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India Continues to Battle Terrorist Forces
Aired November 27, 2008 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it's some 30 hours into a terrorist siege on Mumbai. We're seeing hopeful signs the worst may be over. Here's what we know.
At 1:20 a.m., Friday, local time, the head of India's National Security Guard says that three gunmen are still hold up in two of Mumbai's best-known hotels, the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi. Police are trying to get them out one way or another.
The Associated Press right now reporting that eight more hostages have gone free at a Mumbai Jewish center, but several others still being held. An Israeli rescue team on the way from Jerusalem.
Separately, the FBI is sending a small team of investigators from Los Angeles. Mumbai police say that 125 people are dead from gunshots, explosions or fires across India's financial and entertainment capital, more than 300 reported hurt.
Authorities estimate that more than two dozen attackers carried out a brazen and highly coordinated assault. A dozen or so have been killed. Also dead is the chief of the anti-terror squad of Mumbai police.
An unknown group, calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen, has claimed responsibility in e-mails to Indian media. But terror experts suspect that other, more established hands are at work here.
In a nationwide address, India's prime minister said the attackers were based outside of the country.
Now, police say the attackers came from the sea, docking near the monument called Gateway to India. It's not known where they began, though the unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen has claimed responsibility in those e-mails we told you to Indian media.
The marauders hijacked cars, even a police van. Then they split up, targeting a popular cafe, a train station, then a hospital. Then two other groups hit the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels - all night and day.
We've heard breathtaking stories from witnesses, survivors, authorities. And as the siege continues, so will the coverage that no other network can match. Only CNN has CNN-IBN, our sister network in India, and your source for all the breaking news from Mumbai.
We want to get straight to our next guest now. Joining us out of New York, Mira Kamdar. She is author of "Planet India: How the Fastest-Growing Democracy Is Transforming America and the World." She knows this area very well. She knows the dynamics of the politics.
Mira, let's just get right to it. You are saying that this attack is of historic proportions. Why?
MIRA KAMDAR, ASIA SOCIETY FELLOW AND AUTHOR, "PLANET INDIA": Well, this is the first time that you've had, in a country that is one of the most victimized by terrorist attacks - you know, it has had a series of attacks this year on cities across the country, and a history of attacks even in Mumbai over the last years. But this is unprecedented.
First of all, to have people go in with machine guns into different targets in a major urban area - 24-plus terrorists, we're hearing - and then target Westerners, specifically, Israelis in the Chabad Center, Western businessmen and diplomats at the Taj and the Oberoi - in addition to targeting Indian civilians in the city at the train station and hospitals, all at once - you know, really, nothing like this has ever happened before.
PHILLIPS: Do you know anything about this unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen? And have you ever heard of this group? And apparently, allegedly, it's claiming responsibility.
KAMDAR: Right. No one has heard of this group before. And it's not even clear that it's a real group. I mean, you know, anyone can send an e-mail and say, "Oh, we're a new group, and we're claiming responsibility."
The one thing, though, that everyone thinks of is a new group that seems to be a real group, that declared itself earlier this year, and has claimed responsibility for most of the terror attacks this year across other cities in India, calling itself Indian Mujaheddin, you know. And this would seem to connect this attack to a group that is homegrown, that is made up of disgruntled, angry Muslims within India, as opposed to a group based outside of India, across India's border with Pakistan, for example. But it's not clear that that's what is actually going on here.
I know the Indian government has pointed to someone - you know, forces outside the country, fingering especially Pakistan.
Lashkar-e-Tayyiba has been a group that has been - you know, whose name has been floated as perhaps being behind this. They, however, have come out and said, "We didn't do it." You know, whatever credibility they have.
And then, you know, because of the sophistication of this attack, because of how highly trained these very, very young men were, naturally, many people are wondering if there's a connection to al Qaeda, or al Qaeda-related groups.
We simply don't know right now. I have a hunch that it's sort of a combination of all of these, that this really couldn't have happened without, you know, some aid and abettance from really professional terrorist, seasoned leadership outside of India, but probably also with homegrown, as well. PHILLIPS: Well, and we've been talking about, over the past several months, there have been a number of attacks - Bangalore, Assam, Delhi.
So, could this be a tremendous failure for Indian intelligence? If you were to look at the past couple of months leading up to this, can you even compare - I'm sure you were following all of that, as well.
KAMDAR: Right.
PHILLIPS: So, are you necessarily surprised?
KAMDAR: Well, I think everyone's surprised by the magnitude of this attack. I mean, here we are more than 30 hours in, and it's not even over yet. So, everyone is taken by surprise by that.
But are people who follow this closely surprised that there has been an attack on Mumbai, India's vital financial center? No. I mean, that was really something that was very plausible, and could have been predicted.
