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Last update - 16:33 30/11/2008
Terror in Mumbai
Israeli experts: Slow operation meant 'no chance' for hostages at Mumbai Chabad house
By Amos Harel
Tags: israel news, terror attacks 


Israeli counterterrorism experts are critical of how Indian security forces handled last week's terror attacks in Mumbai, especially their raid on the local Chabad center, Nariman House.

While acknowledging that Israel has never experienced a coordinated attack of such scope, the Israelis said the Indians failed to contain the attacks and raided Nariman House too lackadaisically.
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Maj. Gen. (ret.) David Tzur, a former commander of the police's counterterror unit Yamam, who now runs a security consulting firm, acknowledged that when terrorists attack more than seven sites simultaneously, "it's very hard to handle." However, he said, this difficulty was compounded by the lack of prior intelligence, "which is the colossal failure in this story. This was an organization in which dozens of people were surely involved."

"To the Indians' credit, they were determined and sought contact [with the enemy] all the time," Tzur continued, adding that a terrorist takeover of a hotel is "the nightmare of every counterterrorism unit," because it is hard to effectively "cleanse" so large a site.

However, he said, this excuse did not apply to the much smaller Nariman House. The 12-hour battle to liberate the building was "unreasonable," he said, because "there's no chance in the world that captives will survive an incident that doesn't end within minutes of the break-in."

The Indians, he added, apparently assumed the hostages had already been killed.

Col. (res.) Lior Lotan, formerly a senior officer in the army's elite Sayeret Matkal unit, said the Indians had operated as if there were no hostages.

"When you're rescuing captives, you enter fast, with maximum force, and try to reach the hostages as quickly as possible, even at the price of casualties," he said. "Here, they operated much more cautiously."

Television pictures from Nariman House also raised questions about the professionalism of the Indian forces. For instance, it is not clear why the area was not cleared of bystanders, or why the comparatively risky option of a helicopter-borne assault was chosen.

Moreover, the explosion that blew in the ground-floor door occurred before soldiers landed on the rooftop, whereas for maximum effect, they should have occurred simultaneously, the Israelis said.

