Analysis: Mumbai attack differs from past terror strikes

Long War Journal ^ | November 28, 2008 12:31 AM | Bill Roggio

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Almost two days after terrorists attacked the Indian financial hub of Mumbai, the Indian military is still working to root out the remnants of the assault teams at two hotels and a Jewish center. More than 125 people, including six foreigners, have been killed and 327 more have been wounded. The number is expected to go up, as Indian commandos have recovered an additional 30 dead at the Taj Mahal hotel as fighting has resumed.

The Mumbai attack is uniquely different from past terror strikes carried out by Islamic terrorists. Instead of one or more bombings at distinct sites, the Mumbai attackers struck throughout the city using military tactics. Instead of one or more bombings carried out over a short period of time, Mumbai is entering its third day of crisis.

An attack of this nature cannot be thrown together overnight. It requires planned, scouting, financing, training, and a support network to aid the fighters. Initial reports indicate the attacks originated from Pakistan, the hub of jihadi activity in South Asia. Few local terror groups have the capacity to pull of an attack such as this.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From VOA:

Mumbai Terror Attack Escalates Tensions Between India, Pakistan

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By Steve Herman
New Delhi
28 November 2008

Herman report - Download (MP3)
Herman report - Listen (MP3)

A diplomatic row between India and Pakistan has erupted over alleged Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks. The chill in relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors comes as commandos in Mumbai launched their final assaults on three sites. The coordinated attacks by unknown militants have left at least 140 people dead and wounded more than 300. VOA correspondent Steve Herman in New Delhi has the story.

title="An injured man leans on a railing after a series of attacks by terrorist gunmen in Mumbai, 26 Nov. 2008 "

Accusations by India's top diplomat and some of its politicians of a Pakistani hand in this week's terrorist attacks on Mumbai is causing an immediate chill in relations between New Delhi and Islamabad. India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has joined the voices here speaking of a Pakistani link to the terrorists who wreaked mayhem across India's commercial capital.  

The minister says initial evidence points to the terrorists having Pakistani links.

Mukherjee also is calling on Pakistan to dismantle the infrastructure in that country which he says assists terrorists.

Other Indian politicians and military officials say those who attacked Mumbai came from Pakistan by sea.

Pakistan has been quick to respond, condemning such talk.

Speaking to reporters in the Indian state of Rajasthan, Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi accuses India of politicizing the issue.

"Do not play politics into this issue. This is a collective issue," said Qureshi. "We are facing a common enemy. And we have to join hands to defeat this enemy."

In Islamabad, Pakistani officials say Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has called his Indian counterpart to pledge full support to jointly combat extremism and terrorism.

In the conversation Mr. Gilani told Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Pakistan strongly condemns the attacks on Mumbai.

India media report that Mr. Singh asked the Pakistani prime minister to send the head of his country's intelligence service to New Delhi to exchange information about the militants who attacked Mumbai.

[Frantzie]

Shame India does not have CCW. These monsters were good but a CCW might have turned it into less of a massacre.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From BBC:

Troops search Mumbai siege hotel

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Video at website:Firefighters and troops inside the Taj Mahal hotel

Indian troops have been searching a landmark Mumbai hotel, hours after killing the last gunmen holding out.

Commandos said they had killed three militants inside the Taj Mahal Palace in an assault on the huge building.

Wednesday's attacks on hotels, a rail station, a Jewish centre and other sites left at least 195 people dead.

India has blamed "elements with links to Pakistan". Pakistan has pledged to act against any group found to have links to the militants.

Funerals have been held for some of the dead including Indian anti-terrorist squad chief Hemant Karkare.

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The number of militants involved in the co-ordinated attacks remains unclear.

Indian police say they have arrested one suspected attacker.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the BBC:

'No evidence' of UK Mumbai link

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'No evidence' of UK Mumbai link

Witnesses told of devastation inside the Taj Mahal Hotel.

A top Indian official has said there was "no authentic information" to suggest that any British citizens were involved in the Mumbai attacks.

Maharashtra state chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said he "totally denied" reports.

The UK Foreign Office also said there was "no evidence" that anyone British was involved in the massacre at locations across Mumbai.

The death toll has reached 195 people - including one Briton - with 295 hurt.

There are believed to have been 10 militants involved. Indian officials said their backgrounds were unclear but that the sole surviving gunman was from Pakistan.

Pakistan said it would take action against any group from within its borders if it was involved in "ghastly acts".

'A goner'

Guests who had been holed up during a three-day siege at the Taj Mahal Hotel have been telling of their ordeal.

