Sympathise with Pak, says Musharraf

With Pakistan facing immense pressure to act against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, former President Musharraf has asked the world to "sympathise" with the country which is a "victim of circumstances," instead of blaming it for terrorism.

"We have been a victim of terrorism, we have been a victim of circumstances over the last three decades for which a certain atmosphere has been created," said the former military ruler during whose tenure Pakistan became a key ally in the US-led war on terror.

Musharraf said Pakistan had contributed a lot to the war against terror and the world should appreciate its contribution rather than blaming it all the time.

"The world should see our problems and what we have faced. We have contributed so much towards anti-terrorism war and the world should really appreciate that and sympathise with us, instead of blaming us," he said.

International pressure is mounting on Islamabad to take "effective" action after the Mumbai terror attacks, believed to have been carried out by Pakistan-based elements.

The former President, who had to concede power to democratic parties after elections in the country early this year, said it was "unfortunate" that fingers are pointed at Pakistan "very often" and advocated that Islamabad take a strong stand against this.

"Pakistan is unfortunately blamed very often and we should take a strong stand on this. Pakistan is not responsible for terrorism anywhere in the world," he told ARY Television.

His comments came against the backdrop of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telling the leadership here that there is "irrefutable evidence" of involvement of elements in Pakistan in the Mumbai attacks and it had no option but to act urgently "otherwise, the US will act."

RAW intercepted satellite talks, had warned Govt on Nov 26: Report

Top government officials were Tuesday at a loss to explain why they did not react to information purported to have been given by the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's external intelligence agency, pinpointing the time frame, route and the Mumbai locations that would be attacked by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

At least on four occasions and even on Nov 26, the day that 10 militants laid siege on high-profile targets, including the Oberoi Trident and the Taj hotels, RAW had tipped off the authorities of the impending attack by sea and even given information of the time, according to a media report.
We warned govt, says RAW official

"Yes, we gave the information as we had been intercepting these satellite phone conversations for a while. But don't ask me why it was not acted upon," said a senior RAW official who because of service rules cannot be named.

The Hindustan Times newspaper front-paged a report Tuesday that on Sep 18, Sep 24, Nov 19 and Nov 26, RAW had intercepted conversations between a LeT asset and an unknown person that an operation to target hotels was being planned and the sea route would be used.

"On November 19, RAW listeners picked up another unexplained satellite phone conversation. A voice said, 'We will reach Bombay between nine and eleven.' RAW trackers identified the exact coordinates of the call and discovered that it came from the sea near Mumbai, 40 km west of Jhol," said the newspaper report.

Why RAW inputs were not acted upon?
According to RAW officials, the information was relayed to a centralised intelligence group set up by the National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan.

Officials in the Intelligence Bureau, the home ministry and the intelligence wing refused to comment on why the RAW inputs were not acted upon.

The government spokesperson was not available for comment. At least 183 people, including 22 foreigners, were killed when a group of terrorists, allegedly from Pakistan, sneaked into Mumbai last week and struck at several prominent sites, including two luxury hotels.

Take tough action against terror: India Inc

Mumbai: India Inc today exuded confidence that business will be back to normal from Monday and heaved a sigh of relief as the 60-hour terror horror got over this morning.While urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for tougher laws against terrorism so that dastardly acts witnessed in the financial capital since Wednesday are not repeated elsewhere in India, apex industry chambers said the economy will recover fast from the blow.

"Even yesterday stock market in the midst of the battle showed some resilience, this is an indication as to how India and its people take these dastardly activities of terrorists in their stride. We expect that by Monday the regular financial parameters and fundamentals will come back into play," FICCI Secretary General Amit Mitra told PTI.

Mitra, however, reminded the Prime Minister to keep his words for tough action against terrorism."We expect that the commitments made by the Prime Minister of tougher laws against terrorists and centralised single agency for dealing with such situations will come into force sooner or later," he said.

Singh, on Thursday, had stated that "strongest possible measures" would be taken to deal with terrorists and their supporters.

Expressing confidence that the attack would not have any long lasting impact on foreign investments in India, Mitra said: "India is a natural destination for potential investors in the future. $25 billion have come as FDI, we expect the flow to continue even if slightly muted, given the global circumstances."Assocham Secretary General DS Rawat also expressed confidence that India would recover fast from the blow although it could face a temporary setback.

Final operation on at Taj hotel, hostages rescued

MUMBAI: Security forces have launched a final operation to flush out terrorists from Taj hotel. According to sources, seven terrorists have been

An employee of Taj Hotel comforts foreign guests in Mumbai following terror strikes. Gunshots and explosions have been heard from inside the old building of Taj, according to sources. A little earlier, Maharashtra police chief A N Roy said all hostages at Taj hotel here have been rescued, but there could be some still trapped at Trident hotel and Nariman House where operations were on to flush out terrorists, said today, ruling out any negotiations with the ultras.

All people trapped in Taj Hotel in Mumbai rescued. No hostage-like situation there right now, said Director General of Police (DGP) A N Roy. "There are still guests in the rooms, but we won't be able to give you a number," he said.

More bodies have been found inside the hotel, reports suggest.

Four suicide bombers have reportedly been killed in the Taj hotel.

