Yet another cowardly act has left at least 163 172 179 190 200 people dead in Bombay, following bomb blasts in 7 railway stations - Mahim, Bandra, Matunga, Borivali, Mira Road, Jogeshwari and Khar - last night. There were two bombs in Borivali - one on the train and one in the station. I will update this as soon as I can. The figures are bound to rise, and we can only hope that they are not too high. The pricks attacked during rush hour, so that's all it is - hope. Check out a timeline of the blasts here, and more coverage here, here, and here. The BBC also has pictures up on their website. My condolences to those of you who have lost loved ones in this horrific attack.
More sources: Counter terrorism blog, MetroBlogging Mumbai
11:52 a.m. NZST: Intelligence sources say that Lashkar-e-Taiba and/or Dawood Ibrahim are behind the blasts (Source 1, Source 2). The manner of the attack certainly bears the hallmark of one of these two. I just hope that these events do not cause people to take up arms against innocent minorities, as they have in the past. The Shiv Sena in particular has been very quiet about the incident, and hopefully it will stay that way. Trains resumed operation last night, but the death toll continues to rise.
Gaurav Sabnis wrote:
Too right. We have had to deal with terrorism for far too long, from across the border and from home-grown terrorists like Dawood Ibrahim (who is routinely granted sanctuary in Pakistan and the UAE). You can therefore understand why I take the following comments, from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with a pinch of salt:
That is not to say that Pakistan is behind the attacks, but one cannot ignore their role in previous operations aimed at disrupting the Indian Union.
12:15 p.m., NZST: Selma Mirza at MetroBlogging Mumbai has summed it up perfectly for all of us with her message to the terrorists who perpetrated this atrocity:
12:23 p.m., NZST: With all the news focussing on Bombay, it is easy to forget the grenade attacks in Srinagar six hours earlier. It is likely that both attacks have been carried out by the same organisation. My condolences to the families of the deceased.
The Indian Express reports that the police are drawing up sketches of two suspects, while Ajit Doval - the former director of the Intelligence Bureau - is quoted as saying that over 25 people could be involved in the planning of the blasts, and that the operation was planned abroad.
12:44 p.m., NZST: Manish Vij points to alarming statistics that he posted on Sepia Mutiny last year:
From all reports, Bombayites have once again pulled together and helped each other out in their time of need. BEST ran extra bus services through the night to aid those who had been stranded by the blasts, and the roads seem to have cleared. It may sound like a cliché, but in spite of all the devastation around them, the spirit of Bombayites is as strong as ever.
1:30 p.m., NZST: I'm going to sign off for a while. Please look through this Flickr photoset to see the extent of the damage (link via Global Voices).
I hope the terrorists rot in hell. Jai Hind.
5:00 p.m., NZST: More pictures can be found at the Times of India, Rediff, CNN-IBN and DNA. Suketu Mehta discussed the attacks with readers in the Washington Post.
To those who are keen on comparing 7/11 to 9/11, scroll down to the bottom of this article to get a crash course in what we have had to deal with since the turn of the century. And that's not even the half of it.
Cross-posted on Namita's blog.
More sources: Counter terrorism blog, MetroBlogging Mumbai
11:52 a.m. NZST: Intelligence sources say that Lashkar-e-Taiba and/or Dawood Ibrahim are behind the blasts (Source 1, Source 2). The manner of the attack certainly bears the hallmark of one of these two. I just hope that these events do not cause people to take up arms against innocent minorities, as they have in the past. The Shiv Sena in particular has been very quiet about the incident, and hopefully it will stay that way. Trains resumed operation last night, but the death toll continues to rise.
Gaurav Sabnis wrote:
A friend from the US tells me that the blasts are getting maximum coverage on CNN in USA. It seems like the US has finally woken up to the reality of terrorism in India. I was amused to read a few American bloggers write about the blasts as if terrorism has made a debut in India. They mean well of course. They just don't know that terrorism has been a problem in India for over 2 decades now. This is not Spain or Bali where terrorism just "arrived". We've been nursing the tapeworm in our bellies for ages.
