Terror strikes again in India

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Inanna
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Terror strikes again in India

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At least 55 people are reported to have been killed and more than 20 are reported injured as unidentified groups of gunmen opened fire in at least four places across south Mumbai on Wednesday night. Mumbai police confirm it is a terrorist attack. Two five-star hotels - Hotel Oberoi and Hotel Taj - are under siege and gunmen are reported to have held the occupants hostage. The Rapid Action Force is considering storming the hotels. A petrol pump has been blown up in Colaba by armed men and at least 10 people are reported to have been killed. [0137 hrs IST]
link: http://ibnlive.in.com/

11th terrorist attack this year. 11th.

What the hell?
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Teremia
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Post by Teremia »

Absolutely horrible.

And this sounds like a coordinated attack, with a lot of people participating. Who are they? Do we know?

I'm so terribly sorry for everybody in Mumbai. :(
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Voronwë the Faithful
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Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

:cry:
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Post by Frelga »

Mahima, :( :grouphug:

I wish none of this was happening.
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Post by vison »

Just watched some of this on TV news.
Terrible.
:(
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Primula Baggins
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Post by Primula Baggins »

I can only echo Mahima: What the hell?

:cry:
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
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Post by Mrs.Underhill »

That's awful, so many victims. :(
Even a hospital was attacked, among other places. :(
Whoever the terrorists were, they seemed to be aiming for the maximum panic and loss of confidence in the establishment, as rich and symbolic places were targeted.
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Post by Impenitent »

The news we heard here is that they've targetted specifically US and British tourists.

M was speculating out loud this morning on the dominoes of the attack on the Twin Towers, leading to the invasion of Iraq, leading to the economic collapse...circuitous but inter-connected. And the extremists who see this as some kind of holy retribution on the faithless, and see their part in perpetuating this retribution as some kind of sacred duty.

I'm just really sad. :( So many people dead and injured. So many others fearful and anxious for the world.

Mahima, I thought of you this morning when I heard the radio news. :hug:
Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
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Inanna
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Post by Inanna »

Some updates:

1) The hostage situation at Hotel Taj has been resolved. Both the terrorists killed, and all hostages freed. But reports are conflicting....
2) Hostage situation at Oberoi/Trident and Cama hospital (patients) continues.
3) Policemen have killed four terrorists and have arrested nine

"Deccan Mujahideen" a terrorist group has claimed responsibility. But the extent of coordination, organization, arms etc. seems to point to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Al Qaida connected Pakistani terrorist group.

Hemant Karkare, the Anti-Terrorist Squad chief was killed during the hostage situation at the Taj Mahal. As was encounter specialist, Vijay Salsukar. Both are known in India. Vijay Salsukar also had a movie loosely based on his life.
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Post by River »

I'm sitting at an airport watching/listening to this unfold on CNN.

Yikes.
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Post by Inanna »

Am surprised at the extent of CNN coverage. The last Jaipur terror attack didn't even cause a blip on the news here. But then that wasn't this bad. And no foreigners were involved. And it wasn't this horrific drama which is still carrying on.

Two people rescued from Oberoi.
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Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

Maybe this will help people in this country and elsewhere understand that terrorism is a worldwide problem that we all need to combat together. That certainly would not negate the horrible tragedy that is occurring, but it would be a positive side effect.
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Post by Impenitent »

It's like fighting smoke. :(
Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
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Post by Túrin Turambar »

I'm guessing that the group behind this has Kashmir in mind?
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Inanna
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Post by Inanna »

L_M, that is not clear. In the Taj, at least, those taken hostage and rescued have reported that the terrorists were looking for people holding British and American passports.

But how inter-connected these issues are if seen as a concerted attack against Islam, who knows? CNN is reporting that Indian Muslims are against the recent close relationships between US and India. It could be that. Who bloody knows?

I agree V, global coordination is critical. This is not a national, local problem.

And :hug: back to everyone. Am sorry I didn't respond to that before...

And what amazes me - Mumbai folks are out on the streets, around all these places. Hanging around.
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Post by Túrin Turambar »

Mahima wrote:But how inter-connected these issues are if seen as a concerted attack against Islam, who knows?
I think that's likely.
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Inanna
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Post by Inanna »

The sun rises in India. The hostage situation is still being played out.

Further attacks that were carried out last night (Indian last night) have come to "light" - a taxi bomb at Vile Parle, gunshots in front of a movie theater...

How much longer?
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Post by Primula Baggins »

We've had CNN on all afternoon while cooking. I've been grateful for their willingness to rely on IBN coverage and correspondents. Though this is still happening and we still don't really know anything, at least it seems that we are hearing from people close to the news, rather than endless American talking heads discussing only how this might affect Americans.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
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Inanna
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Post by Inanna »

We've had CNN on all the time too. And I agree with you, their coverage has been exceptional. Indian news websites have had news updated usually minutes before CNN.... and CNN has reported only the more confirmed news.
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Post by superwizard »

eek this is atrocious! I've been following the news all day and this is just horrible! What a devastating year in India (so many of my friends were in India over the summer and it was awful reading about the terror attacks that happened then as well).

Quite honestly when I heard the news the first thing I thought was: no not again please for the love of God will you please stop killing people? :(

I hope everyone you know is ok Mahima.
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