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Smoke rises from the landmark Taj Hotel in Mumbai after gunmen stormed it late Wednesday. (AP)
Last update - 22:09 06/12/2008
Israel sends medical team to Mumbai as death toll climbs to 125
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: israel news, mumbai 

Israel's national emergency service said Thursday it had dispatched a team of doctors and medics to Mumbai after a string of coordinated terror attacks in ten separate locations took the lives of at least 125 people, and left hundreds wounded.

Israel's national emergency service added that it was ready to send more aid if the Indian government should require it.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told her Indian counterpart that the two countries should work together against extremism. "Dealing with terrorism must be done jointly and we must improve cooperation on this front," Livni said. "Israel will assist India as much as it wants."
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Earlier Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the ongoing attacks were well-planned and probably had "external linkages."

"The well-planned and well-orchestrated attacks, probably with external linkages, were intended to create a sense of terror by choosing high profile targets," Singh said in an address to the nation

Just after Singh delivered his address to the nation, witnesses said gunfire and explosions could be heard from Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel as Indian commandos took on Islamist militants holed up there.

Police loudspeakers declared a curfew around the Taj Thursday afternoon, and black-clad commandos ran into the building as fresh gunshots rang out from the area.

Soldiers outside the hotel said the operation would take a long time as forces were moving slowly, from room to room, looking for gunmen and traps.

In the afternoon, bodies and hostages slowly emerged from the building. At least three bodies, covered in white cloth, were wheeled out. Throughout the day, explosions and gunfire were heard and toward dusk flames again blossomed from a window of the Taj.

At the nearby Trident-Oberoi Hotel, where scores of people were trapped and some taken hostage by militants, there was also a fresh round of firing, with television channels saying commandos had also entered the building.

At least three people were seen leaving the hotel's back door, television channels said.

Commandos had also gathered outside the city's Chabad headquarters where a rabbi is thought to have been taken hostage, but later apparently decided to hold off from an assault.

A militant holed up in the building called an Indian television station mid-afternoon and offered to release hostages if the government agreed to talks over the situation in Kashmir.

The gunmen had fanned out in the heart of India's financial capital late Wednesday, firing indiscriminately, and attacking luxury hotels, a popular restaurant, hospitals and a railway station.

Some 17 hours after the late-evening assault, soldiers and militants were still exchanging intermittent fire and more than 100 people were trapped inside rooms of the Taj Mahal hotel, a 105-year-old city landmark.

One of the targets of the gunmen was the Chabad momvement's center, where eight Israelis were believed to be held hostage. More Israelis were believed to be held hostage at a hotel attacked by the terrorists.

Pradeep Indulkar, a senior official at the Maharashtra state Home Ministry said 287 people had also been wounded in the attacks.

Police and gunmen were exchanging occasional gunfire at the Taj and Oberoi luxury hotels in Mumbai overnight, said A.N. Roy, a top police official.

Some 17 hours after the late-evening assault, soldiers and militants were still exchanging intermittent fire and more than 100 people were trapped inside rooms of the Taj Mahal hotel, a 105-year-old city landmark.

Police stormed the Taj by mid-morning Thursda and said the gunmen had been neutralized by guests were still trapped in their rooms. The hostage crisis at the Trident/Oberoi was still ongoing.

A previously unknown group called Deccan Mujahideen, apparently Muslim militants, took responsibility for the series of attacks. One of the assailants told India TV that the group wants to liberate the Mujahideens in India.

Israel's Foreign Ministry early Thursday morning said it was attempting to locate approximately 20 Israeli nationals missing in Mumbai. Members of the Israeli consulate staff were also conducting searches in Mumbai hospitals for injured or missing Israelis, Israel Radio reported.

Mumbai's Chabad House, taken hostage in the early hours of the night, is said to be a popular stop for Israeli tourists.

Hours after the attacks began at shortly after 10 P.M. (4:30 P.M. GMT), fighting was still reported in the Taj Mahal Hotel, the Hotel Oberoi and Colaba Market, the site of a number of restaurants.

Police said an unknown number of Westerners were being held hostage at the two five-star hotels. There was also an attack on the Cafe Leopold, perhaps the most famous restaurant and hang-out for tourists in the city, and at hospitals and railway stations.

