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Last update - 14:12 30/11/2008
Terror in Mumbai
At Chabad house, Israeli paramedics checked the dead as crowd hailed the soldiers
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: India, Israel news 

MUMBAI - A few minutes after 9 P.M. on Friday, 48 hours after two terrorists first burst into the city's Chabad House, the first Israeli representatives were finally allowed into the building to begin the process of identifying the dead. A 12-hour battle to recapture the building had collapsed entire walls and virtually destroyed the stairwell. On the fourth floor, the bodies of the terrorists, who had been shot by Indian commandos, were neatly laid out.

Dumped on the beds in one inside room, the Israelis discovered the bound bodies of several women. Israeli paramedics were called in to begin the grim process of trying to identify them.

Only at the Taj Mahal hotel did the fighting last longer than it did at the Chabad center, known as Nariman House. Both because of the multiplicity of attacks and because the building is in a densely crowded area, it was only late Thursday night that substantial Indian forces began an assault on the building. But heavy fire from the terrorists, who shot from the top-floor windows, forced them to retreat.
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At 7:30 A.M. on Friday, 23 Indian commandos were dropped onto the roof of the building by three helicopters, with covering fire from adjacent rooftops. The ensuing fight lasted throughout the day, and one Indian soldier was killed. Gradually, however, the Indians advanced from room to room.

At about 4:30 P.M., a large bomb went off, destroying a large chunk of the fourth floor. However, the battle continued. Only after nightfall, at about 7:30 P.M., were the terrorists finally killed. Even then, however, the Indians continued to advance cautiously from room to room, setting off controlled explosions to rid the building of booby-traps. Finally, they brought in sniffer dogs to find any undetected arms and explosives.

Though the battle began early Friday morning, only late Friday afternoon did the local police finally begin clearing the residents out of nearby buildings. At least two of these residents were killed by terrorist fire during the battle.

And, despite the fighting, neighborhood stores remained open for business throughout the day, while crowds of curious onlookers came to within some 50 meters of the building to get a better look at the battle. No police barriers were erected, and other than a few baton-wielding policemen, no effort at all was made to keep the onlookers at a distance.

It is still not clear when the Nariman House terrorists killed their captives, but initial findings indicate that at least some were killed immediately after the terrorists took over the building on Wednesday night.

At 9 P.M. on Friday, shortly after the Indian forces finished clearing the building of explosives, the Israeli representatives were allowed to enter and examine the bodies. They did so to the sound of thousands of Mumbai residents cheering the soldiers who were leaving the scene.
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  1.   The indian rescue forces were a complete shambles 03:26  |  dave 30/11/08
  2.   My sympathy and love to the victims and famkly 04:01  |  gus 30/11/08
  3.   Re: The indian rescue forces were a complete shambles 04:26  |  Vince 30/11/08
  4.   kol haKavod to the brave Indian Forces (end) 04:47  |  Louise 30/11/08
  5.   Indan Defence Forces did their best 04:55  |  Avi 30/11/08
  6.   Indian Special Forces 06:03  |  Jim 30/11/08
  7.   Re: My sympathy and love to the victims and famkly 06:19  |  d. 30/11/08
  8.   gus the Muslim 06:21  |  Jasper 30/11/08
  9.   Send indian defense forces to save Shalit 06:36  |  Sid 30/11/08
  10.   Carnage at Chabad 07:27  |  jed nightingale 30/11/08
  11.   Mumbai attacks 07:32  |  John Peter 30/11/08
  12.   #2 gus - Hello 07:55  |  CK Tan 30/11/08
  13.   gus 08:19  |  sh 30/11/08
  14.   Applause to the Indian commandos 08:27  |  Benjamina 30/11/08
  15.   Terrorists were out for a kill 10:01  |  Passerby 30/11/08
  16.   we`r sorry 10:24  |  shine banarji 30/11/08
  17.   Israelis under attack in mumbai 10:45  |  shashank nagare 30/11/08
  18.   we`re sorry - #16 10:53  |  sh 30/11/08
  19.   #2 thank you. I do not hate you. #1 an impossible situation. 11:00  |  Zvi 30/11/08
  20.   Thank you gus 11:31  |  jane 30/11/08
  21.   INDIAN COMMANDOS DIED SAVING ISRAELIS 12:01  |  Arindom 30/11/08
  22.   Gus + # 18 & 19 - Seconded 12:31  |  ChanahS 30/11/08
  23.   Benjamina-of course the hostages were already dead 3 days later! 12:35  |  Hannah 30/11/08
  24.   Mubai 13:14  |  Lilly 30/11/08
  25.   Indian Commandos 15:13  |  Sridhar 30/11/08
  26.   My deepest condolances and regret 17:27  |  J in Oregon 30/11/08
  27.   Hemant Karkare - An Indian hero 17:46  |  Manny Goldstein 30/11/08
  28.   @Hannah 18:26  |  Arnab 30/11/08
  29.   At Chabad house, Israeli paramedics checked the dead as crowd hai 18:56  |  Welingkar 30/11/08
  30.   Welingkar 29 20:56  |  ChanahS 30/11/08
  31.   Benjamina-of course the hostages were already dead 3 days later! 21:40  |  Kuldip 30/11/08
  32.   Killings in Mumbai 04:03  |  Withheld 01/12/08
  33.   The Chabad, the Rabbi & Mumbai 06:25  |  Abhishek Khanolkar 01/12/08
  34.   #1 Daoud - The Indian rescuers did their best 07:09  |  *BEN JABO 01/12/08
  35.   We are Sorry My ISraeli`s borthers 21:03  |  Ajay 01/12/08
  36.   Indian soldier who died at Chabad House 20:39  |  Ian 13/12/08
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