And in fact, in September, this group, Indian Mujaheddin, warned that it would attack Mumbai. So, you know, in that sense, it was (UNINTELLIGIBLE) predicted (ph).
The Indian government has a big stake, actually, in determining that this was an attack perpetrated by forces outside India, because, as you've suggested, if it was a completely homegrown operation, it would point to a colossal failure on the part of India's intelligence and the Indian government to protect India's citizens.
And let's not forget we have national elections coming up in just a few months. We have the opposition party, the BJP - Bharatiya Janata Party - that's already been accusing the current government, the Congress-led government, of being weak on terror. And you can bet that this is going to play big now in the upcoming national elections.
PHILLIPS: So, Mira, is this a message to the Indian government? Or is this a message to the United States?
KAMDAR: I think it's a message with multiple audiences. I think it's a message to the - at the local level, to the Bombay police. You had, right off the bat, leaders in Bombay's anti-terrorism forces, and heroes of the Bombay police, who were killed. To lay off the local Muslim community.
I think it's a message to the Indian government, you know, that your - please, you know, lay off your relations with the United States.
I think it's a message to the United States, especially in the form of U.S. investors and business people, to, you know, warn them off from Bombay. These are the two hotels where everyone stays who's anyone coming into Bombay as a business leader. So, that was a clear message there. And it may also be a message to Pakistan's civilian government, which is very weak, and which has condemned these attacks, that, "You know what? You're not going to normalize relations with India. And we're going to keep this situation with India, Pakistan, Kashmir, all of that, very much in play."
PHILLIPS: Mira Kamdar, author of "Planet India: How the Fastest- Growing Democracy Is Transforming America and the World," terrific perspective. Really, really appreciate you joining me, Mira. Thank you so much.
KAMDAR: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Our director of international coverage, Roger Clark, here with me on set. Boy, you've been working some seriously long hours.
ROGER CLARK, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF COVERAGE: Yes, we have. But it's nothing in comparison to the guys who are working on the ground in Mumbai. I mean, those guys are working some seriously long hours. They've been working, you know, 24 hours since the very start of this - what, lunchtime yesterday, U.S. time.
It's a huge operation for the CNN teams on the ground. And we're sending in extra people. But we were at a pretty strong position from the start, because CNN International's sister station was presenting a series of special business programs from Mumbai. So, we're in a pretty strong position on the ground there.
But nevertheless, going round the clock - not just on this network, but on CNN International and our correspondents doing live broadcasting to our affiliates around the world. It's pretty tough for those guys on the ground, as well as the guys here, across the international desk.
PHILLIPS: I know. It's been non-stop.
And we have the advantage through our sister network, CNN-IBN, to bring incredible coverage from the minute this happened.
What are we able - where are we right now with regard to the investigative process? We still have ongoing - not necessarily hostage situations, but we do have situations with gunmen at all the hotels, including the Jewish community center.
Kind of bring us up to date on where we are, and if you do think this is winding down to some extent.
CLARK: Well, it's very difficult to say whether it's winding down, to be perfectly honest, because - I mean, we've said two or three times that the operation at the towers was over, only for more gunfire to be reported. I think Sara Sidner said that to you on ...
PHILLIPS: Well, we heard the gunshots in the middle of her live shot. CLARK: Exactly. So, I think it's a little bit premature to say that this thing is over. It's still very much an active police operation.
Obviously, the investigation is going on at the same time. But it's still an active police operation.
And in fact, just before I came up to join you, I got something off the wires here from the Indian state media. And this really shows how sophisticated this whole attack was.
According to a cabinet minister in India, the terrorist who struck had advanced control rooms in both hotels. They'd done a tremendous amount of prior reconnaissance over several months. And that comes from an Indian cabinet minister.
So, this was a very, very sophisticated attack. It had to be a sophisticated attack, you know, because of the scale of it, and the way that, you know, the terrorists caught the police completely off guard.
PHILLIPS: You say advanced control rooms in the hotel. So, this may coordinate well with what Mike Brooks was saying to us, that before those guys came in by sea, and came in on the attack, started lobbing the grenades, and brought in the automatic weapons, that already - maybe for days, possibly - that there were guys already inside these hotels setting up shop.
CLARK: Absolutely. And that's what the minister says. You know, I mean, there's been prior reconnaissance for several months. There must have been people inside the hotel coordinating all of this. And that's what the minister says. This was a very, very sophisticated operation. They knew exactly how to strike, exactly what to do. They knew exactly who the targets were that they were going for.
And, yes. I mean, this was, if you like, a dual-pronged attack, with people coming in from the sea, and people who were already in the hotel. And this is a wire that we're following up very keenly at the moment.
PHILLIPS: Now, have we heard anything about any type of inside job - for example, employees at the hotels working with these terrorists - in any way, shape or form?
