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127 killed in Mumbai terror assault, hundreds injured

For the last 24 hours Indian forces have battled heavily armed Islamic terrorists in Mumbai (Bombay), India. Over 100 people have been slain (127 deaths at last count) in co-ordinated attacks and bomb blasts, and over 300 reported injured. Among those killed are 9 policemen including Hemant Karkare, chief of the police anti-terrorist squad, and six foreigners including one Australian, a Briton, an Italian and a Japanese national. Ten Israelis were also held hostage in a Jewish centre.

Messages from a previously unknown group calling themselves the "Deccan Mujihadeen" claim responsibility.  Upwards of 25 men, heavily armed with assault rifles and hand grenades, carried out the attacks. Battles have been raging through hotels and tourist areas as Indian commandoes fought to free dozen of hostages.

At least seven militants were killed and nine have been taken into custody as responding Indian forces enter a mop-up phase. US president-elect Barack Obama has condemned the attacks and the FBI has sent a team of forensic bomb experts. Several of the suspects are members of Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba, who are known to operate in the contentious Kashmir region. Pakistan, condemning the assault, promised full cooperation.

The attacks were apparently planned to cause maximum damage to Westerners, who are difficult targets in their home countries. Another possible goal was to destabilize the region and stifle investment in the blooming Indian economy.

Reportedly, global intelligence services were buzzing about Black Friday prior to these attacks but failed to glean specifics that may have pre-empted this horrific tragedy.

Mumbai has been a wealthy city and a popular travel destination, since the Dutch and British East India companies established mercantile empires there at the zenith of European colonial power. Mumbai is home to 18 million people and the Bollywood film industry.

Links:
Reuters: Commandoes storm Jewish cultural center
Google News Aggregator
Poneke: India’s September 11 unfolding in terrorist bloodbath in Mumbai
Danyl is rightly concerned about already strained relations with Pakistan.
NZ Conservative: Over 100 die in Mumbai chaos

The shape of things to come?

Hat tip: Crusader Rabbit via No Minister

Does this take the Muhammed Cartoons controversy too far?

I think it's pushing it really...

But then again, considering this...some may think otherwise.

Allahu Akbar...

Whaleoil has a Mastercard commercial from the Middle East, or it could be if it was not such bad taste...

It is not graphic...but is illustrative...and Allahu had the last laugh, apparently

Bush warns of "World War III" over Iran

Here's a conundrum. Is Bush right when he talks about Iran potentially setting off World War 3?

Should the United Nations endorse a pre-emptive strike, the same way the Israelis did to Syria?

Or should we suspend our judgment and see what Iran does with its nuke programme?

BREAKING NEWS - Islamic terrorist group members found in NZ

 

NEWS RELEASE FROM INVESTIGATE MAGAZINE

Investigate magazine will name Monday two men it alleges have formal ties to a major terrorist organization, and who arrived in New Zealand  on false documentation.

The men supplied false work and/or family details in order to be granted legitimate

New Zealand

work permits.

At least one of the men, who is still here, trained for three months at a jihad camp run by the al Qa’ida affiliate Lashkar e Taiba in Pakistan's rugged North West Frontier province.

Documentation, video tapes and sworn statements obtained by Investigate reveal the training involved specialization in Kalashnikov rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks trained at the same jihad camp with the same organization.

A number of men caught in Australia and the US after training at those terror camps have been jailed for between 13 and 70 years.

Although Lashkar e Taiba’s primary focus has been the disputed territory in Kashmir, since 9/11 the group has increased its attention on Islamic jihad throughout the West. A number of its members have been arrested in Australia over the past two years in connection with plans to attack Australian targets.

Just last week a man was jailed in the United States for 24 years for attending a jihad camp in Pakistan three years ago. Similarities to the New Zealand case include the type of training involved, and the fact that the American attendee also lied about his terror background to authorities. Aggravating features in the American case specifically include an admission by the man that he intended to use his terror training at some point in the US.

Investigate has no evidence that the men who arrived in New Zealand are involved in any terror planning in this country, but both men and their families are members of the radical Islamic organization Lashkar e Taiba - one family member having risen to the rank of unit commander.

Lashkar e Taiba is on the United Nations list of banned terror organizations, and is also listed by New Zealand Police as a banned organization.

Full details in the latest Investigate magazine, on sale Monday.

Welcome home...Zaoui gets to live the Dobbyn song

The SIS has lifted the final hurdle facing Algerian refugee Ahmed Zaoui - his security threat certificate has been dropped.

A victory for common sense I think. Whilst I argued strenuously four years ago, based on the documentation we had, that Zaoui clearly had been hanging around with terrorists, the evidence placing him directly in the mix was more murky.

Two years ago Investigate editorialised that it was time to bring Zaoui in from the cold for the sake of his family...as any security risk could be managed by ongoing SIS surveillance...and the length of time it was taking to sort things out was ridiculous.

However, this weekend's Investigate has a very different character...one of two Islamic radicals who entered NZ based on false information, and who had trained at a terror camp in Pakistan's remote northwestern province that is also used by al Qa'ida.

We name these two men in the next Investigate, and publish letters between themselves and members of the terror organisation Lashkar e Taiba back in Pakistan...

We also ask why one of these men is still at large in New Zealand, with an extension to his work permit, despite authorities being told by a moderate Muslim of the security risk back in 2005.

Moderate in name only

The Religion of Peace has struck again.

A reminder of the problem...

Whether it's an indoctrination of Marxism in the West or the pursuit of virgins in the East...children everywhere are vulnerable.

An atheist stands up to be counted

A US blogger is telling it like it is over the decision by a senior Dutch Bishop to call God "Allah", so as not to offend Dutch muslims. The Bishop wants all Christians to adopt the new Islamic terminology.

The beauty of this stinging critique of the Bishop's call, is that it comes from a thinking atheist.