101 dead, more than 300 wounded in Mumbai terror attacks

MUMBAI, India, Nov. 27 Kyodo -
(EDS: UPDATING)
More than 20 hours after a series of terror attacks in India's financial
capital Mumbai began Wednesday night, leaving at least 101 people dead and more
than 300 wounded, gunfire is still ringing from targeted luxury hotels
Thursday.

The Hindustan Times reported multiple gunshots were heard from within the Taj
Mahal hotel shortly after 5 p.m. as security forces continued to clash with
terrorists holed up in the luxury hotel.
And India's NDTV said three more explosions rocked the hotel around the same time.
The newspaper also reported that emails have been received warning of more
attacks and that Indian airports are on high alert.
A little-known group of Islamic militants has reportedly claimed responsibility
for the attacks by teams of men armed with automatic weapons and grenades, who
apparently arrived by boat.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in an address to country, condemned the
attacks and charged they came from terrorists ''based outside the country.''
He did not, however, elaborate on that charge.
Singh also said his government would be setting up a federal government agency
to coordinate against threats to public safety in India.
India's NDTV television reported more than 100 fatalities, including six
foreigners.
NDTV said nine attackers were nabbed and five were killed, while 11 policemen,
including Maharashtra state Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, also
died.
Nearly a day after the attacks started at around 9 p.m. Wednesday, two
five-star hotels popular with foreigners -- the landmark Taj Mahal, which was
on fire with smoke billowing from its roof, and the Trident, formerly known as
the Oberoi -- were still under siege with explosions and gunshots being heard.
NDTV reported three chefs and 15 to 17 other staff at the Taj Mahal hotel lost
their lives and a report from Canada said a family there learned their
22-year-old niece, who had begun working at the Trident just two weeks ago, is
among those gunned down.
According to several media sources, the gunmen rounded up American and British
passport-holders at the hotels and held them hostage.
Later Thursday, reports from the city said the hostage crisis at the Taj had
ended, but some people were trapped in their rooms because of fires.
Those reports, however, seemed premature and Reuters quoted officials as saying
20 to 30 people may still be being held hostage at the Trident, while many
others are trapped in both the hotels.
Later reports said as many nine hostages have been rescued from the Trident,
but several more remain held by the attackers.
NDTV said there were attacks on at least 10 places in the city overnight,
including near the U.S. Consulate, Cafe Leopold, which is popular with tourists
in the city, at the Cama and GT hospitals, and at two cinemas.
Indian army sharpshooters and some 200 commandos of the National Security
Guard, a counterterrorism special response unit, were assisting local police in
flushing out gunmen holed up in hotels, the Press Trust of India said.
The Times of India reported about 100 commandos preparing a final assault on
Nariman House, a housing complex that includes a Jewish temple where more
attackers, possibly with hostages, remained barricaded.
A little-known organization calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen has reportedly
claimed responsibility for the attacks in e-mails sent to some media
organizations.
In Tokyo, the Foreign Ministry said one Japanese man was killed in a shootout
in Mumbai, while another Japanese citizen was injured.
At least one Australian and an Italian are among the dead.
Government leaders from around the world have condemned the attacks.
Pakistan President Asif Zardari called Sonia Gandhi, chair of India's Congress
Party, to offer his condolences over the attacks on Mumbai, a statement by the
presidential spokesman said.
It said Zardari told Gandhi that Pakistan ''strongly condemns the terrorist acts
and the killing of innocent people.''
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, already in India for talks with his
counterpart Pranab Mukerjee, was reported by GEO TV to have proposed the
national security advisors of the two countries get in touch by ''hotline'' to
discuss counterterrorism measures.
A wave of terror has hit Indian cities, including Mumbai, in recent years.
Most have been blamed on Islamist militants.
==Kyodo