Because, you know, Jim Clancy and I were talking about how we have stayed at these hotels, and the security was intense. And it was just 10 days ago, Clancy was hearing, that they eased up on things.
CLARK: Well, it's very difficult to say. I mean, clearly, that's going to be a line of the police investigation, to see whether employees on the inside were involved in this in any way, shape or form.
As I said, it's very much - in the police effort at the moment, there's no doubt about it, is trying to contain this situation and to get Mumbai working again, trying to make sure that the whole city is secure.
I'm sure that detectives and FBI special agents, the kind of international help that's coming to India, I'm sure what you're saying will be looked at very carefully.
PHILLIPS: Now, you - you're director of our international coverage. You've been all around the world. Is there anything that you feel, as you're getting new information and you're talking with correspondents that are working this story, that maybe I'm missing, or I should be talking about, or a way we can take this forward, or we should concentrate now, from this point forward, 25 years plus into the coverage?
CLARK: Well ...
PHILLIPS: Or 25 hours, sorry.
CLARK: Yes, 25 hours.
PHILLIPS: Sorry, but it feels like 25 years. Twenty-five hours plus into this coverage.
CLARK: I think what we want to do now, over the course of the next 24 hours, two things really. That's to really look in some detail at who may have been responsible for this - how they did it, who did it, why they did it.
And we've got a correspondent, Nic Robertson, who is flying to India now, who is an expert on how international terrorism works. And when he lands in India in about nine or 10 hours' time, he'll be going straight to Mumbai. And he'll be looking at exactly that.
And the other thing that we really want to hear more of, we want to hear from those people who were trapped in the hotel, who went to the hospitals, who are in hospital now, who are receiving treatment. It's their stories that we want to hear.
And we also want to hear - and we will be hearing tomorrow - from Indian people when they wake up tomorrow morning and thinking, you know, what on earth happened in our city yesterday. They're absolutely shell-shocked that this could happen in their city.
PHILLIPS: You know, from a personal perspective, when I've traveled through there, it's such a spiritual place. I mean, India is known for that. It's known for some of the most spiritual parts in the world.
So, you see attacks like this and how it - I can just imagine how it's affecting so many parts of the community there.
CLARK: Absolutely. I mean, I was in London when the terror attacks happened there in 2005. And once you get beyond the initial emergency operation, and the police and the emergency services get things back on an even keel, you then get people just terribly, terribly upset that something like this could happen in their city. How could such evil come into our town, into our city? And I think people are going to be reflecting on that in the days and weeks ahead.
PHILLIPS: Well, I mean, this is India. I mean, this is Mahatma Gandhi. This is the place where he preached nonviolence. And you go to places like Rishikesh and Haridwar. And this is - it's so against the culture on so many levels.
CLARK: Yes, it is. And you're absolutely right. And that's why people will be questioning who on earth was responsible for this.
And there have been accusations flying around all day today. The Indian leadership suspect that these attackers were from outside India. And people in Mumbai, they certainly can't believe that anybody from Mumbai or from India could carry out an attack like this.
But you're quite right. It's a great city with great people. And these are a bunch of people who are just completely shocked by what's happened in their city.
PHILLIPS: Roger Clark, stay with me. Thank you so much. Our director of international coverage working this story. All the correspondents across India now, bringing us all angles. Roger bringing up one of the main questions we all have. Who was responsible? And why would they want to do this now?
Barbara Starr joining us now from the Pentagon. Barbara, a lot of people mentioning different groups, wanting to know the history behind different groups, especially this one claiming responsibility for this attack.
In addition, you and I talked a little bit about al Qaeda, and how al Qaeda could even be tied into this and supporting these terrorist groups.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON: You know, Kyra, I was very struck by what you and Roger were just sitting there chatting about, about this motivation.
Because I think you - one has to assume that intelligence services around the world, whether directly affected by these events or not, are now looking at this and the possibility that this really is a game changer, that this has opened up a new front in the war on terror.
This attack inside India, there's a sense that it is groups that typically had been anti-Kashmiri, coming out of Pakistan, operating in that region. And their traditional motivations in this part of the world have been to drive a wedge between Pakistan and India.
This very little-known group, Deccan Mujahideen, right now, most experts will tell you they think that's just a cover name for perhaps some of these other radical, anti-Indian groups with ties to Pakistan, although perhaps not official ties to the Pakistani government.
Now, if their motivation, as Roger was discussing, was, you know, to possibly drive a wedge between Pakistan and India, what we have begun to see around the world in these terrorist attacks is, in fact, this disgust, this dismay that citizens are having when this happens in their city. And the terrorist motivations, you know, hopefully then don't work out.
It may not drive a wedge between Pakistan and India. It may just do the opposite, in fact, and make both of these governments able to sit down and talk together.
