stage.Adiga described the Mumbai city government's ruling Shiv Sena grouping as "xenophobic Hindu nationalists who have let the city's infrastructure go to seed, while deepening the divisions between its various religious communities." "The government in Delhi has given the impression, for over four years now, of being clueless on how to tackle the growing problem of terrorism within India," he continued, before noting that opposition politicians were no better. "This system is not working for Bombay or India," he wrote. "This attack was not inevitable, it was not unpreventable. "Every blackened scar, every charred roof, every smashed window in the facade of the Taj Mahal Palace screams to the onlookers of Bombay: 'You must find better men and women to lead this city; to lead this country. You must not let this happen to me again'."Adiga, an Oxford-educated former journalist, was awarded the 2008 Booker Prize, one of the literary world's most prestigious awards, last month for his first novel, "The White Tiger".
Terrorists will not defeat India's 'great democracy': Obama:
WASHINGTON: President-elect Barack Obama on Friday expressed sorrow for the victims of the attacks on Mumbai and said the militants who staged the assault would not defeat India's "great democracy" or the global coalition arrayed against them."Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the American citizens who lost their lives in the outrageous terrorist attacks in Mumbai," Obama said in a statement, following reports that a Virginia man and his daughter had been killed as well as a rabbi from New York. "Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and with all who have been touched by this terrible tragedy," Obama said. "These terrorists who targeted innocent civilians will not defeat India's great democracy, nor shake the will of a global coalition to defeat them. The United States must stand with India and all nations and people who are committed to destroying terrorist networks, and defeating their hate-filled ideology." In a phrase he has used repeatedly since his electoral victory on November 4, Obama said there was only "one president at a time," saying he was receiving regular updates from President George W. Bush's administration. "I will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground in Mumbai, and am grateful for the cooperation of the Bush administration in keeping me and my staff updated. "We fully support the Bush administration's efforts to protect American citizens and assist the government of India during this tragic time."
Relieved British lawmaker lands back home from Mumbai:
MANCHESTER: A British Euro MP caught up in the terror attacks in Mumbai was greeted by emotional scenes on Friday when he arrived in Manchester. Sajjad Karim, who was part of a European Parliament trade delegation staying at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in India's financial capital when gunmen burst in, embraced his two children while friends and family wept in the northern English city. Upon arriving at Manchester Airport after flying through Paris and London, the 38-year-old Conservative member of the European Parliament said he was "delighted" to be back, and would take a few days to spend time with his family and reflect on the Mumbai attacks."I am delighted and very pleased to be back, and really appreciative of all the messages of goodwill I have had," the MEP for northwest England said. "It is great to see everybody. I think now I am going to take a few days to reflect and think through things. "I need a few days to get back with my family and spend some time with everybody and just let things settle down." When gunmen began firing in the luxury hotel in India's financial capital, Karim and other guests took refuge in a basement restaurant and barricaded the doors. Early Saturday in Mumbai, Indian commandos were battling to end the assault, carried out by suspected Pakistan-based Islamic militants, which has left up to 155 dead.Security forces were fighting it out in the Taj Mahal hotel, where a tiny group of heavily armed gunmen were engaged in a fight to the death as the more than 52-hour-old battle entered its final stage. Earlier, elite troops abseiled from helicopters and stormed a Mumbai Jewish centre and killed two gunmen -- only to find five dead Israeli hostages, including a US-based rabbi and his wife.
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