The Three Days that Changed India
By Shawn Genomal
On the 26th 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.
12th 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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