Terror Attacks in Mumbai Stuns the World; Leaders Expresses Horrors

Seetha Vijayan - TNS

Chennai - Wednesday terror attacks in Mumbai stuns the World as apparently unknown Islamist militant group calling itself Deccan Mujahedeen terror attacks on innocent civilians including foreigners claimed at least 101 lives so far and 341 injured while unknown number of hostages were taken by the attackers and fears grew over foreign hostages who were taken in two five star hotels.

The Indian authority believes that, heavily armed Islamist militants apparently entered the Mumbai city via sea and mounted a series of coordinated attacks late Wednesday at a landmark of Indian freedom including Mumbai hotels, hospitals, a Jewish Center, a restaurant, a rail station and many other places. .

The Indian army commandos battled the heavily armed militants in some of the targets and freed number of hostages. The Indian commandos continue with the stand off with the heavily armed gunmen in many targets in various locations in India's financial hub to free at least 50 more hostages still with the militants believed to be numbering between 8 to 10 with heavily armed. At least 200 people believed trapped in one hotel alone, anger was mixed with concern that Westerners had been sought as hostages and world leaders continue to express anger and horror.

The world leaders, US President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai and many other world leaders sent Indian Premier Manmohan Singh messages assuring that  their governments will be in solidarity with India in dealing with the horror and those who responsible for those horrors.

"These outrageous attacks in Mumbai will be met with a vigorous response," the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said.

The US State Department called the attacks "horrific" and US president-elect Barack Obama said they showed the need for the United States to work with other nations to "root out and destroy terrorist networks."

"These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism," said Obama's chief national security spokesman Brooke Anderson.

The Indian prime minister made a televised address to the nation appealing for calm "so that the enemies of our country do not succeed in their nefarious designs."

Underscoring fears of renewed tensions with nuclear-armed rival Pakistan, Singh said those behind the attacks were based "outside the country" and warned "neighbours" not to provide a haven to anti-India militants.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, whose country has seen an upsurge of Islamist attacks, "stressed the need for taking strict measures to eradicate terrorism and extremism from the region".

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer blasted the "despicable" raids.

"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the mindless and indiscriminate terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Attacking innocent people, tourists, and patients in hospitals is despicable and cowardly," he said in a statement.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the violence was "totally unacceptable". The European Union expressed "horror and indignation" after European parliament members were caught up in the carnage.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, visiting Venezuela, said the attacks damaged "the whole world order" and "represent a challenge to humanity."

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao sent a telegram to Singh saying Beijing "firmly opposes all forms of terrorism." A Vatican spokesman described the attacks as "tragic and frightening."

Gulf States also condemned the attacks in Mumbai.

"The UAE condemns this horrible crime and affirms its full solidarity with the Indian government," said United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan.

Between the Islamist militants and the Indian Commandos stand-off continues at a Mumbai Jewish centre and militants reportedly phoned local TV from the centre offering to negotiate over the release of hostages.