Briton Richard Farah, who was trapped in his room before being rescued by commando troops, told how he hid his passport in his false leg after terrorists were reported to be seeking British and American passport holders.

I saw all the blood and broken glass and shrapnel... tonnes of blood and shoes, people's shoes, women's shoes, men's shoes Richard Farah Troops search siege hotel Mumbai survivors talk of ordeal England returning home from India

Mr Farah, who lives in Jamaica but has family in London, told Sky News he saw trails of blood, broken glass and shoes as he was led from the building.

"In the last few hours there were so many explosions and the floors shook. I said 'I'm a goner' because it was right below me."

"Eventually we got to the lobby. I saw all the blood and broken glass and shrapnel... tonnes of blood and shoes, people's shoes, women's shoes, men's shoes."

He added: "I had hidden my passport in my leg, in the lining of the leg. If they had come to get me they wouldn't have found a passport."

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Title on this from the BBC should be Attacks strain India-Pakistan ties :

India / Pakistan problems

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By David Loyn
BBC News, Delhi

PM Singh came close to threatening retaliation against Pakistan

In India the opposition BJP have used the opportunity of the Mumbai violence to put pressure on the government.

Front page newspaper adverts appeared on Friday even while shooting was still going on, saying the incident shows that the Congress government is 'unwilling and incapable' of dealing with terrorism.

With the country in the middle of crucial state elections which could determine the timing of the next general election, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is facing intense scrutiny.

Following the attacks, he has been seen visiting the injured in hospital, alongside Congress party president Sonia Gandhi.

He has already promised to strengthen anti-terrorist laws, and in a TV address came close to threatening retaliation against Pakistan if their involvement in the attacks can be proved.

"We will take up strongly with our neighbours that the use of their territory for launching attacks on us will not be tolerated, and that there would be a cost if suitable measures are not taken by them," Mr Singh said.

Recent overtures

The Indian Navy has seized two Pakistani merchant ships and is investigating the possibility that they dropped off the militants who then came ashore in fast boats.

Pakistani FM Qureshi vowed to cooperate with the Indian investigation

They are linking this with the discovery of a trawler, found abandoned off the Indian coastline on Thursday with its captain dead.

Pakistan's denials of involvement have been clear and unambiguous.

The Pakistani ambassador to the US, Hussein Haqqani told the BBC that his country had suffered from terrorism just as much as India had, and offered every assistance in bringing the attackers to justice.

Analysts in Pakistan have been pointing instead to the possibility that these militants are home-grown Indian extremists, operating without external support.

The incident comes just as the first democratic government in Pakistan since the coup in 1999 has made overtures for better relations with India.

For the first time, President Asif Ali Zardari made the quite unexpected unilateral offer to make no first use of nuclear weapons in any conflict.

On Tuesday, home affairs ministers from the two countries met in Islamabad, and Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi is by chance currently visiting India.

Proxy attacks

Such contacts are opposed by significant parts of the Pakistani army and particularly its intelligence service, the ISI, who have in the past inspired terrorist attacks in India to stop just such an improvement in relations between the two countries.

[goldstategop]

Homeland Security has a big challenge. The Mumbai attacks revealed the importance of guarding ocean entry points as well as multiple entry points to a city. The terrorists did not intend to gain control of Mumbai, a task well beyond their capabilities. But they were successful in sowing terror and temporarily paralyzing the life of the city. This is an attack of a type we have not seen before and the terror groups are constantly evolving new avenues of attack as old ones are countered. The value of this attack lies both in its scope and audacity and the way it was able to command media attention.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[maine-iac7]

There are believed to have been 10 militants involved

Just 10 TERRORISTS of MISCREANTS (look up the meaning of miscreants) - killed 195 people and wounded hundreds more - all defenseless people not allowed to carry.

Our rights to bear - that are being restored - and the news that sales in guns and ammo has been steadily climbing in the last couple years, may just be the best "home security" line of defense we have in this country.

These people would think twice - one who was captured said they had planned to be able to escape - before trying to pull this off here. They would likely have been whittled down long before they could kill and injured so many. They would have found themselves looking down the barrels of guns...

We need to keep this as an example of why innocent, law abiding citizens must ALWAYS maintain their right of defense.

[I see my hands]

While the fallen of 9/11/01 have become political carrion.

The crisis in the USA should, by natural course, push other global events to the back page. Events such as what is happening in India are significant to us but pale next to a Muslim/Socialist in the White House and the horror that he has the endorsement of 53% of Americans.

[PowderMonkey]

"An attack of this nature cannot be thrown together overnight. It requires planned, scouting, financing, training, and a support network to aid the fighters."