From the U.S. point of view, they've been really trying to convince both the Indians and the Pakistanis that there are internal, radical threats in their countries and in the region, and that they have to work together. Pakistan, Afghanistan, India - everybody throughout this South Asian region needs - this is the U.S. effort - needs to work together against these threats, because everyone is at risk.
And many people will say, this Mumbai attack against citizens in hotels and cafes is a really good example of what the threat's really about these days.
PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr, it's definitely a reality check. Joining us live there from the Pentagon. Appreciate it so much.
We're going to continue our breaking news coverage here out of Atlanta at the CNN world headquarters. Just to bring you up to date, at this point, more than 25 hours into what has happened in Mumbai, India, this rampage that has taken place. I can tell you that there are still three standoffs. There is a gunman still at the Taj Hotel, two gunmen still at the Oberoi Hotel, and also a standoff at the Jewish community center, the Chabad House there in Mumbai.
Let's check in with our Sara Sidner. She's still live out there in front of the Taj Hotel. We were reporting that that siege was over. We were talking with Sara, actually heard gunshots within her live shot.
At this point, Sara, what do we know? Have things calmed down? Or is it still ongoing with the remaining gunmen?
SARA SIDNER, CNN-IBN CORRESPONDENT, MUMBAI: Kyra, things have calmed down here for now. It's been this way for about 45 minutes.
We haven't heard any gunshots, no loud bangs. And that has been pretty much of a constant that has happened over the couple of hours. You'd always here a little something going on in there. So, things have been pretty quiet.
I want to read you something from the Press Trust of India. This is sort of like the Indian Associated Press, if you will. Let me read you this, because this is really interesting, and maybe some of the experts there to talk about terrorism can talk to these points.
It says, "Terrorists who struck Mumbai had set up advanced 'Control Rooms' in the luxury Taj and the Oberoi hotels, which was also targeted, and did prior reconnaissance executing plans worked 'over months,' according to the Union Cabinet minister, Kapil Sibal."
He said that tonight to the Press Trust of India. He also said that the unprecedented terror attack in the country's financial capital was planned, again, "over months," and that the terrorists may not have been carrying AK-47s, but sophisticated weapons like MP-6.
Really an interesting development. And if those statements are anything close to true, that these possible terrorists set up these "control rooms" in these luxury hotels to see how things worked, and to really get inside what is already a soft target. That obviously shows a great deal of planning, and a good deal of money. This is not an inexpensive place to stay, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Sara Sidner there, live for us in front of the Taj Hotel. It looks like things are quiet right now there. That is good news. We'll continue to follow this breaking news coverage out of Mumbai, India.
Once again, 125 people killed by these terrorists, these attackers who converged on Mumbai, lunchtime here in the United States yesterday. It's starting to wind down a little bit. Still, though, not over.
Three gunmen dealing with authorities at this point. We'll try to bring you more information on that, as well as the alleged hostages that are still begin held. And, of course, the Chabad House, that prayer and community center there, the Jewish center in Mumbai, also a standoff there. We'll bring you more after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, here live in Atlanta, Georgia, as we continue to carry our breaking news coverage out of Mumbai, India. I can tell you right now, some 30 hours after this nightmare began, that three gunmen are still hold up in two of Mumbai's best-known hotels, the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi.
Those sites, along with a Jewish center, a cafe, train station and hospital, all came under attack within minutes. We've been lucky enough to also have live coverage through our sister network, CNN-IBN. They bring us the latest from all those locations.
YOGITA LIMAYE, CNN-IBN CORRESPONDENT, MUMBAI: The report that we're hearing on the ground is that, well, that only one terrorist remains alive, and he is injured.
What the police are telling us, that this injured terrorist, who is moving around quite fast. In fact, just about 10 or 15 minutes back, we heard some gunfire - not for a long time, but a couple of shots, we did definitely hear.
We are also seeing heightened activity at the entrance of the Taj Mahal Hotel at this point of time. A lot of police and security personnel going in, as well as coming out. So, we certainly seem to be expecting some development shortly from now. (UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): Arunoday Mukharji at the Oberoi, we were talking about how the fire has now been controlled, though it may not be put off completely.
What is it that you're seeing around you at the Oberoi? Top level sources in the NSG, in fact, coming on record now to confirm that two to three terrorists, they believe, could be inside the Oberoi, also telling us that hostages, most of them have been secured by the NSG commandos.
ARUNODAY MUKHARJI, CNN-IBN CORRESPONDENT, MUMBAI: That's right. That's the information that is coming out at this moment. There's a glimmer of hope there that all the hostages are indeed safe. They've probably been taken to a safe zone that is there in the hotel, either in the lobby, or in the mezzanine area of this hotel.
They, however, haven't been released yet. They haven't come out of the hotel yet. They're still there.
But what we're also being told is that there are unconfirmed reports that perhaps one of the terrorists inside could have taken a hit. We're still trying to get some sort of a confirmation on that front. But we'll of course keep you updated on that.