Officials at Bombay Hospital, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a Japanese man had died there and nine Europeans had been admitted, three of them in critical condition with gunshots. All had come from the Taj Mahal, the officials said.

Roy, the senior police officer, said police were continuing to battle the gunmen.

"The terrorists have used automatic weapons and in some places grenades have been lobbed, the encounters are still going on and we are trying to overpower them," he said.

"These are terrorist strikes in at least nine places," he told the NDTV news channel. "Unknown terrorists have gone with automatic weapons and opened fire indiscriminately."

Hemant Karkare, chief of the police anti-terrorist squad in Mumbai, was killed during the attacks, Indian television channels reported.

World leaders condemn Mumbai attacks

President George W. Bush and President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday condemned the deadly attacks in Mumbai, India, as the U.S. government convened defense and intelligence officials and offered help to Indian authorities.

"President Bush offers his condolences to the Indian people and the families of the innocent civilians killed and injured in the attacks in Mumbai," the White House said in a statement issued after the U.S. leader left for the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for the Thanksgiving holiday.

It said the White House National Security Council had convened officials from counterterrorism and intelligence agencies as well as the State Department and Pentagon to discuss the Mumbai attacks.

"The U.S. government continues to monitor the situation, including the safety and security of our citizens, and stands ready to assist and support the Indian government," the White House said.

Pakistan also condemned the attack and offered condolences to its neighbor for the loss of lives.

"Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani while strongly condemning the incidents of violence in Mumbai has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives," the Pakistani government said in a statement.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the attack "outrageous" and vowed that they would "be met with a vigorous response."

"I have sent a message to Prime Minister Singh that the UK stands solidly with his government as they respond, and to offer all necessary help. Urgent action is underway to offer every possible protection to British citizens in the region," Brown said in a statement by his office.

'They were looking for foreigners

"I guess they were after foreigners, because they were asking for British or American passports," said Rakesh Patel, a British witness who lives in Hong Kong and was staying at the Taj hotel on business. "They had bombs.

"They came from the restaurant and took us up the stairs," he told the NDTV news channel, smoke stains all over his face. "Young boys, maybe 20 years old, 25 years old. They had two guns."

A European official was among the initially wounded. "My hotel is surrounded by police and there are gunmen inside," European lawmaker Ignasi Guardans told Spanish radio from the Taj. "We are in contact with some deputies inside the hotel, with one in a room and another hidden in the kitchen. There's another official hurt and in hospital."

A witness told Indian television that gunmen in India's financial hub of Mumbai were looking for British and U.S. passport holders. Mumbai has frequently been targeted in terror attacks, often blamed on Muslim militants, including a series of blasts in July 2007 that killed 187 people.

Most of the past years' attacks have been blamed on Islamist militants, although police have also arrested suspected Hindu extremists thought to be behind some of the attacks.

