Mumbai terror attacks

This item appears on page 17 of the January 2009 issue.

A coordinated attack by a terrorist group at seven sites in Mumbai, India, beginning Nov. 26 left 195 people dead, including 22 foreigners, and more than 300 wounded. Ten gunmen opened fire indiscriminately and threw grenades at the luxury Taj Mahal Palace and Oberoi/Trident hotels as well as at other hotels, a Jewish community center, a rail station, a hospital, a restaurant and other sites.

The crisis continued until Nov. 29, when government troops routed out the last of the gunmen from the Taj Mahal Palace, where a number of people with US and UK passports had been held hostage. The landmark hotel suffered extensive fire damage. As to who is responsible, authorities are investigating.