If there are two to three terrorists, as NSG officials said, then - and one of them has taken a hit - then this would be the time that the NSG would try and capitalize on it, and exploit the situation as much as possible, too, because this is the time when they would be weak, and to try and hit hard and secure, you know, and secure the entire hotel.
And that's exactly what is happening. However, we haven't heard any kind of gunshots right now. What we've been told is that they are trying to formulate a fool-proof, as much as possible, a fool-proof strategy to try and - because they don't want to - they don't want to go in with a - in an approach that might lead to some sort of a (UNINTELLIGIBLE), which might just give the terrorists some sort of an advantage.
But we are told that they are - they have identified one particular location where they are hold up. And they are planning to go ahead and actually make that final attack.
However, still no gunshots for a while. It is a lull, as you said. A lull before a storm perhaps, but we may just expect something to happen sometime shortly, Smita (ph).
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): But operations at the Nariman House, we're being told by our sources in - Indian SGN (ph) security forces really could be reaching ahead, developments happening over the last couple of hours.
Kajal Iyer, you've been staking out at the Nariman House locality. We saw the lights going off many hours back, still not come back, part of the strategy of the NSG. We saw many of the hostages being secured, taken out by the commandos, as well. What is the status as we speak?
KAJAL IYER, CNN-IBN CORRESPONDENT, MUMBAI: Actually, some of the hostages were taken out some time ago. A few more of the NSG commandos moved towards Nariman House.
And now, after that, there has been no action here. There have been no gunshots or any movement that we have sensed here. There is a sort of uneasy calm. Everyone seems to be waiting and watching.
There's a lot of public also out here, watching with bated breath as to what would be the outcome of this hostage drama that has been going on for more than 24 hours now.
There are police personnel, actually, in the area. They are trying to ward off the public and the media. As soon as the NSG - as soon as more of the NSG commandos went inside, people were asked to move farther away, in anticipation that there might be crossfire or something of that sort.
But so far, there has not been any gunshot. And there is an uneasy sort of a calm right now here. Everyone is waiting for what is going to happen next.
PHILLIPS: More breaking news on the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, we don't know who did it. We don't know when it will end, but on Thanksgiving afternoon in America, early Friday morning in India, here is what we do know from the terror rampage in Mumbai.
Some 30 hours after the nightmare began, three gunmen are still holed up in two of Mumbai's best known hotels, the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi. Those sites, along with a Jewish center, a cafe, train station and hospital, all came under attack within minutes. And Westerners may have been the target.
The "Associated Press" is reporting eight more hostages have gone free at the Jewish center, but several others are still being held. Still, more may be held or trapped at the hotels. An Israeli rescue team is on its way from Jerusalem. And separately, the FBI is sending a team from Los Angeles.
Overall, Mumbai police say that 125 people are dead from gun shots, explosions or fires from across India's entertainment and financial capital. More than 300 people have been hurt. The dead include a dozen or so of the more than two dozen highly determined attackers who may have been plotting the siege for months.
Also dead is the chief of the anti-terror squad of Mumbai police. Now police say the attackers came from sea, docking near the monument known called gateway to India. It is not known where they began, though the unknown group calling itself Deccan Mujahedeen has claimed responsibility in e-mails to Indian media.
The marauders hijacked cars, even a police van and split up targeting a popular cafe and train station and then a hospital. Two other groups hit the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi Hotels.
All night and day, we have heard breathtaking stories from witnesses, survivors and authorities. And as the siege continues, so will the coverage that no other network can match. Only CNN has CNN IBN, our sister network in India, and all of your sources for the breaking news from Mumbai.
Let's get straight to Mallika Kapur. She joins us now live from Mumbai. She is in front of the Oberoi hotel with more on what's happening there. Is there still a standoff with authorities and possibly two gunmen, Mallika?
MALLIKA KAPUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is a standoff, you're absolutely right, Kyra. We believe that there are two gunmen who are still inside of the Oberoi Hotel. We do not know how many people, how many hostages or how many residents of the hotel there are. That is something we have not been able to confirm.
We have had -- we had seen people leave the Oberoi earlier in the day, but as right now, we just don't know how many people are still being held inside.
As you mentioned earlier, Kyra, the union minister here in India, he has told the press today that this was by no means an amateur attack. This was a highly sophisticated, pre-planned attack and he even said that there is a very strong chance that these terrorists of these attacks had set up control rooms at both the hotels, at the Taj Hotel and the Oberoi hotel. They knew what they were doing. They knew who they were going after. It was very much a sophisticated, pre-planned attack. Kyra?
PHILLIPS: So Mallika, you are from, this is your beat and you cover stories in India. There have been a number of attacks that have sort of led up to this day in other parts of India.
