The Latest On The Mumbai Attack

Loading

The WSJ reports that the leader of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba is behind the attacks in Mumbai:

India has accused a senior leader of the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba of orchestrating last week’s terror attacks that killed at least 172 people here, and demanded the Pakistani government turn him over and take action against the group.

Just two days before hitting the city, the group of 10 terrorists who ravaged India’s financial capital communicated with Yusuf Muzammil and four other Lashkar leaders via a satellite phone that they left behind on a fishing trawler they hijacked to get to Mumbai, a senior Mumbai police official told The Wall Street Journal. The entire group also underwent rigorous training in a Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, the official said.

And guess who gave them that “rigorous training?”:

As evidence of the militants’ links to Pakistan mounted, Mumbai police commissioner Hasan Ghafoor said ex-Pakistani army officers trained the group — some for up to 18 months — and denied reports the men had been planning to escape the city.

‘‘It appears that it was a suicide attack,’’ Ghafoor said, providing no other details about when the gunmen left Karachi, or when they hijacked the trawler.

The revelations came as a senior U.S. official said India received a warning from the United States that militants were plotting a waterborne assault on Mumbai. The Bush administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of intelligence information, would not elaborate on the timing or details of the U.S. warning.

And not surprisingly, Pakistan is refusing to hand over anyone India says is involved in the attack:

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari rejected India’s demand that Islamabad hand over some 20 suspects, believed to be in Pakistan, saying: “If we had proof, we would try them in our courts. We would try them in our land and we would sentence them.” Zardari said that he doubted India’s claim that the sole surviving terrorist in the Mumbai terror attacks, who was captured by Indian security forces, was a Pakistani.

“We have not been given any tangible proof to say that he is definitely a Pakistani. I very much doubt that he’s a Pakistani,” he said, appearing on Larry King Live programme on CNN on Tuesday night.

The president has strongly denied his country’s involvement in the audacious attacks in Mumbai, saying the terror strikes in the India’s financial capital were executed by the “stateless actors” who wanted to hold the “entire world hostage.” Zardari also ruled out any possibility of Pakistan and India going to war, saying “democracies do not go to war”.

Meanwhile India police discovered a bomb among the luggage left behind in the attack:

Police in Mumbai found explosives Wednesday hidden in a bag left behind last week at the city’s train station at the start of a three-day rampage by Islamist militants.

While searching 150 bags at the station, police found one that looked suspicious and called the bomb squad. They found two bombs of 8.8 pounds each inside and defused them, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Bapu Domre.

Weird that it took them this long to search the bags but I can only imagine the chaos going on in that city at the moment.

And finally, the US is sending signals that it will back India in any attack against Pakistan if that country does not root out the terrorists responsible:

The United States has set the stage for punitive internationally-backed strikes by India against terrorist camps in Pakistan if Islamabad does not act first to dismantle them by rejecting President Zardari’s alibi that non-state actors were responsible for the last week’s carnage in Mumbai.

The game-changer, outlined by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, among others, robs Islamabad of the fig leaf that Zardari used in his interview on Larry King Live that ”stateless actors” are holding the whole world hostage and Pakistan was not to blame. Rice said in effect that the excuse does not absolve Pakistan responsibility for terrorist acts that originate from its territory,“ Rice said.

Although US officials have not outright approved immediate punitive Indian strikes against terrorist targets in Pakistan, it is clear Rice has bought time for Islamabad to prove its bonafides. Pakistan has a ”special responsibility” and needs to act ”urgently” she said, even as India has indicated it will wait for a Pakistani response to its demands before any punitive action.

In Washington, experts pressed the administration to expand the scope of punitive strikes to an international level to avoid making it an India-Pakistan issue, particularly since the death toll included citizens of ten countries.

And as Scott noted a few days ago, Obama is backing that decision.

While it is sad that India was attacked, backing India when we need Pakistan cooperation (behind the scenes of course) in rooting out those who have attacked us, and plan to attack us again, is not the smartest thing to do.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
13 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

India does not have the guts to at war with pakistan. Indian politicians lack will power and their main concern is making money and staying in power. they issue residential status to illegal immigrants from bangladesh and pakistan to secure them as a vote bank for the next elections instead of deporting them. no wonder the huge ever increasing population is such a strain on indian economy. history has been an evidence that tewrror attacks from pakistan backed outfits have occured repeatedly and with time all is forgotten and there is a new hope for improving relations against a cunning fox lie pakistan. dont know are Indian politicians and diplomats stupid?? for trying to be merry with them again?? or what?? no sovereign country would have tolerated so much as india… i guess it is out ignorance than tolerance

I read very early this AM… and I think on Pak’s new beta Dawn site… that the investigation has some good leads with the cell records. Some to Pakistan, some to Bangladesh, and at least one to the US. Still looking to find it again. Most are not mentioning a US contact within the info circle.