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  • Indian media react angrily to Israeli criticism of Chabad rescue operation
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      1.   "experts" 02:42  |  Shmuelshachor 30/11/08
      2.   Israeli experts: Slow operation meant `no chance` for hostages at 03:07  |  Yogesh Joglekar 30/11/08
      3.   Perpetuating the stereotypes 03:23  |  Chad 30/11/08
      4.   Schmuel, typing in caps makes it difficult to read your response 03:30  |  Hannah 30/11/08
      5.   Pathetic experts,use your "expertize" at rescuing Shalit 03:30  |  Absolute Sweden 30/11/08
      6.   Maybe they wanted the Israelis to die 03:30  |  Jack 30/11/08
      7.   Has the response been faster for 03:31  |  Mark Lincoln 30/11/08
      8.   "operated as if there were no hostages" 03:34  |  Hannah 30/11/08
      9.   should have done things the real experts would - olmert & livni 03:36  |  zionist forever 30/11/08
      10.   India needs to train their commandos 03:43  |  Ramesh 30/11/08
      11.   How many terrorists??? 03:51  |  Dr. Jack 30/11/08
      12.   IDF RESCUE Shalit! Stop Releasing Hundreds of Terrorists! 04:16  |  Linda Rivera 30/11/08
      13.   The hindus are the new israelis 04:19  |  ilan 30/11/08
      14.   Process 05:26  |  Mr Ipp 30/11/08
      15.   Time to Forge Alliance with India 05:33  |  David LG 30/11/08
      16.   Takes Pros with experience. 05:35  |  Efroim 30/11/08
      17.   Indian Special Forces 06:06  |  Jim 30/11/08
      18.   Indian Special Forces 06:10  |  Jim 30/11/08
      19.   Slow response- my foot 06:11  |  Greg 30/11/08
      20.   A Speck in Someone`s Eye And No Log in One`s Own? 06:13  |  massaraksh 30/11/08
      21.   "slow operation" 06:14  |  helboy 30/11/08
      22.   To Mr Ipp: Don`t Worry, The Indians Will Have to Learn! 06:15  |  massaraksh 30/11/08
      23.   Mr. Harel, Tell Your "experts" to Shut Up & Get Lost! 06:20  |  massaraksh 30/11/08
      24.   Experts in what 06:35  |  Dani 30/11/08
      25.   Perverse Headlines 06:45  |  guy 30/11/08
      26.   Indians would never put up with Gaza 07:05  |  Motke 30/11/08
      27.   Entebbe 07:08  |  Vaughn Nelson 30/11/08
      28.   Questions on democracy and Indian Government 07:14  |  Avni 30/11/08
      29.   Nariman House Operations 07:14  |  Debashri 30/11/08
      30.   stop sermonising 07:28  |  vijay 30/11/08
      31.   He admitts he has no expertise in numerous front attacks 08:23  |  PETER SM 30/11/08
      32.   re:The hindus are the new israelis 08:32  |  Sajiv 30/11/08
      33.   Shame on the "experts" 08:50  |  JewishHeart 30/11/08
      34.   Had Indian commandos been involved in Lebanon 2 war 08:55  |  JewishHeart 30/11/08
      35.   Islamic terrorism means hostages had no chance 09:11  |  Joe Sittizen 30/11/08
      36.   Israel.. false svense of pride 09:19  |  Vaibhav 30/11/08
      37.   The commandos did what they could 10:42  |  Satya 30/11/08
      38.   Commendable Commandos 10:51  |  Satya 30/11/08
      39.   The commandos did what they could 11:03  |  sh 30/11/08
      40.   Re:Islamic terroism mean hostages had no chance 11:09  |  Satya 30/11/08
      41.   A note on the competence of NSG commandos 11:30  |  Rahul 30/11/08
      42.   INDIAN COMMANDOS DIED SAVING ISRAELIS 11:56  |  Arindom 30/11/08
      43.   A PLEA FROM A MUMBAI INDIAN TO YOUR READERS! 12:11  |  nikhil 30/11/08
      44.   Slow operation? 12:12  |  David Nigel Braham 30/11/08
      45.   Israeli experts: Slow operation meant `no chance` for hostages at 13:00  |  Sharona 30/11/08
      46.   For the talkback experts..... 13:17  |  Esther 30/11/08
      47.   nikhil - there shouldn`t have been eye witnesses! 13:14  |  Hannah 30/11/08
      48.   ISRAEL EXPERTS? RELEASE SHALIT IF YOU CAN 13:24  |  indrajaya 30/11/08
      49.   NIKHIL Agree with you completely and the courage & sacrifice 13:29  |  PETER SM 30/11/08
      50.   A note on what an Israeli thinks of Indian security forces 13:51  |  Joe Sittizen 30/11/08
      51.   To my Indian friends: You are not prepared 13:52  |  US CITIZEN 30/11/08
      52.   Indrajaya: Too Bad For You 14:29  |  Ruth 30/11/08
      53.   Hannah #47... what a facetious response... 14:37  |  Esther 30/11/08