Some people have come on the air saying, well, they are not necessarily surprised that this has happened because of sort of this drum beat of attacks.
What is your take on the political situation with regard to the elections not far away? And that there has been this underground movement to try to bring down India's government. I mean, that is one theory that is out there.
And then the other theory is, look, al Qaeda was supporting some of the extremists, the Hindu extremists, possibly the Muslim extremists to kind of forge and push forward this ongoing battle for control in this country.
KAPUR: You are right. There are lots of theories floating around at the moment, and the one about the Indian elections is certainly one that is being talked about a lot. We don't know which group responsible for the attack. Of course, the Deccan Mujahedeen has claimed responsibility, which so far has been an unknown group.
But there are theories that depending what we find out more about the group, once we know who the people are, that the motive could be to destabilize the government to perhaps call for the elections to happen earlier rather than later. So there are lots of theories floating around at the moment.
In regards to what you were saying earlier that in India, we have seen attacks before, people aren't necessarily surprised to see a terrorist attack here. The difference this time, there are two main differences. One is the length. It has been more than 24 hours and the standoff continues. We have never seen something like this before. We have never had a situation drag on for so long.
Also, we have never had a situation where people have been targeted for their nationalities, and from what we are hearing it is that when the gunmen stormed into the hotels that they singled people out. They asked them whether they had U.K or U.S. passports. So if this turns out to be true, this is something which again has never happened in India before. So that this attack is definitely different and definitely has Mumbai very tense.
PHILLIPS: And Mallika, I was talking about just from a cultural perspective with Roger Clark, you know our head of international coverage here, and he said that this is such a spiritual country. This is Ghandi's place of incredible teachings and the whole nonviolence and preaching nonviolence. And so, you know, seeing something like this happen in this country has got to be devastating for those who practice meditation and nonviolence and live in the parts of this country that are known for that cultural strength.
KAPUR: Very good point. Definitely, to see something like this is absolutely devastating. But you know, you do bring up a very interesting point. And when you do speak to lots of people in Mumbai, yes, there is a lot of shock, there is a lot of anger about what has happened. People have been asking me will it, how long will this bring Mumbai to a standstill? The city is in lockdown. Yes, all of that is true, but the spirit in Mumbai is intact. And a lot of people here will tell you that the spirit in this city cannot be destroyed and that Mumbai is actually very, very resilient and you never know. Give it a day, and Mumbai will be back on the streets and then in two or three days, you won't even know anything happened in the city because that is the spirit of the city.
PHILLIPS: Mallika Kapur, our correspondent there on the ground in front of the Oberoi Hotel. Sure appreciate your report, Mallika. We will talk to you again. We are going to continue our breaking news coverage out on Mumbai, India, here on CNN, along with our sister network, CNN IBN. We will be back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: One hundred and twenty-five people reported dead and more than 300 wounded in those simultaneous attacks that happened in Mumbai, India, yesterday afternoon. Lunchtime actually, here in the United States. Now we are talking about 30 plus hours into this and still there are standoffs at various hotels and even a Jewish center. Authorities trying to get the final gunmen out of these hotels. The hostage situation still cannot confirm what that looks like at this point. We can tell you that there are a number of hostages that have been freed.
But just taking a look at the map here of Mumbai, I am going to kind of lead you through and show you where this all started and where exactly the issues are at this point. You see right there, the gateway of India, the monument. This is the port area where allegedly these attackers came in with high speedboats and also automatic weapons. Then it was a Taj Mahal Hotel, also, a Hotel Oberoi, there you can see there on the other, kind of across the main thoroughfare there of Mumbai.
And the Chabad House, which is the Jewish prayer and community center, actually a prayer and study center. Those are the three main places where authorities are right now.
There is a standoff there at the Chabad House, at the Taj Mahal Hotel, apparently there is still one gunman authorities are trying to take down. And then over at Hotel Oberoi, still two gunmen we're told with authorities, they are trying to get the attackers out of that hotel.
Now the good news things do seem to be winding down. We were talking about 24-plus attackers. Here is something else that we learned over there at the Hotel Oberoi, is that reconnaissance apparently was being done for a long period of time before the attacks took place, and that there were actual advanced control rooms that were set up at that hotel, possibly both of those hotels.
So the attackers that we saw, that came in starting yesterday afternoon and are the same gunmen that are at bay right now with police in those three areas, those two hotels and the Jewish center apparently there were guys on the inside of those hotels setting up shop and working the details of the attacks that we saw happen yesterday.
So how long has this been going on? How long has this been planned? Who exactly is responsible? Those are all things we are still trying to figure out and work out as we get more details in.