Curt said: “backing India when we need Pakistan cooperation (behind the scenes of course) in rooting out those who have attacked us, and plan to attack us again, is not the smartest thing to do.”

Curt: We do need Pakistan’s cooperation but I think we also must hold them accountable for attacks that are launched from their soil.

If anything, we have been too lenient with them because of their special circumstances.

“…no sovereign country would have tolerated so much as india…” Jimmyjj)

What about Israel? They are constantly receiving rockets on their head. Between 2000 and 2006, they have received more that 3,000 rockets. They finally got mad and went to war when Hezbollah kidnapped two of their soldiers and killed eight. In 2006 and 2007, 1,719 rockets launched from Gaza hit Israeli territory and this year alone over 7,000 rockets.

But India and Pakistan both have nuclear arsenal, it would not be a good idea that they declare war to one another. It could end up in a big BOOM! Like it would not be a good idea to wait for Iran to get the nuclear arsenal before fighting them.

Pakistan has for long used the very smart positionof, yes we know that there are rogue elements in our country and “you” need to help “us” root them out. But that is the side they have for the oh-so gullible international community. US and other European powers are so eager to get the support of the Pakistani government in the hope that they will do the dirty work for them, that there has been no timeline put on the Pak govt. to show tangible results on the ground. And because of that,, year after year, money flows to Pakistan and terror flows to India. India needs to learn from Israel. If you want to protect your freedom, you need to do it yourself. You cannot depend on the US or UK or Russia or China to do your hardwork for you, because every country has problems of their own. India has the moral high ground and principled backing of probably all democracies of the world. India should decide what it needs to do, put a solid details plan around it and execute it. Dont wait for Rice or Obama to take the first step. Also, India needs to look inside. I think it is time that India smartens up and does some serious housekeeping. There has been a lot of noise that this attck originated from Pakistan and India is focusing all its effort in exposing Pakistan. While that is necessary, India also needs to realize that a portion of the planning and infrastructre is on its own territory. This has been possible because India’s bureaucracy and Political machinery has been sleeping and taking the Indian people’s highly tolerant nature for granted. While I am a proud Indian, but I feel disgraced and violated when I think about the terrorist bosses, who are right now watching their TV sets and laughing their heads off at India’s incompetence. The filth lies as much inside India as outside her borders. India – you need to take the security of your freedom in your own hands and do what is right for your people. Everything else will fall into place.

@Craig: Terrorism is like Cancer. to treat cancer, an early diagnosis is required, Then chemo therapy. The body suffers and becomes weaker before it becomes stronger and defeats cancer. These attacks are tell tale signs that the world is suffering from terrorist cancer. We need start the chemo rightaway or risk losing our world. India and the world need to join hands and create counter-terrorism outfits of their own that can be shown to operate on their own and be shown to be “Stateless”. Give the Pakistani terrorists a dose of their own medicine. Insert these counter-terrorists into Pakistanin territory and carry out a clean and quick sugical operation and take out the head honchos of these terrorist organizations. and mind you, we should not only take out the actual terrorists, but also their support staff who are spread all over the world in the US, UK, Middle east, indonesia etc. Israel is the expert in that and I am so proud that it has been able to kick some terrorist ass quite convincingly. Someone has taken the fight to them. The US has also done that, but it got distracted in Iraq and unfortunately what started off as a very promising was on terror has ended up just a tenuous face-saving exercise for the US. hopefullly when Obama brings back US troops, he will make the right decision and concentrate efforts on where the real problem lies….PAKISTAN. I mean come one, terror outfits operating freely with the Pakistani army’s who are in fact in control of their Nuclear arsenal!!!! What more do you want to hit th epanic buttons???? Wake up world. Otherwise, sooner or later, our worst fear, NUCLEAR terrorism is going to come true….and it can happen anywhere. Lets get together, co-ordinate on a massive scale and become more aggressive in taking out these terrorists. If we dont do that, we will see many more innocent lives lost.

“Insert these counter-terrorists into Pakistanin territory and carry out a clean and quick sugical operation and take out the head honchos of these terrorist organizations… Israel is the expert in that…” (VikK)

You are so right. Like Michael Behe said in this great article on the Israel/Lebanon war:

THE TRUTH IN LEBANON
By: Michael Behe, (Lebanon journalist living in Beirut)
August 2006

“… As for the destruction caused by the Israelis . . . that is another imposture: Look at the satellite map! I have situated, as best I could, but in their correct proportions, the parts of my capital that have been destroyed by Israel. They are Haret Hreik — in its totality — and the dwellings of Hezbollah’s leaders, situated in the large Shia suburb of Dayaa (as they spell it) and that I have circled in blue. . . .