      54.   India`s credibility on the line. 14:40  |  sandra chitayat 30/11/08
      55.   Always easy to second guess combat 14:44  |  spyguy 30/11/08
      56.   Our "experts" are the reason the Negev is under assault 16:01  |  Arie 30/11/08
      57.   1%ers should take the lead from the Indian Home Front Commander 16:03  |  Arie 30/11/08
      58.   To nikhil:Our condolences are with you 16:06  |  Arie 30/11/08
      59.   Indian Commandos 16:09  |  venki 30/11/08
      60.   The lessons to be learned 16:19  |  utagawa 30/11/08
      61.   A few points to note 16:19  |  Indian 30/11/08
      62.   Slow operation meant `no chance` for hostages at Mumbai Chabad ho 16:28  |  Rohit 30/11/08
      63.   Slow operation meant `no chance` for hostages at Mumbai Chabad ho 16:36  |  Rohit 30/11/08
      64.   Wanted to add something to my last comment 16:58  |  Rohit 30/11/08
      65.   Esther - use logic 17:06  |  Hannah 30/11/08
      66.   something to ponder about 17:41  |  Rahul 30/11/08
      67.   somthing to ponder about 17:43  |  Rahul 30/11/08
      68.   points to counter...1 17:49  |  Arnab 30/11/08
      69.   "experts": Bring Shalit Home! 17:53  |  massaraksh 30/11/08
      70.   Hannah from London 17:57  |  JewishHeart 30/11/08
      71.   Thank you India! 17:59  |  JewishHeart 30/11/08
      72.   Appalling Comments... 18:05  |  Jasper 30/11/08
      73.   India fought the war 18:06  |  Jayakrishnan 30/11/08
      74.   General Tzur`s consulting firm is trolling for an Indian contract 18:19  |  Erastus CoupeDeVille 30/11/08
      75.   Israeli Reaction! 18:23  |  sumit manocha 30/11/08
      76.   We must stand together 18:23  |  Ankur 30/11/08
      77.   To all Indians? 18:24  |  Ben 30/11/08
      78.   SOME TRUTH 18:31  |  indiansoldier 30/11/08
      79.   home minister resigned - should be hanged 18:41  |  Rahul 30/11/08
      80.   critisize india 19:17  |  idan 30/11/08
      81.   Jewish Heart 19:22  |  Gerald 30/11/08
      82.   to hannah on #4 19:23  |  Shmuelshachor 30/11/08
      83.   stop sermonising 19:24  |  Roger 30/11/08
      84.   Hannah in London 20:09  |  Palestinian Brit 30/11/08
      85.   Time to Forge Alliance with India 20:11  |  Roger 30/11/08
      86.   Too slow? Too fast? Everyone is an expert! 20:12  |  Mirqa 30/11/08
      87.   to 74 sumit mannocha 20:26  |  nita singh 30/11/08
      88.   Let us bury our dead first 20:28  |  Arjun 30/11/08
      89.   Jewishheart, check your facts 20:39  |  Hannah 30/11/08
      90.   #69 "Jewish Heart" 20:43  |  in der Tat 30/11/08
      91.   Thanks in der Tat 20:55  |  Hannah 30/11/08
      92.   Arie 56 - and our politicians 21:01  |  ChanahS 30/11/08
      93.   Thanks in der Tat 21:08  |  Roger 30/11/08
      94.   In response to Ben #76 and all others 21:10  |  sumit manocha 30/11/08
      95.   Arjun 88 - it may not have been a perfect operation.. 21:26  |  ChanahS 30/11/08
      96.   The Indians did their best - thank you. 21:51  |  Jewboy 30/11/08
      97.   To Ms. Nita Singh 21:51  |  sumit manocha 30/11/08
      98.   WICKED Israeli Response to Mumbai Massacre:Release 250 TERRORISTS 21:52  |  Linda Rivera 30/11/08
      99.   Indian Response Criticism 22:00  |  Benson Stein 30/11/08
      100.   Let`s unite and not give jobs to would be terrorist 22:15  |  Bhaskar 30/11/08
      101.   2ND TRY Place the blame where it belongs 22:33  |  * BEN JABO 30/11/08
      102.   Ingratitude For India`s Courageous Rescuers... {3rd TRY 22:34  |  Gray 30/11/08
      103.   Let`s unite and not give jobs to would be terrorists 22:36  |  To Ajay Srivastava 30/11/08
      104.   #77 BEN NYC 22:37  |  * BEN JABO 30/11/08
      105.   Mumbai 22:46  |  Tony Price 30/11/08
      106.   TO SAJIV #32 22:53  |  ilan 30/11/08
      107.   Political Marriage of Jews and Hindus 22:56  |  Ali 30/11/08
      108.   Shalit`s a hostage and his leaders are even slower than turtles 23:09  |  Dov 30/11/08
      109.   #100 Bhaskar. Technology and violence in India. 23:46  |  Maureen Ann 30/11/08
      110.   Reply to Absolute Sweden (5) - Spot On 23:59  |  Tod Zuckerman 30/11/08
      111.   Hannah #65 00:08  |  Esther 01/12/08
      112.   Winners, Losers, And Who Dunit? 00:15  |  Atrick 01/12/08