Meanwhile, we have had tremendous help from the sister network and CNN IBN and they bring us their recent reports on what is taking place in Mumbai.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, as the locals are concerned they tell us that this is where it all began.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One thing is very, very clear that it was transported into the field.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two terrorists are confirmed shot dead at this location. Too many cops, too much security, police taking full control of the situation as you can see and there is a lot of media here. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are still trying to figure out the source of fighting, but is a police car being hijacked by the perpetrators of this gun battle?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Many Mumbai people are with me here and we are watching this. Now this is really a monumental structure for all of us in Mumbai. To see that go up in flames in the manner that it did was very, very heartbreaking for most of us standing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My college mates was one of the finest's police officers this country has ever seen died yesterday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mumbai city is practically under siege of terrorists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Daji Jadani (ph) is with me, who has been tracking this since the early hours, since late last night.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were alleged suspects here who were holding people and they were fighting. They also threw some hand grenades. These are local eyewitness accounts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These bullet holes, the tell tale signs of the gun battle that occurred here at Shivaji Terminus Terminal. The terrorists came into the station and plastered this area with bullets.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can finally get the first real picture of the Lariman House. This is the house where those terrorists are believed to be holed up from where they have been firing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Things are practically empty, the house is also quiet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you think of all this activity that is going around in Mumbai the first time you come here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It doesn't make me want to stay.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't really know what is going on. As a city, we don't really know. The police force doesn't know what really hit it, and many people have possible stories to tell of tragedy, of people whom they knew. We are still in a state of shock.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back to the studio.
PHILLIPS: That was our sister network, CNN IBN with the various reports how everything unfolded since yesterday afternoon U.S. time. Now we are 30 plus hours into the rampage that struck Mumbai, India. Still at two hotels and a Jewish community center, authorities dealing with the last remaining attackers.
Meanwhile, Zain Verjee our State Department correspondent following things from a political perspective for us joining us out of New York. Zain, we were showing a number that the State Department actually is giving out a hotline number for any U.S. citizens that want information about Americans that were staying at those hotels, possibly that Jewish center. We are going to bring that up in just a second.
But while we are waiting for that, Condoleezza Rice, what has she been doing today? Has she been involved with communicating with anybody there in India?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: That is pretty much what she has been doing. As well as here in the U.S., she has been working the phones, making sure that she stays briefed and stays on top of the situation. That is the hotline you were referring to. The State Department is saying call that number, 888-407-4747, if you are panicking. If you are worried, if you have relatives or friends that you want to find out if they're OK or track down or get any information.
Secretary Rice spoke to President-elect Obama this morning for a few minutes, Kyra, to give him an update on the situation as far as she knows it. That's the second time she has spoken to him. She has been speaking also to U.S. diplomats on the ground who are working their contacts, all over the place, within the Indian government, hospitals, just to get as much information as they can about the situation, the perpetrators and the status of Americans. Whether they have been killed, injured or even taken hostage at any point. The State Department is saying that at least three Americans have been injured. Kyra?
PHILLIPS: All right. So what are Americans there living in Mumbai, staying in Mumbai, what are they being told to do at this point?
VERJEE: Well, the State Department is basically saying stay indoors. Stay inside. Unless you have to go out, they are advising them just to be vigilant. If they see suspicious packages, make sure they report them to the authorities. Vary the routes, things like that. Watch local TV and take their advice.
What they want to do at the consulate is to just to try and make sure that they can account for as many Americans as they possibly can, the ones who live there. The ones that work there at the consulate have all been accounted for. And tourists, so there is a big question mark still on a lot of those names.
PHILLIPS: Zain Verjee, our State Department correspondent. Keep us updated, Zain, thanks so much. You're watching breaking news coverage here on CNN. More after a quick break.
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PHILLIPS: Well, in the 30 hours plus as we continue to cover the breaking news out of Mumbai, India. Hello, everyone, I'm Kyra Phillips here at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Just to bring you quickly up to date, 125 people now reported dead, more than 300 injured on a number of attacks that took place in Mumbai, India. Very well orchestrated according to the prime minister of India.
Who is responsible? Why did they do that? We're still trying to answer those questions. We've been fleshing it out all through the night, all through the morning. We are working the angle of this story on many levels. We have correspondents throughout India. Our Nic Robertson also on the way to investigate who is responsible for such attacks. A lot of questions still out there.
But what we are learning about how well orchestrated this was, that there were more than two dozen attackers, possibly even more from the inside. New information that we found out, that there were actual advanced control rooms that were set up in these hotels, in the Oberoi Hotel, also possibly the Taj Mahal motel -- or hotel. Two exclusive luxury hotels there in Mumbai.
What does that mean? Well, reconnaissance and planning for these attacks could have been happening for weeks, could have been happening for months. Was it an inside job? Was it an inside job?
Mike Brooks joining us now. Your background is international terror from the FBI, to various SWAT teams that you've worked with here in the United States. Tell us about these control rooms, and they must have infiltrated at some point.
