November 26, 2013

Mumbai 26/11 (2008) Massacre - Lest We Forget


 
Locations of main massacres of 164 defenceless people in Mumbai. Today is the fifth anniversary. 
--------------------

Some of the survivors of the massacre (mainly guests of the Oberoi-Trident and Taj hotels). 

This is the fifth anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai attacks or massacre. These were twelve coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai by ten Pakistani terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba organisation supported by Pakistani intelligence ISI. During the massacre the terrorists communicated via SAT phones and VoiP to receive advice from their controllers in Pakistan. The attacks, which drew widespread global condemnation, began on 26 November 2008 (hence it is known as "26/11") and lasted until 29 November 2008, killing 164 defenceless people and wounding at least 308. One terrorist The one terrorist captured, Ajmal Kasab, was questioned, tried and executed four years later on 21 November 2012.

Eight of the attacks occurred in South Mumbai (see above map): at Chhatrapati Shivaji [train] Terminus, the Oberoi Trident Hotel the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital (a women and children's hospital), the Nariman House Jewish community centre, the Metro Cinema, and a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier's College.

There was also an explosion at Mazagaon, in Mumbai's port area, and in a taxi at Vile Parle. By the early morning of 28 November, all sites except for the Taj Hotel had been secured by Mumbai Police and security forces. On 29 November, India's National Security Guards (NSG) conducted Operation Black Tornado to flush out the remaining attackers; it resulted in the deaths of the last remaining attackers at the Taj hotel and ending all fighting in the attacks.

Aftermath

Many Indian civilians and many in government wanted India to retaliate through revenge commando raids or airstrikes. However the US prevailed on India to avoid escalating the Mumbai attacks-massacre into another India-Pakistan conflict. The US undertook to track down the guilty in Pakistan or wherever they were. The guilty would be arrested or when that was impossible killed by Predator-Reaper drone strikes. Since 26/11 liaison of Indian security-intelligence agencies with US security-intelligence agencies has increased greatly.

Pete

6 comments:

Kumar said...

Hi Pete
Around 2130 hours IST, the first shots were reported from Leopold Cafe, Colaba; thereafter firing was reported from CST Railway Terminus (carried out by Kasab and his buddy) who then escaped to Cama Hospital and after engaging a police party led by a very dear friend of mine inside the hospital, ambushed the jeep carrying ATS Chief Karkare and Ashok Kamte and a subordinate officer Salaskar in the lane behind Times of India building - all of whom were killed. The duo took the ambushed jeep and en route fired near Metro Cinema junction. They forcibly took over a car of a businessman and drove along Marine Drive where they ran into a police picket and in the ensuing firefight Kasab was captured alive and his buddy killed.

The terrorists who fired at Leopold Cafe were the ones who entered Taj and were engaged by the NSG and neutralised; possibly another two or three entered Nariman House and another team entered Oberoi-Trident.

Pete said...

Thanks Kumar

For the details on the sequence of events. It indicates how quickly events developed.

The terrorists carefully planned the attack and exploited opportunities to make it appear that they were a larger force.

This must have made the response all the more difficult.

Regards

Pete

Kumar said...

Hi Pete
It is being said that the weapons used were not very sophisticated, but the communication equipment like SAT phones, GPS were. The fidayeens displayed superior tactics like trained army commandos and that made the difference.

Pete said...

Thanks Kumar

The terrorists also had the tactical, logistical and psychological advantage of their mission being one-way, suicide.

And yes links to their controllers via SAT phones and VoiP gave them malicious assistance.

Pete

Pete

david g said...

The lesson from this attack is that a few well-armed and trained warriors are difficult to defeat.

It makes huge armies seem rather futile.

Hopefully the U.S. will take note!

Cheers.

Pete said...

Hi David G

You came to right region for huge armed forces - with China having 2.3 million full time servicemen and India "only" 1.3 million full time. US is 1.4 million.

Cheers

Pete