      113.   Axis of Evil Would`ve Exchanged Prisoners for Dead Bodies 00:19  |  Joseph.E 01/12/08
      114.   PAL BRIT The Jihad operation in London was a "complete success"! 00:28  |  PETER SM 01/12/08
      115.   In response to 87 Nita singh 00:36  |  Navin 01/12/08
      116.   mumbai 00:42  |  françoise michaelis 01/12/08
      117.   Israel learn from the recent past 01:01  |  docD 01/12/08
      118.   we are together 01:26  |  hari 01/12/08
      119.   That`s a little patronising Esther 01:40  |  Hannah 01/12/08
      120.   Palestinian Brit 01:50  |  Hannah 01/12/08
      121.   #25 Guy 01:52  |  Murray of Montreal 01/12/08
      122.   Bad spirit, there`s a change in the air 02:03  |  allang 01/12/08
      123.   Re To my Indian friends you are not prepared #51 US CITIZEN 02:07  |  GhurkaWarrior 01/12/08
      124.   Ingratitude For India`s Courageous Rescuers... {3rd TRY 02:23  |  Gray 01/12/08
      125.   Indrajaya 02:24  |  Jane 01/12/08
      126.   To Jane #115: You Have No Idea What the Real Islam Is All About 02:36  |  massaraksh 01/12/08
      127.   GRAY.Who is ungrateful? Where have they said that? 03:02  |  PETER SM 01/12/08
      128.   Need for India-Israel unity 03:03  |  Roni 01/12/08
      129.   Jews - visitors who always stayed friends 03:07  |  Roni 01/12/08
      130.   Response to "western efficiency experts" ... 03:13  |  Roni 01/12/08
      131.   Points to counter Arnab 03:50  |  utagawa 01/12/08
      132.   EXPERTS 04:00  |  ROBI CHAKRABORY 01/12/08
      133.   Gray couldn`t miss an opportunity to slam the Jews 04:06  |  utagawa 01/12/08
      134.   To all Indians 04:28  |  Speak the Truth 01/12/08
      135.   politically and demographically incorrect 04:45  |  Capt Ahab 01/12/08
      136.   GRAY Who is saying they are Ungrateful??? Where? 04:50  |  PETER SM 01/12/08
      137.   In response to Hannah of London`s comments 05:00  |  ProudOfIndia 01/12/08
      138.   dont criticise others if you have never been in the same situatio 05:18  |  zionist forever 01/12/08
      139.   Views on Jack West Bloomfield response 05:24  |  Jay 01/12/08
      140.   Israeli experts 05:26  |  Indian wellwisher 01/12/08
      141.   INDRYAJA, IT APPEARS JAKARTA IS NEXT KEEP FEELING LIKE YOU DO 05:49  |  Big Sur 01/12/08
      142.   to Joe Sitizzen #50 right there with ya man 05:54  |  Big Sur 01/12/08
      143.   Underfunded and undertrained Indian forces 06:26  |  Scott 01/12/08
      144.   GRAY WHO is saying they are Ungrateful? You are desperate !! 06:36  |  PETER SM 01/12/08
      145.   Time to heed the owls, not the vultures 06:44  |  Gray 01/12/08
      146.   Indians did thier utmost to save hostages 07:02  |  * BEN JABO 01/12/08
      147.   Stop the India Bashing 07:06  |  Menachem 01/12/08
      148.   Gray - Our hero 07:06  |  * BEN JABO 01/12/08
      149.   India`s response 07:09  |  HM 01/12/08
      150.   #41, Rahul, re NSG commandos 07:10  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/12/08
      151.   #43, Nikhil, Mumbai 07:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/12/08
      152.   Experts : Before you blame ... 07:20  |  Miriam 01/12/08
      153.   #113, Ghurka Warrior 07:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/12/08
      154.   GRAY Be sure to give Indian intelligence ALL your evidence.! 08:05  |  PETER SM 01/12/08
      155.   Jacks Comment 09:03  |  Shaju 01/12/08
      156.   Answer to Hannah 09:12  |  Shaju 01/12/08
      157.   Slow Operation 09:13  |  Sheuli 01/12/08
      158.   @ Hannah: Hw come we`d Witness reprts frm London Chelsea shootout 09:19  |  Shaju 01/12/08
      159.   immature comments 09:44  |  Truth 01/12/08
      160.   Humour amidst the terror! 11:03  |  nikhil 01/12/08
      161.   @ utagawa 11:46  |  arnab 01/12/08
      162.   In Response to Ben #77 11:57  |  Rohit 01/12/08
      163.   BARBARIC TERRORISTS TORTURED HOSTAGES BEFORE EXECUTION 18:32  |  Dharmesh 01/12/08
      164.   Indians Adore Israel 11:06  |  Amitabh 02/12/08
      165.   MUNICH OLYMPICS?? those experts did good job 19:03  |  mandeep 02/12/08
      166.   Mumbai 22:39  |  Vijay Kumar Sinha 20/04/09
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