All those who speak of the “destruction of Beirut” are either liars, Iranians, anti-Semites or absent. Even the houses situated one alley’s distance from the targets I mentioned have not been hit, they have not even suffered a scratch; on contemplating these results of this work you understand the meaning of the concept “surgical strikes” and you can admire the dexterity of the Jewish pilots. Beirut, all the rest of Beirut, 95 percent of Beirut, lives and breathes better than a fortnight ago. All those who have not sided with terrorism know they have strictly nothing to fear from the Israeli planes, on the contrary! One example: Last night the restaurant where I went to eat was jammed full and I had to wait until 9:30 p.m. to get a table. Everyone was smiling, relaxed, but no one filmed them: a strange destruction of Beirut, is it not? . . .

Like the overwhelming majority of Lebanese, I pray that no one puts an end to the Israeli attack before it finishes shattering the terrorists.”

You can read the full article here:
http://jpundit.typepad.com/jci/2006/08/the_truth_in_le.html

P.S.: But of course, the stupid UN put a stop to it before Israel could finish its job, so they lost the war and terrorism is still alive and well. Gotta get rid of UN, they no longer take honorable decisions.

@Craig: I am from Mumbai and I cannot tell you how my heart bleeds for my city and my country. People are on the streets here and I have not seen such unity for one cause ever in my city. Mumbai is India’s New York. Peopel are too busy chasing dreams and busy schedules. But these terror attacks have done something that these terrorists would have never dreamed of. It has awakened a sleeping non-chalant people. It has become a movement. Small kids are now discussing terrorism and how to battle it. It is an amazing amazing scene out here and it warms my heart amidst the cold death we have just witnessed. I hope the Indian politicians (know for their greed and corruption) feel the same emotions and help us channel ours into a constructive and effective fight against terrorism. Israel’s model is time tested and proven in the most difficult of conditions. India should and MUST take their help and develop their infrastructure to proactively root these sick weirdos out. I will be watching intently. Kudos to you and other bloggers who I hope will keep this flame alive.

@Craig:

I hadn’t seen that one. Thanks Craig.

Vikk: We know what the people of Mumbai are going through and you have our sympathy and fullest support.

And I hope too that this atrocity will cause more responsible and effective leaders to emerge in your country to help prevent future attacks.

We need to be careful in dealing with Pakistan so as not to start a larger war but we also cannot be so blind to evident responsiblity Pakistan has to control it’s own territory.

I’m encouraged by your report that people are taking greater interest into all dimensions of this problem and hopefully they will demand effective solutions.

VikK,
My heart and thoughts are with you and all the people in Mumbai. What happened there is despicable.

It is good to know that you are from Mumbai, there is also Sigmundringeck who is from SEAsia and I’m from Canada (French Québec). This FA blog is such a fine site; it is starting to attract people all around the world. WOW!

Vikk, we are with you in your mourning. May your countrymen not go back to sleep like many of ours have.

Thank you all for your support. We need each other now more than ever and I am happy to see such a strong reaction all over the world.

I live in Philadelphia and I on I-76 listening to NPR when the planes struck the towers. When I reached work, I saw the second plane hit. I felt so much anger that day that I thought I’d never feel it again. But I was proven wrong. Hard Right, I agree with you. We in the USA had gone to sleep, because we have not had an attack on us since 9/11. But the mumbai attacks has woken the whole world again. We are united once again against terror and we have regained our lost momentum. That is one positive I am happy about. Though, why is it that hundreds of people have to die before we unite.

I also agree with Mike. India has to avoid any knee jerk, emotionally charged action against Pakistan, though we cannot let such actions go unpunished. It only serves to boost the morale of the terrorists and makes us look like eunuchs. I think India has to do what it needs to do to keep its citizens safe, but it has to do it responsibly and synch up with the US for a sanity check. It always helps to have a third party look at your plans free of any nationalistic emotions. Also, a larger purposeful multipronged effort by the whole international community needs to be carried out behind the scenes. By multipronged, I mean, diplomatic, covert on the ground ops and sanctions. The terrorists masterminds need to know that they will not go unpunished. We need to mete out the punishment with as much zeal and fervor as these terrorists spray death on innocent civilians. THEY need to FEAR US. They need to be mentally defeated before they will physically perish.

An Update from Mumbai:
> About 200,000 people gathered in front of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel near the Gateway of India yesterday as part of an Anti Terror rally.
> The Muslim religious leadership in Mumbai has refused to allow the dead bodies of these terrorists to be buried in any Muslim burial ground. They have said that these killers are not Muslims. It’s a good positive thing message from them. But to me, it smacks a bit of political posturing. What I want to see is “tangible, hard” action taken by these leaders, not just political populist gimmicks.

Spare a thought for The Rabbi:
I read an article yesterday that made me sick to the core. It seems that Rabbi Holtzberg’s wife was six months pregnant and the terrorists knew about it when they shot her. Also, they physically abused their two year old child, as evident by the bruises on the child’s back. What sick weirdos would do such a thing. I don’t believe in hell, but today I hope there is one, and that these sick bastards rot in hell for eternity.

Keep up the good writing folks.