Islamist terrorists still hold hundreds of hostages for second night

By the second night of the Islamist attack on Mumbai, the Israeli foreign ministry situation room was still unable to reach dozens missing Israelis, some of whom were staying at the Chabad center in Mumbai, others at the Trident Oberoi hotel, when al Qaeda gunmen staged coordinated attacks on 11 mostly tourist locations across the city Wednesday, Nov. 26. At least 125 people have been killed and 327 injured across the city. An Israeli child with his Indian nanny escaped the Chabad Center early Thursday. Later that night, 9-10 people left the building, but none were identified as Israelis of Jews. Neither is their number inside the building known amid the general havoc.
The Islamist terrorists still control the Chabad building as well as the Oberoi and Taj Palace hotels, where large numbers of Western hostages are held. Some escaped during the day. Indian police backed by Indian commando forces have fought their way into some parts of the Taj hotel, parts of which are burning, and discovered many bodies in the rooms.
The gunmen reached Mumbai Wednesday by rubber dinghies in commando uniforms, armed with automatic rifles, grenades and explosives. They are believed to have come from Pakistan in a mother vessel. In the first stage of their assault on a dozen well-chosen tourist and landmark sites, they singled out British and American tourists and killed 11 Indian police officers, including Mumbai Police Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare. They also attacked a crowded railway terminus, the famous Leopold restaurant, a cinema and the St. George hospital which treats the city’s foreigners. One group shot up the hospital as injured victims were brought in. New Delhi is on terror alert.

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