Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MUMBAI551
2008-11-29 06:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Mumbai
Cable title:
SITREP #7: AN INDIAN TRAGEDY ENDS; AFTER 60 HOURS, ALL
how-toVZCZCXRO2114 OO RUEHAST RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW DE RUEHBI #0551 3340634 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O P 290634Z NOV 08 FM AMCONSUL MUMBAI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6760 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 7998 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 1922 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0814 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0121 RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS MUMBAI 000551
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DS/ER/CC
DS FRONT OFFICE
DS/IP/SCA
DS/DSS/ITA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PTER PGOV IN
SUBJECT: SITREP #7: AN INDIAN TRAGEDY ENDS; AFTER 60 HOURS, ALL
TERRORISTS ARE DEAD, SAY SECURITY FORCES
UNCLAS MUMBAI 000551
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DS/ER/CC
DS FRONT OFFICE
DS/IP/SCA
DS/DSS/ITA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PTER PGOV IN
SUBJECT: SITREP #7: AN INDIAN TRAGEDY ENDS; AFTER 60 HOURS, ALL
TERRORISTS ARE DEAD, SAY SECURITY FORCES
1. (SBU) Around 9 a.m. local time on Saturday, November 29, J.K.
Dutt, Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG)
forces, said that NSG forces killed three of the terrorists
during a final assault during the night. (Operations at Nariman
House had ended around midnight on Friday/Saturday, and at the
Oberoi during the day on Friday.) Dutt said that one of the
terrorists was shot and killed as he attempted to lob a grenade.
"We found the dead bodies of two terrorists inside the hotel
lobby with AK-47s," Dutt said. Dutt could not confirm that the
Taj had been cleared of all threats, including unexploded
ammunition. Police have told Congenoffs that NSG forces are
carefully sweeping the Taj to look for any more possible
terrorists or people hiding inside the hotel before bringing out
the bodies inside. According to Consular and RSO teams, gunfire
and explosions continued throughout the night at the Taj. A/RSO
estimated that NSG forces used grenade launchers to dislodge or
kill the terrorists. After almost 60 hours, the terrorist siege
of Mumbai has finally ended.
2. (SBU) Reports of casualties continue to be in flux. Media
reports report 181 dead with at least 370 wounded. Dutt
announced that two NSG commandos were killed, one at the Taj and
one at Nariman House. All of the bodies from the Oberoi tower
have been removed, and are now at a local morgue for
identification. The A/RSO at the Taj Hotel reports that at
least one person has exited the hotel in the last three hours, a
hotel employee. We have no indication that there are more
Americans in the Taj, but will seek to confirm this as soon as
possible. Taj Hotel personnel told Congenoffs that hotel staff
is going over guest lists to check for unaccounted for guests in
order to identify the bodies still in the hotel. Based on
anecdotal reports, there is likely to be many more casualties.
Consular Assistance Continues
--------------
3. (SBU) Amcit Aryeh Teitelbaum was positively identified to
ARSO/I and Conoff by official Israeli personnel, becoming the
sixth confirmed Amcit killed. The Israeli CG is headed to the
morgue again to meet the body and two others from Nariman House.
Due to the same Shabat restrictions discussed in the Holtzberg
case, we will not be making the notification until after sunset
Mumbai time. At the request of the families for religious
reasons, the Israelis will handle the repatriation of
Teitelbaum, Holtzberg and Chroman.
FOLMSBEE
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DS/ER/CC
DS FRONT OFFICE
DS/IP/SCA
DS/DSS/ITA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PTER PGOV IN
SUBJECT: SITREP #7: AN INDIAN TRAGEDY ENDS; AFTER 60 HOURS, ALL
TERRORISTS ARE DEAD, SAY SECURITY FORCES
1. (SBU) Around 9 a.m. local time on Saturday, November 29, J.K.
Dutt, Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG)
forces, said that NSG forces killed three of the terrorists
during a final assault during the night. (Operations at Nariman
House had ended around midnight on Friday/Saturday, and at the
Oberoi during the day on Friday.) Dutt said that one of the
terrorists was shot and killed as he attempted to lob a grenade.
"We found the dead bodies of two terrorists inside the hotel
lobby with AK-47s," Dutt said. Dutt could not confirm that the
Taj had been cleared of all threats, including unexploded
ammunition. Police have told Congenoffs that NSG forces are
carefully sweeping the Taj to look for any more possible
terrorists or people hiding inside the hotel before bringing out
the bodies inside. According to Consular and RSO teams, gunfire
and explosions continued throughout the night at the Taj. A/RSO
estimated that NSG forces used grenade launchers to dislodge or
kill the terrorists. After almost 60 hours, the terrorist siege
of Mumbai has finally ended.
2. (SBU) Reports of casualties continue to be in flux. Media
reports report 181 dead with at least 370 wounded. Dutt
announced that two NSG commandos were killed, one at the Taj and
one at Nariman House. All of the bodies from the Oberoi tower
have been removed, and are now at a local morgue for
identification. The A/RSO at the Taj Hotel reports that at
least one person has exited the hotel in the last three hours, a
hotel employee. We have no indication that there are more
Americans in the Taj, but will seek to confirm this as soon as
possible. Taj Hotel personnel told Congenoffs that hotel staff
is going over guest lists to check for unaccounted for guests in
order to identify the bodies still in the hotel. Based on
anecdotal reports, there is likely to be many more casualties.
Consular Assistance Continues
--------------
3. (SBU) Amcit Aryeh Teitelbaum was positively identified to
ARSO/I and Conoff by official Israeli personnel, becoming the
sixth confirmed Amcit killed. The Israeli CG is headed to the
morgue again to meet the body and two others from Nariman House.
Due to the same Shabat restrictions discussed in the Holtzberg
case, we will not be making the notification until after sunset
Mumbai time. At the request of the families for religious
reasons, the Israelis will handle the repatriation of
Teitelbaum, Holtzberg and Chroman.
FOLMSBEE