No evidence so far of local involvement
MUMBAI: Sources in the joint Mumbai Police-Intelligence Bureau investigation team, probing last week’s terror attack, said efforts to harvest further evidence through exploring the Lashkar’s possible local infrastructure have so far yielded little.
Police were investigating the possible role of a Mumbai smuggling syndicate run by city resident Ali Mohammad Sheikh. Investigators had explored the possibility that Sheikh may have been involved in facilitating the landing of the 10 fidayeen on Mumbai’s coast and the providing local infrastructure needed for target reconnaissance.
“No substance”
However, police sources said, both source reports and Kamaal’s interrogation suggested that no local Lashkar supporters were involved in the execution of Wednesday’s terror attack.
Police sources also said there was no substance in reports that the terrorists had communicated with their command headquarters in Pakistan using mobile phones.
Reports that Lashkar operatives had checked into one or more hotels prior to the attacks, and rented accommodation in Mumbai’s Coloba area remain unsubstantiated.
FBI team in fracas
A Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) team, which flew in from the U.S., was briefly detained at the Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport here, after Customs officials refused to allow forensics equipment on board their aircraft on Indian soil.
India had granted permission to the FBI to examine the sites involved in the fidayeen attack, since U.S. nationals were also targeted.
Kept in the dark
However, government sources said, the team arrived here without providing prior lists of personnel and the specialised forensic equipment they were carrying.
“Since Customs officials in Mumbai had no idea what the FBI team was carrying,” a New Delhi-based Ministry of Home Affairs official in New Delhi said, “they naturally asked for an explanation”.
source-The hindu
Sunday, November 30, 2008
mumbai 2008
Terror attack death toll 172: Health Department
MUMBAI: The Health Department has confirmed the death of 172 people in the recent terror attacks in the city.
The number of injured in hospitals is 248. Another 44 have taken treatment in the outpatient departments, said a source.
Twenty-one foreign nationals died in the attacks. These include three Germans, an American, a Briton, a Thai, a Japanese, two Canadians, an Australian, an Italian, a Chinese and six Israelis and three unknown persons.
Out of the 22 injured foreigners, three are German, two Americans, five Britons, a Norwegian, a Spanish, a Filipino, a Canadian, a Finn, an Austrian, an Italian, two Omanis, two Chinese and a Jordanian.
Ten employees of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower lost their lives in the attacks.
In a statement, the Managing Director of Taj Hotels condoled their deaths. He also expressed sorrow over the death of the family members of an employee. “Another cause for most profound sadness has been the death of family members of employees. The wife and two children of Karambir Kang, General Manager of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower were killed on the first night of the terrorist attack.”
The hotel will organise a memorial service for the dead. “We stand together, unified in grief at their passing and in respect of their honour and courage.”
The Taj group has set up a support system for its injured employees. It comprises medical care and counselling. The management has not yet been given full control of the premises as combing operations were still on, said a spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the management is providing help to its distraught guests. “We have set up a Taj helpline and a helpdesk. . We are offering medical help and financial assistance. We have so far received around 2,500 requests from our guests about their belongings and access to their rooms. We have kept one container for each room to collect all the belonging of the room. Everybody is cooperative,” he said.
The hotel has not yet been able to put together its losses. “It is difficult to estimate the losses at this stage. The palace wing [in the old building] has been severely affected. The dome of the heritage wing has been badly damaged. So are the fifth and the sixth floors, two restaurants and a portion of the ballroom,” he said.
MUMBAI: The Health Department has confirmed the death of 172 people in the recent terror attacks in the city.
The number of injured in hospitals is 248. Another 44 have taken treatment in the outpatient departments, said a source.
Twenty-one foreign nationals died in the attacks. These include three Germans, an American, a Briton, a Thai, a Japanese, two Canadians, an Australian, an Italian, a Chinese and six Israelis and three unknown persons.
Out of the 22 injured foreigners, three are German, two Americans, five Britons, a Norwegian, a Spanish, a Filipino, a Canadian, a Finn, an Austrian, an Italian, two Omanis, two Chinese and a Jordanian.
Ten employees of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower lost their lives in the attacks.
In a statement, the Managing Director of Taj Hotels condoled their deaths. He also expressed sorrow over the death of the family members of an employee. “Another cause for most profound sadness has been the death of family members of employees. The wife and two children of Karambir Kang, General Manager of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower were killed on the first night of the terrorist attack.”
The hotel will organise a memorial service for the dead. “We stand together, unified in grief at their passing and in respect of their honour and courage.”
The Taj group has set up a support system for its injured employees. It comprises medical care and counselling. The management has not yet been given full control of the premises as combing operations were still on, said a spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the management is providing help to its distraught guests. “We have set up a Taj helpline and a helpdesk. . We are offering medical help and financial assistance. We have so far received around 2,500 requests from our guests about their belongings and access to their rooms. We have kept one container for each room to collect all the belonging of the room. Everybody is cooperative,” he said.
The hotel has not yet been able to put together its losses. “It is difficult to estimate the losses at this stage. The palace wing [in the old building] has been severely affected. The dome of the heritage wing has been badly damaged. So are the fifth and the sixth floors, two restaurants and a portion of the ballroom,” he said.
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