'It was a nightmare'

2008-11-28 21:04

Durban - Thousands of people around the world are condemning the Mumbai attacks on popular social network Facebook with some victims even recalling their ordeal.

"My wife and I were dining at Zodiac Grill when the firing started. It was a nightmare," Bijay J Anand, a patron at the Taj Mahal Hotel wrote. He had been there when gunmen stormed in.

"We managed to get out only at 06:00." He labelled the entire hotel staff "heroes".

"They were the real heroes of the day. Every member from the various departments of Taj including housekeeping, sales, service... were stoic in their resolve to protect the guests.

"They were more than willing to take the bullets instead of having any of the guests hurt," said Anand.

"Unfortunately many of these heroes laid down their lives so that we, the guests could be safe and unharmed."

The attacks, over the past two days, have left more than 100 dead as teams of gunmen stormed hotels, a restaurant, a train station and hospitals in co-ordinated attacks in India's financial capital.

A group of suspected Muslim militants has claimed responsibility.

A facebook group entitled "Mumbai Terror Attacks - I condemn it" was started by Sameera Khan and Sara Shetty of India on Thursday and has already gained 6219 members.

Its home page caries a poem: "When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I wasn't a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out."

The group's message is to stand together irrespective of race, colour, creed or religion.

- SAPA