Thursday, November 26, 2009 INDIA: On November 26 a year ago, 10 terrorists laid siege to India's financial capital Mumbai killing more than 166 people and injuring over 300. One year on, survivors and the families of those killed are still picking up the pieces of their lives. A Pakistani anti-Terrorism Court No I (ATC-I) on Wednesday indicted seven suspects on terror charges in connection with last year’s Mumbai attacks.Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan adjourned the hearing until December 5. The seven suspects are Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum.They have been accused of abetting their co-accused in terrorist acts in Mumbai on November 26 to 28, 2008, and causing the death of more than 170 people in addition to destruction of property.Meanwhile, US and India have welcomed a Pakistani court's decision to charge seven suspects in connection with last November's Mumbai attacks.Those indicted over the attack on India's financial capital in which more than 160 people died included the alleged mastermind of the plot.While welcoming the Pakistan court's move, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also called for more action to rein in the extremists.Leopold Café, a 138-year-old restaurant in Mumbai's business district, was one of the first places targeted by the terrorists last November. The shattered glass and the gaping hole at the entrance, left by a grenade attack, have been carefully preserved as a grim reminder of the brazen attack. Most of the workers though have left the nightmare behind and moved on. "That day for four days we could not sleep well because we saw death nearly eye to eye and I saw the terrorists face to face. But after four days, we were back on our feet and everything was okay," said Eric Anthony, manager at Leopold Café. For the family of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, life is an everyday ordeal as they try to come to terms with his death. Major Sandeep was leading a team of NSG commandos in the Taj Hotel operation and was arranging for the evacuation of his men when he was killed by the terrorists. Last November's attacks exposed how unprepared the authorities were for such a situation. "The communication system costs over US$2 million. We received the equipments this month. Within a year it will be incorporated in the Mumbai fire brigade after testing. The second purchase order is already given for bullet proof jackets which will come soon," said Uday Thatkare, chief officer of the Mumbai Fire Brigade. The lone surviving gunman, Ajmal Aamir Kasab is facing trial for killing 166 people. Testimonies of more than 250 witnesses have been recorded and the trial is expected to end soon. Since the attacks, coastal security has been tightened and security measures in important buildings have been stepped up. But the biggest challenge remains to pre-empt any terror strike through an effective intelligence network.
Thursday, November 26, 2009 INDIA: On November 26 a year ago, 10 terrorists laid siege to India's financial capital Mumbai killing more than 166 people and injuring over 300. One year on, survivors and the families of those killed are still picking up the pieces of their lives. A Pakistani anti-Terrorism Court No I (ATC-I) on Wednesday indicted seven suspects on terror charges in connection with last year’s Mumbai attacks.Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan adjourned the hearing until December 5. The seven suspects are Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum.They have been accused of abetting their co-accused in terrorist acts in Mumbai on November 26 to 28, 2008, and causing the death of more than 170 people in addition to destruction of property.Meanwhile, US and India have welcomed a Pakistani court's decision to charge seven suspects in connection with last November's Mumbai attacks.Those indicted over the attack on India's financial capital in which more than 160 people died included the alleged mastermind of the plot.While welcoming the Pakistan court's move, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also called for more action to rein in the extremists.Leopold Café, a 138-year-old restaurant in Mumbai's business district, was one of the first places targeted by the terrorists last November. The shattered glass and the gaping hole at the entrance, left by a grenade attack, have been carefully preserved as a grim reminder of the brazen attack. Most of the workers though have left the nightmare behind and moved on. "That day for four days we could not sleep well because we saw death nearly eye to eye and I saw the terrorists face to face. But after four days, we were back on our feet and everything was okay," said Eric Anthony, manager at Leopold Café. For the family of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, life is an everyday ordeal as they try to come to terms with his death. Major Sandeep was leading a team of NSG commandos in the Taj Hotel operation and was arranging for the evacuation of his men when he was killed by the terrorists. Last November's attacks exposed how unprepared the authorities were for such a situation. "The communication system costs over US$2 million. We received the equipments this month. Within a year it will be incorporated in the Mumbai fire brigade after testing. The second purchase order is already given for bullet proof jackets which will come soon," said Uday Thatkare, chief officer of the Mumbai Fire Brigade. The lone surviving gunman, Ajmal Aamir Kasab is facing trial for killing 166 people. Testimonies of more than 250 witnesses have been recorded and the trial is expected to end soon. Since the attacks, coastal security has been tightened and security measures in important buildings have been stepped up. But the biggest challenge remains to pre-empt any terror strike through an effective intelligence network.
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