Disagree. One AK-47, a sack full of grenades and high-capacity mags, pick your target area, and start killing all the unarmed civilians in sight. No need to smuggle and assemble bomb or WMD components. All the tools of the trade can be conveniently hidden on your person. Just show up at ground zero and pull the trigger. Be afraid. Very afraid. Somebody's just discovered a more cost effective and less complicated way to conduct terror attacks.

[LiberConservative]

I’d like to see them try that crap over here, with our right to bear arms and all.

[AmericanVictory]

The planning may be from Pakistan but the funding ultimately comes from oil revenues.

We continue to pay the price for not swerving the oil weapon out of their hands years ago.

[TonyStark]

"PM Singh came close to threatening retaliation against Pakistan"

I can't imagine shedding a tear upon hearing that Islamabad just got flattened. The 2nd largest Islamic population on earth (behind Indonesia), and it has contributed nothing since it was formed in 1947 except terrorism and poverty.

[Dick Bachert]

What amazes me is that these crazy bas***ds haven't already pulled off multiple operations like this one HERE.

Talk about terror and grinding the economy to a halt??

BUT, ACCORDING TO DIANE FINESWINE, BABS BOXER, CHUCKY SCHUMER, ET AL – OOOOO – GUNS ARE SOOOO DANGEROUS!! In what may be a perverse form of population control, these MORONS – many of whom are themselves armed or have armed people around them -- would prefer us to have to call 911 – and DIE while the cops are en-route.

These murderous muzzies are HERE and the more of us who CARRY CONCEALED, the more of them we can “off” BEFORE they kill on the scale of their recent activities in Mumbai.

WHY THEY WANT OUR GUNS!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j73SsNFgBO4

[pabianice]

Duh. It’s called “war.” What a doofus.

[gitmo]

I’d like to see them try that crap over here, with our right to bear arms and all.

In New York city or DC? They would have similar success.

[El Gato]

Notice the Full Power Battle Rifle. No wimpy assault rifles for the Indians. :) (although I think the commandos may have used either assault rifles or even submachine guns.

That is most likely a RFI (Rifle Factory,Ishapore) SLR1A 7.62mmx51 mm NATO Assault Rifle, A modified license-produced FN FAL, aka the Right Arm of the Free World. However, they are mostly in police and paramilitary service now. So that's probably a cop or "militia".

The Indian Army now has a 5.56x45 rifle of indigenous design, although with some AK features.

Commandos might be equipped with a version of the Israeli Micro-Tavor,called the Zittar(MTAR-21), but in easily swapable, 5.56x45, 5.56x30 or 9mm.

[El Gato]

Homeland Security has a big challenge. The Mumbai attacks revealed the importance of guarding ocean entry points as well as multiple entry points to a city.

The US has a lot of coastline to guard, well over 5,000 miles for the lower 48, plus around that much more for Alaska, and about 750 miles for Hawaii. Too much for the government to guard it all. That's where the armed militia shold come in. If the government had not neglected it that is. If we where like the Swiss (or the Israelis), as we were supposed to be, with every adult male, and any females that wanted to volunteer, going through basic infantry training, and equiped with a militia rifle, current issue as of the person's first entry into the militia/reserves, kept at home, guarding our coasts would be simple matter of command and control, and assigning a some small number of days per month to each person (in "trained together groups" of course. But just as on the border, without "boots on the beach", by the time the regulars get there, cued by some sensor system, the invaders would have melted into the countryside, and be well on the way to their targets. Just make them up to look like Salvadorans or Mexicans, and they could blend right in. Not to mention the huge number of false alarms such a sensor system would generate. (Our coasts are pretty busy places for the most part).

To paraphrase Admiral Yamamoto, there would be a rifle behind every sand dune and rock.

[El Gato]

The value of this attack lies both in its scope and audacity and the way it was able to command media attention.

Back in the 80s when I first saw "Invasion USA" I thought the basic premise of a relative small group of commandos successfully invading the US and wreaking havoc in neighborhoods and malls, was pretty silly. Now it's as close as today's headlines. The strip of shore where the Taj hotel is located reminds me of parts of the downtown San Diego short, although with fewer wharfs, docks, and jetties.

The only part of the Movie that still seems far fetched, is the role that Chuck Norris played. Ranger Walker, and the real Texas Rangers are good, but not that good.

The other part that was not well thought out was the location of the attack. California, at from San Fran south, and the Atlantic coast from about Maryland north through Massachusetts, where there are far fewer well armed civilians per capita, would be much safer. Although there are lucrative targets on the Gulf Coast as well, it's just more risky to attack there. Some good old boy with a 30-30 or a 7mm might ruin your plan.

[Cacique]

btt