Giving details of the terror attacks which began last night, Roy said terrorists struck in quick succession and in all there was shooting in 12 places.

The Director General of Police made it clear that there would be no negotiations with the terrorists, and "we will very soon get them either alive or dead"

So far five terrorists and 14 police personnel, including officers, have been killed in the operations, Roy said, adding the attacks were "well-planned and executed and unprecedented".

At the moment, the police chief said he could not say which terror outfit is responsible for the attack.

"Our priority now is to take it to logical conclusion by nabbing the terrorists and rescuing the hostages and people trapped in the three areas where the operations are on," he said.

The entire action has now been taken over by NSG personnel who were flown from Delhi and they were being assisted by naval commandos and Maharashtra Police.

At Taj Hotel, systematical floor-to-floor cleaning up is being carried out, Roy said.

"It was very sad that we have lost ATS Chief Hemant Karkare who was a very close friend. We have lost 14 of our personnel in fighting the terrorists and we will carry on our fight," he said

Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotels, where security operations against terrorists are still on, has set up a helpline for its guests. Assuring to work towards speedy normalisation of operations, the hotel said, "We will rebuild every inch that has been damaged in this attack and bring back the Taj to its full glory."

It said it is working towards safety and security of its guests and staff. Its helpline numbers are 022-66574322, 022-66574372 and 1800111825.

Security forces had launched an assault to flush out terrorists from two luxury hotels - Taj and Trident (Oberoi) - where a couple of 100 people were believed to be either held hostage or trapped in the most audacious terror attacks that have claimed over 100 lives and left over 300 injured in India's financial capital Mumbai.

Earlier in the day, a senior army officer said at least four terrorists are holed up in the Taj Hotel where 40 to 50 guests were still trapped.

"In this area there are four to five terrorists," Major R K Hooda, General Officer Commanding of Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat said. There are an estimated 40 to 50 guests still trapped in the hotel, he said.

There can be 10 to 12 terrorists involved in the terror attack at a hotel in Mumbai, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said today. Five of them have been killed and one of them arrested, he told reporters outside the hotel as security forces prepared to launch an assault to end the terror.

Patil said he was not sure about the exact number of hostages in the hotel where commandos of NSG and Mumbai Police were involved in the operation.

He said they have not received any demands from militants and hoped that a breakthrough will be achieved soon. Patil said the operation was delicate in view of the safety of the hostages. He claimed police have got some leads but declined to elaborate.

Meanwhile, two bodies have been brought out of terror-struck Taj Hotel in Mumbai and taken away in an ambulance.

Fresh firing has also been reported at Oberoi and Army has entered the hotel to flush out the terrorists.

"At least six foreigners have been killed and the death figure has gone up to 101 now," Ramesh Tayde, a senior police officer said from Mumbai's control room earlier today.

An unspecified number of foreigners including Americans, Israelis and Canadians are also believed to be among those trapped in the two hotels and in Nariman House, a residential complex with an old Jewish prayer hall, where also a hostage situation prevailed.

As the day broke, gunbattles raged between terrorists, believed to have come in a boat to the Gateway of India, opposite Taj hotel, and commandoes and fresh explosions rocked the two hotels after the night of terror targeting ten places.

One terrorist was shot dead in Nariman House, police said suspecting the presence of six more in the complex. Heavy exchange of fire was on between the two sides a little past noon.

There were unconfirmed reports of a hostage-like situation in Cama hospital from where two terrorists in the wee hours tried to escape but were gunned down after a hot chase by the police near the Chowpatty-Girgaum crossing.

Terrorists used heavy machine guns, including AK-47s, and grenades to strike at the city's most high-profile targets -- the hyper-busy CST (formerly VT) rail terminus; the landmark Taj Hotel at the Gateway and the luxury Oberoi Trident at Nariman Point; the domestic airport at Santa Cruz; the Cama and GT hospitals near CST; the Metro Adlabs multiplex and Mazgaon Dockyard -- killing at least 101 and sending hundreds of injured to hospital.

Sharp shooters of army, NSG and other security forces moved into Mumbai's landmark hotels to overwhelm an unspecified number of terrorists still holed out there after several residents were rescued in the wee hours. About 800 personnel from armed forces and NSG were deployed from outside Mumbai and from Delhi

Raging fire and plumes of black smoke were seen billowing from the central dome of the century-old heritage Taj hotel opposite the Gateway of India this morning as firemen struggled to douse them. A guest stranded in one of the rooms said two explosions shook the building.

Smoke was also seen billowing from the new building of the Taj Hotel -- which stands next to the old building where terrorists are holed up. While NSG operation was on in the old building, fire brigade personnel were trying to douse fire in the new wing. The top portion of the old Taj building was engulfed in fire after the blasts last night.

Luxury hotel Trident Oberoi was under siege with some terrorists holding some foreigners hostage. A tourist guide was worried about the fate of five Canadians he had put up in that hotel.

Earlier in the night, explosions were heard in the hotel. As last night's terror incidents spread a sense of panic and fear in the metropolis, schools and colleges were ordered closed and the Bombay Stock Exchange will not function today. Suburban trains and city buses operated normally but without usual rush. Except for cancellation of three international flights, domestic air services to Mumbai were maintained.