Too right. We have had to deal with terrorism for far too long, from across the border and from home-grown terrorists like Dawood Ibrahim (who is routinely granted sanctuary in Pakistan and the UAE). You can therefore understand why I take the following comments, from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with a pinch of salt:
"Pakistan strongly condemns the series of bomb blasts on commuter trains in Mumbai, India. This despicable act of terrorism has resulted in the loss of a large number of precious lives.
"The president and prime minister of Pakistan have also strongly condemned this terrorist attack and have expressed condolences over the loss of innocent lives.
"Terrorism is a bane of our times and it must be condemned, rejected and countered effectively and comprehensively."
That is not to say that Pakistan is behind the attacks, but one cannot ignore their role in previous operations aimed at disrupting the Indian Union.
12:15 p.m., NZST: Selma Mirza at MetroBlogging Mumbai has summed it up perfectly for all of us with her message to the terrorists who perpetrated this atrocity:
Whom were you trying to target? The working class men who struggle for an inch of space in local trains? The working women who knit and cut vegetables in trains on their way home? Young, dreamy students discussing exams and love? The babies accompanying their mothers, smiling back at the women around them?
Darkness is fast falling. Its raining like it will not stop. Will the rains wash away the blood? Will tomorrow be a new day. Here's to lost lifes and broken dreams.
12:23 p.m., NZST: With all the news focussing on Bombay, it is easy to forget the grenade attacks in Srinagar six hours earlier. It is likely that both attacks have been carried out by the same organisation. My condolences to the families of the deceased.
The Indian Express reports that the police are drawing up sketches of two suspects, while Ajit Doval - the former director of the Intelligence Bureau - is quoted as saying that over 25 people could be involved in the planning of the blasts, and that the operation was planned abroad.
12:44 p.m., NZST: Manish Vij points to alarming statistics that he posted on Sepia Mutiny last year:
Harper’s magazine, July 2005, reports a horrific statistic: 44% of fatal or wounding terrorist attacks last year took place in India, only 32% in Iraq. Israel isn’t even close, nor Sri Lanka.Chilling figures. Perhaps there will be more international support for India's battle against terrorism following last night's events. For the past two decades, the international community have turned a blind eye and it is deeply saddening that it takes the deaths of so many to bring people around.
From all reports, Bombayites have once again pulled together and helped each other out in their time of need. BEST ran extra bus services through the night to aid those who had been stranded by the blasts, and the roads seem to have cleared. It may sound like a cliché, but in spite of all the devastation around them, the spirit of Bombayites is as strong as ever.
1:30 p.m., NZST: I'm going to sign off for a while. Please look through this Flickr photoset to see the extent of the damage (link via Global Voices).
I hope the terrorists rot in hell. Jai Hind.
5:00 p.m., NZST: More pictures can be found at the Times of India, Rediff, CNN-IBN and DNA. Suketu Mehta discussed the attacks with readers in the Washington Post.
To those who are keen on comparing 7/11 to 9/11, scroll down to the bottom of this article to get a crash course in what we have had to deal with since the turn of the century. And that's not even the half of it.
Cross-posted on Namita's blog.
3 comments:
no i disagree with you there hte terrorists deserve worse than hell. they ahve ripped apart families, innocent people, young college students awaiting hteir results which come out otmmorow.
no hell is too much of luxury for those terrorists they deserve much much worse and i hope they get it
JAI HIND
You’ve gotta admire the resilience of the great city though. I’m returning the favour by shamelessly plugging in my blog
:)
Sad...really sad....but its no cliche to say that the spirit of bombay is still alive....who said we were the rudest city in the world...Reader's Digest will have to eat their words now...look...in 5 hours, we are back to something resembling normal life!!! If such a thing had to happen in NZ....damn...lets just say the sheep won't come out of the farmhouse for a week!!!
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