Mumbai Attack Was Well Organized

This is extremely disturbing.

All the signs, officials say, point to a well-planned action carried out by a highly trained, determined group.

The men appeared to have surveyed their targets in advance and were well-versed in the use of weapons and explosives, a Indian commando said.

Their intention, he said, was “to create and spread terror”.

Investigators believe that a large group of men arrived in Mumbai from the sea around 2100 local time.

They believe that a larger ship - possibly a hijacked vessel, possibly an accomplice ship - brought them close to the shore before they switched to smaller dinghies.

Once ashore, they split into two-, three- and four-man groups to attack pre-selected targets.

Several of the attackers were caught on CCTV. Footage showed mainly young men, carrying automatic weapons and large rucksacks.

Officials said the rucksacks contained grenades, extra ammunition, plastic explosives and food supplies.

The carnage in Mumbai is truly terrible.  But even more troubling is the nature of the attack.  This was not a bunch of unorganized terrorists in a haphazard attack.  This was well planned, well financed, sustained for days, organized, attack by well trained and disciplined terrorists.  As I see it, this indicates one of two things.  Either this was an attack backed by a government (probably Pakistan or Iran) intended to hit India, or this attack indicates new sophisticated tactics by terror groups.  Neither scenario gives me any warm fuzzies. 

1. <Sarcasm on>

   You just don’t understand.  All we need to do is talk to them.  Find out what is troubling them and we can all sit around and sing Kum-by-Yah and take hits off the bong together.

   <Sarcasm off>

   I agree that this is a very troubling event.  India has been subject to terror events for years, but never on this scale, and I don’t recall Westerners and Jews being specifically attacked.

   Recent indications of a possible attack against New York also now garner more concern.

   Posted by Steve on November 29, 2008 at 0417 hrs




2. Some commentators now theorize that the attacks were led by people trained in US/Brit/Soviet military tactics.

   Posted by dad29 on November 29, 2008 at 0908 hrs




3. This was not carried out by Pakistan nor Iran.  Your mention of Iran is interesting since they have never cared nor interacted with India.

   Posted by on November 29, 2008 at 1034 hrs




4. John are you privy to intelligence reports that nobody else seems to be?  You may very well be right ... but at the time of this writing, I have yet to read or see anywhere anyone suggest with any confidence who is or is not responsible for the attacks.  Or are you simply stating your opinion and framing it as authoritative with out evidence to support your claim?

   Posted by on November 29, 2008 at 2011 hrs




5. I mentioned Iran because they might have an intense interest in India.  There happen to be thousands of NATO troops in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  A covert operation to instigate a war between Pakistan and India would likely cause many of those NATO countries to pull their troops, thus freeing up Iran to face West without worrying about their rear. 

   We don’t know if Iran was involved, but thinking in terms like “Iran doesn’t have anything against India so they wouldn’t do it” is a bit simplistic for geopolitical affairs.

   Posted by Owen on November 29, 2008 at 2142 hrs




6. The latest is that the attacks were financed with cash raised in UK mosques.

   Shocking.

   Posted by on November 30, 2008 at 0722 hrs




7. There is no doubt U.S. had something to do with the training of those guys but of course they as usual will denied those charges.

   Posted by Hayabusa Fairings on December 11, 2008 at 1204 hrs