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      1.   Mumbai very much westernized, terrorists don`t like that 23:14  |  Benjamina 26/11/08
      2.   What else witnesses asy 23:14  |  Genuine Tosefta 26/11/08
      3.   The world witnesses that the islamists want it all and everywhere 23:16  |  pen vs. sword 26/11/08
      4.   Indian in Israel 23:40  |  AD 26/11/08
      5.   Mumbai to Islamist militants in return for peace 23:50  |  Joseph.E 26/11/08
      6.   Terrorist attacks in India 23:52  |  Dik 26/11/08
      7.   this is why we must keep road blocks. israeli lives worth more 00:23  |  ralph 27/11/08
      8.   NEXT QUESTION 00:39  |  Tobia 27/11/08
      9.   Nariman House - Mumbai 00:42  |  Debbie 27/11/08
      10.   To AD 00:48  |  Proud Jew 27/11/08
      11.   Compare this to "Settler teens rampage... through Hebron" 01:02  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/11/08
      12.   Chabad house 01:05  |  Anna 27/11/08
      13.   God Bless India 01:15  |  Yosemite 27/11/08
      14.   Should IIslam be banned 01:16  |  Abdul 27/11/08
      15.   Nariman House belongs to Chabad 01:16  |  ChanahS 27/11/08
      16.   Will The Moderate Muslim Stand Up? 01:22  |  Sean 27/11/08
      17.   Re:Bill Foonman,Islam was terrorist organization since 7 century, 01:26  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 27/11/08
      18.   deepest condolensces to the people of india 01:39  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/11/08
      19.   Re;Bill Foonman 02:10  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 27/11/08
      20.   Re;Bill Foonman 02:10  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 27/11/08
      21.   Swiss (Dino`s) foolishness 02:25  |  SDHD 27/11/08
      22.   Must islam be banned in the civilized world? 02:27  |  Johnny 27/11/08
      23.   Official Chabad Lubavitch website issued statement regarding miss 03:10  |  Yaacov 27/11/08
      24.   If I Were In Charge Of Security... 03:17  |  Yosemite 27/11/08
      25.   Swiss (Dino) 03:24  |  David Israel 27/11/08
      26.   prayer 03:28  |  c 27/11/08
      27.   Swiss Dino`s comment on Expecting Terrorism? 03:32  |  bronxite10 27/11/08
      28.   #5 it`s you and other fellow travelers who strengthen extremists 03:35  |  McQueen 27/11/08
      29.   53 +1 03:44  |  Arie 27/11/08
      30.   Swiss Dino; Blame the Victim: Pal`s Gift to the world 03:58  |  brad 27/11/08
      31.   Swiss Dino Sins 04:08  |  Shai 27/11/08
      32.   Swiss (Dino) 2nd try 04:22  |  David Israel 27/11/08
      33.   Settlements 04:27  |  arik 27/11/08
      34.   Why it cannot happen in Israel 04:33  |  arik 27/11/08
      35.   #5 Swiss , your statement is the most outrages 04:33  |  TOMY 27/11/08
      36.   sincere condoleances, I pick up # reports, please read 04:53  |  Simon Mohammed 27/11/08
      37.   And the prize goes to ...Dino #5 05:10  |  Peter Williams 27/11/08
      38.   Swiss (Dino) 3rd try 05:30  |  David Israel 27/11/08
      39.   Ugly face of cancer in the family 05:45  |  Abu Yusuf 27/11/08
      40.   One has to wonder if there is ANYthing Swiss(Dino) can`t blame... 05:49  |  JP 27/11/08
      41.   Hey Durson, Clickfool,Indarja: Its A Feast 05:58  |  Brad 27/11/08
      42.   what was that GWB said 5 years ago 06:05  |  Capt Ahab 27/11/08
      43.   No condemnation of this attack from durson, dutch, VIPER & Co? 06:06  |  Vittorio 27/11/08
      44.   Terrorism and Bush Hatred 06:08  |  Amos 27/11/08
      45.   Look to the Pakistani Intelligence services 06:13  |  Arie 27/11/08
      46.   Swiss(Dino) 06:20  |  Alfredo 27/11/08
      47.   "Foolish Western Attitude" ??? 06:24  |  American 27/11/08
      48.   Adrian de Klerk 07:24  |  judith 27/11/08
      49.   This is terrible... 07:32  |  An Arab Neighbor 27/11/08
      50.   They attacked ... chabad ... 07:43  |  Californian 27/11/08
      51.   Nathalie Durson 07:43  |  Jo 27/11/08
      52.   same as buenos Aires 07:46  |  Jonathan 27/11/08
      53.   Lessons 07:51  |  Arjun 27/11/08
      54.   The true face of modern Islam? Death to innocents? 08:02  |  Joe Sittizen 27/11/08
      55.   Wait Till We Pass Judgement 08:02  |  Yosemite 27/11/08
      56.   We have to be strong. 08:03  |  Aleksey 27/11/08
      57.   Perhaps the U.N. Can Have Another Solidarity Day 08:03  |  Brad 27/11/08
      58.   Swiss (Dino) 08:05  |  DAVID KAPLAN 27/11/08
      59.   I Think This Is Organized Crime 08:12  |  Yosemite 27/11/08
      60.   is there a war on terroism? 08:16  |  MiddleStanian 27/11/08
      61.   Have not Christians have killed many more than Muslims???? 08:26  |  Arief Contractor 27/11/08
      62.   deepest condolensces to the people of india 08:27  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/11/08
      63.   Will the Indian Govt take heed now! 08:28  |  Indian Jew 27/11/08
      64.   This Thing Is More "Die Hard" Than 9/11 08:31  |  Yosemite 27/11/08
      65.   #5, SWISS (DINO), dead on 08:40  |  VIPER 27/11/08