MIKE BROOKS, INTERNATIONAL TERROR SPECIALIST: yeah.
PHILLIPS: How long were they there? We don't know. But could it be an inside job? I've stayed at the hotels and they have got strict security.
BROOKS: Sure and we talked about this earlier, Kyra, the possible sleepers. And now we hear that there were control rooms. So what that says to me, this was the command and control centers in each one of these for this terrorist cell or this terrorist group, whoever we're dealing with. And also the key law enforcement were targeted.
You know, they had on helmets and vests, but they targeted them. They took out the head of the anti-terror unit there in Mumbai as well as two of his high-ranking folks.
Did they know that they were going to be at a certain place at a certain time? And that says to me possible inside information that maybe they were passing on to the terrorists that they had people working with them within the government saying, look, the terror chief, the anti-terror chief will be here at a certain place at a certain time.
Did they also go for, you know, the soft targets, were there a number of people there at a certain time? Did they know this? Where -- did they decide to go ahead and pull the trigger if you will and initiate this attack today?
PHILLIPS: OK, so, as we find out more about these control rooms that were set up, within the hotels, you know, how -- that's a pretty advanced. These weren't guys that were just rolling in hot, in high- speed boats with automatic weapons and launching grenades. So when we hear -- let me put it this way. We're hearing the prime minister say this came from out of country. He's talking about the influence of Pakistan.
BROOKS: Right.
PHILLIPS: OK, if it did happen from without the country versus within the country, can we even say that there is a difference in the organization of these terror groups? Are they that advanced inside the country, or would it make sense -- we know about the training that takes place in Pakistan.
BROOKS: Sure.
PHILLIPS: We know about the influence there with Iraq and Afghanistan. So, I mean, what is your sense? Could al Qaeda be tied in to this and supporting these terror groups from the inside and showing them how to conduct such advanced terrorist attacks?
BROOKS: There's always that possibility. Some of these terrorist camps that we've seen, terrorists from different countries come to these camps. You know, but who's it being financed by? The intelligence, was it an inside job? To me, I'm just not getting a good feeling when you see high-ranking police officials that are targeted.
PHILLIPS: I mean, the head of the anti-terror squad, taken out.
BROOKS: Absolutely.
PHILLIPS: At the beginning of this.
BROOKS: Did they also select Mumbai because it's accessible by water over maybe New Delhi or Hyderabad? You know, these are other large cities that you can conduct raids like this, but they decided to use Mumbai, maybe because of its access to water.
PHILLIPS: Our Reza Sayah has been working this and working his sources as well. He joins us now live from Islamabad. Reza, I don't know if you could hear what Mike was saying, but that's the newest development that we've been following as we've been talking to you even about who could be responsible for these attack. We're now finding out that there was a lot of recon that was done and that there were these advanced control rooms that were set up in these hotels.
REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No question about it, Kyra, that's more evidence that this was a very sophisticated, well- orchestrated attack and in discussing the events in Mumbai, Pakistan keeps coming up over and over again. Pakistan and India have had a very tumultuous and fragile relationship, and that fragile relationship is about to get tested.
Here's why. Whenever you have a militant attack in India, and we've had several over the past year, inevitably you're going to have experts and analysts even before the evidence is gathered, even before the investigation point the finger across the border to Pakistan and blame Islamist extremist groups within Pakistan and possibly alleged rogue elements within Pakistan's intelligence agencies. That speculation is happening again. Pakistan's leaders are well aware of it. That's why they were very quick to condemn the attacks. Pakistan's president on Thursday local time in Pakistan expressed it in a statement of sympathy to India and called up India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh late Thursday afternoon, Pakistan time. CNN also spoke with Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani about the attacks. Here's what the prime minister had to say.
PHILLIPS: OK, Reza Sayah, there in Islamabad. Reza, thank you so much, we'll continue to check in with you.
Just to bring our viewers up to date right now. It's just about the top of the hour, it's about 2:30 a.m. Friday in Mumbai. Relative quiet descends on the financial and entertainment capital of India, more than a day after a well-planned series of terror attacks that took the city by storm.
Here's what I can tell you about where we stand right now. Police tell us that three gunmen are still holed up in two of Mumbai's best-known hotels, the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi. Those sites, along with the Jewish center, the Chabad center, a cafe, train station and hospital all came under siege within minutes. And Westerners may have been the targets.
The "Associated Press" is reporting that more hostages have gone free at that Jewish center that we mentioned, but several others are still being held right now. Authorities at a standoff with gunmen there. Still more may be held or trapped at the hotels.
Now overall, Mumbai police say that 125 people are now dead from gunshots, explosions, even fires. More than 300 others have been hurt. The dead include a dozen or so of the more than two dozen attackers, who may have been plotting this rampage for months. You just heard Mike tell us about these control rooms that were set up, advanced control rooms, inside the hotels.
