By Rachana Mirpuri

I rolled up the windows and waited in the passenger side of my cousin’s gray beaten down Toyota Corolla in downtown Miami. Since I was alone, I quickly connected my iPod to the car’s power port and selected ‘Play’ on the song I knew by heart, that I had listened to hundreds of times since it first came out in 1995. Soon the wispy notes of a piano, guitar, and his hauntingly beautiful voice wafted all around me, holding me close in a cloud of loss. Spread out on my lap before me was the New York Times dated June 26, 2009, with Michael Jackson’s regal red coat, aviator sunglasses, jet black hair and his effulgent smile looking out at me, barely any distance between us.

“Another day has gone and I’m still all alone, how could this be… you’re not here with me.”

I had known one day this day would come. I remember I even tried to imagine to myself how I would feel, how the world would react to losing the biggest household name and entertainer that ever lived, but I couldn’t do it. It just felt too strange. But here it is, it happened; and it still feels so strange to acknowledge a world without the King of Pop, to listen to his songs and realize that he is gone for good. I grew up with Michael Jackson’s legendary videos constantly on MTV and had sleepless nights because of his Thriller video. I procrastinated with Billie Jean on my headphones and grew a great attachment to his persona and his god-given talents. Unfortunately I never had the chance to see him perform live in person but I was hoping to this year in London. I’m jealous of the people who say “Yes, I’ve been to a Michael Jackson concert” because that fact alone, has so much value. While my sisters were fawning over Michael Jackson with his sequined white glove and his moonwalk during the Bad World Tour in 1988 (the biggest tour by a solo performer that broke multiple records and turnout at venues; he set a new Guinness World Record with seven sold-out concerts), I was left behind at home. Eight years old, wearing a fedora hat, I spun and flipped my arms the way he did it, capping it off with the crotch-grabbing move. Oh, he was incredible.

We all saw it…

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On the 26^th of November 2008, the peaceful, sovereign and ancient nation of India changed forever.

A lot of people may think that India has already faced dozens of terrorist attacks and therefore should be more prepared and used to incidents such as these, but they would be wrong. If you look into India (especially Mumbai)’s violent history, you’ll find something very different from the 11-26 attacks.

12^th March 1993 – Serial blasts all over the city mark the beginning of an era of this type of terrorism in India.

December 6, 2002 – A bomb placed under the seat of an empty bus explodes near Ghatkopar station in Mumbai killing two people and injuring 28.

January 27^, 2003 – A bomb placed on a bicycle  explodes near Vile Parle station in Mumbai killing one person and injuring 25.

March 13, 2003 – A bomb goes off in a train compartment as the train enters Mulund station in Mumbai, 10 people are killed and 70 injured.

July 28, 2003 – A bomb explodes under the seat of a bus in Ghatkopar killing four and injuring 32.

August 25, 2003 – Two blasts occur in South Mumbai  near the Gateway of India and the other at Zaveri Kalbadevi. At least 44 people were killed and 150 injured.

On July 11, 2006, the most violent and deadly of attacks so far was a series of seven bomb blasts that took place over a period of 11 minutes on the Suburban Railway in Mumbai at Khar, Mahim, Matunga, Jogeshwari, Borivali and one between Khar and Santacruz. 209 people were killed and over 700 were injured.

As far as other major areas are concerned, bombings occurred in New Delhi, Gujarath as recent as 2007 which were in several rural, poor market areas.

The difference, if you haven’t caught it yet, is that this is the first time that high-end financial and tourist targets have been hit. Whereas each and every previous bombing has been aimed at causing the most deaths, inciting riots and destabilizing the government.

Ten Terrorists came into Indian waters  from across the Arabian Sea from Pakistan and from there took Zodiac boats to the Mumbai cost and came ashore in the Colaba area. They were spotted by local fisherman who informed the police of suspicious activities but little attention was paid to it by the policemen.

Dressed in the casual attire of t-shirts, sneakers and jeans the terrorists fit the perfect age and description to blend in with any university or high school students found roaming the streets of India. From there they split up and set up their positions all over the city; at the Train station, the Hospital, Cafe Leopold and Metro Cinema. This was only the distraction or rather a diversion to remove all the obstacles from their true objective: the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Oberoi Trident Hotel at Nariman Point.

These terrorists looked no older than 24 years old but they had expert military training and were quite familiar with the weapons they carried. They used standard issue AK-47s for their grunt work as well as fragmentation grenades, and Heckler & Coch MP5’s that are standard US Swat Team and Navy Seal close combat weapons. These 10 men, who secretly trained in dirty, extreme conditions with nothing that resembled a normal life of their own, were better trained and better armed with the latest of military weaponry and tactics than the best soldiers in the entire Indian military. As sad as it is, it’s even sadder because it’s 100% true!

Of the 10 men who came to India from Pakistan, only one survived. His name is Ajmal Amir and he’s from a place in Pakistan called Faridkot. He is the terrorist in the picture that was displayed on the news with the two backpacks, cargo pants and a dark blue t-shirt wielding the AK 47 like an expert in the train station. However, it is unknown how many could have escaped with the running crowds into the country and are currently planning our untimely demise as you read this…

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