How the Mumbai attacks unfolded
2009-11-26 10:54
Mumbai - The Islamist militants who attacked Mumbai on November 26 last year began their killing spree even before they arrived in India's financial capital, according to the official police account.
As they landed at a fishing colony in the south of the city under the cover of darkness, the captain of an Indian fishing trawler they had hijacked three days earlier en route from Pakistan lay dead with his throat cut.
Four crew members are still missing, presumed dead.
Eight of the 10-strong group got off the dinghy that brought them ashore and split into groups of two to head to their designated targets, an abridged version of the formal charge sheet against the sole surviving gunman shows.
Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab and Ismail Khan made for the city's main railway station. Once there, they opened fire at commuters on the packed concourse with AK-47 assault rifles and threw hand grenades.
Fifty-two people were killed and more than 100 were injured.
The gunmen fled as the first, confused reports of the attacks emerged, firing on the way. Six police officers were killed, including the head of Mumbai's Anti-Terrorism Squad, when their jeep was sprayed with bullets.
Running for cover
Kasab, now on trial in the city, was arrested and Khan, also known as Abu Ismail, was killed at a police roadblock near the city's Chowpatty Beach.
Students paint a wall with handprints in a tribute to last year's attack victims in Mumbai. (AP)
Meanwhile, the eight-kilogram bomb they had hidden in the taxi that took them to the station exploded near Mumbai's airport, killing the driver and his passenger.
Babar Imran, also known as Abu Akasha, and Nasir Ahmed, or Abu Umar, walked the short distance from the fishing colony to Nariman House, a Jewish cultural and religious centre in bustling Colaba Market.
A high-explosive bomb they left at a nearby petrol station blew up, sending locals running for cover. Another device went off soon after at Nariman House itself.
Inside, the gunmen, allegedly from the banned Pakistan-based Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) took six hostages, including the centre's rabbi and his pregnant wife.
None of the hostages survived but the couple's son, then aged two, was plucked to safety by his Indian nanny.
Five minutes away up Colaba Causeway, Abu Shoaib and Abu Umer had arrived at the Leopold Cafe. Dressed in casual clothing and carrying backpacks, they walked in virtually unnoticed and killed eight people.
Explosives, fires
Three others would also die when the bomb they placed in the taxi that took them to the popular tourist hangout exploded in the suburb of Mazgaon.
The pair then headed on foot towards the luxury Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel.
By the time they arrived, Hafiz Arshad, alias Abdul Rehman Bada, and Javed, also known as Abu Ali, had begun shooting guests. They also planted explosives and set ablaze parts of the historic seafront hotel.
Thirty-one people died by the time Indian security forces regained control of the building 60 hours later.
Across town, militants Fahadullah and Abdul Rehman Chhota, who remained on the dinghy, had sailed across the creek to the Oberoi and Trident hotels.
The shooting, explosions and hostage-taking there lasted nearly 42 hours and left more than 30 dead.
Overall, 166 people died and more than 300 were injured.