26 February,2009 05:05 PM IST | | Agencies
The course of events upon entering the Indian territorial waters and territory, the arrested accused Mohammad Ajmal Mohammad Aamir Qasab, alias Abu Mujahid, and the dead terrorist accused Ismail Khan, alias Abu Ismail; Imran Babar, alias Abu Akash; Nasir, alias Abu Umar; Nazir Ahmad, alias Abu Umar; Hafiz Arshad, alias Abdul Rehman Bada, alias Hayaji; Abdul Rehman Chota, alias Sakib; Fahad Ulla; Javed, alias Abu Ali; Shoaib alias Abu Shoeb, have committed the following listed offences: In the afternoon of November 23, 2008, arrested accused Ajmal Qasab, and the other nine dead terrorist accused, and Mursheed, Aakib, Usman, Hakim Saab and other three unknown accused, with criminal force, captured MV Kuber, a fishing trawler, in the Jakhau area within the Indian territorial waters.
Qasab and nine other Pakistani terrorists, who were in the Pakistani/LeT boat Al Husaini, forcibly entered the Indian trawler. Out of the five sailors on board MV Kuber, four sailors were taken into the Al Husaini whilst the navigator (Tandel) of the Kuber viz Amarsingh Solanki was forcibly kept on the Indian trawler. Once on board, the terrorist loaded their consignment of AK-47 assault rifles, 7.62mm pistols, hand grenades, RDX-laden IEDs, rubberised dinghy without board engine, etc, along with transferring adequate diesel fuel from Al Husaini to MV Kuber to facilitate the further direct journey towards Mumbai. Once done, the seven Pakistani terrorists who were on board Al Husaini, left for Pakistan along with four sailors from MV Kuber. The 10 terrorists with captain (Tandel) sailed towards Mumbai in Kuber. During the sea journey, the 10 terrorists were in constant contact with their handlers and co-conspirators in Pakistan through satellite phones. They navigated the 582 nautical miles (approximately) journey to Mumbai with the help of the GPS device.
MV Kuber reached approximately four to five nautical miles off the coast of Mumbai on November 26, 2008, at approximately 16.00 hours. They then contacted their handlers/co-conspirators through satellite phone who informed them about the killings of the four Indian sailors. Ajmal Qasab beheaded the navigator (Tandel) of the Indian fishing trawler, Amarsingh Solanki, by slitting his throat in an absolutely inhumane and ruthless manner, akin to a butcher slaughtering a helpless goat with a knife. His dead body was placed in the engine room of the trawler. At this time, terrorists inflated the rubberised dinghy and commenced their journey to the Mumbai coast. They reached Mumbai shore at the Bhai Bhandarkar Macchimar Colony opposite Badhwar Park at approximately 20.30/21.00 hours of November 26, 2008.
Five distinct "buddy pairs" of two terrorist each were made for their respective targets. Two terrorists, accused Fahadullah and Abdul Rehman Chota, after the departure of their compatriots, sailed towards Hotel Oberoi in the dinghy. They landed at the shore across Hotel Oberoi with firearms and ammunition and proceeded towards Hotel Oberoi.
Two other accused terrorists, Babar Imran and Nasir, along with their firearms and ammunition, walked towards Nariman House from Badhwar Park. The remaining six accused terrorists travelled by taxis.
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What happened at CST
Arrested terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Mohammad Aamir Qasab alias Abu Mujahid and deceased terrorist accused Ismail Khan arrived at CST railway station in a motor taxi. En route this journey, terrorist accused Mohammad Ajmal Mohammad Aamir Qasab was seated on the rear seat of the taxi cab. Whilst his 'buddy' Abu Ismail engaged the taxi driver in conversation, accused Mohd.
Ajmal Amir Qasab planted the RDX laden IED, which he had ferried himself, beneath the driver's seat. Then the two terrorist accused alighted from the taxi at CST railway station. The terrorist accused Mohd. Ajmal Qasab, then entered the lavatory near CST railway station. Meanwhile, the terrorist accused Ismail Khan, alias Abu Ismail planted the IED, which he was carrying with him, in the CST station premises. These two terrorists accused ruthlessly and indiscriminately fired from the AK-47 assault rifles and lobbed deadly hand-grenades on the hapless and unsuspecting passengers waiting at the main hall resulting in the massacre of innocent ladies, children and senior citizens.
Continuing the blood bath, these two terrorists attacked police officers, constables and home guards who made a valiant attempt to nip their diabolic agenda. Being hounded by the valiant police officer and personnel led by PI Shashank Shinde, these two terrorists were pushed out of railway station premises on the foot over bridge/pedestrian staircase adjoining platform no. 1.
What happened at the Taj Hotel
Taj Mahal is a heritage building and an iconic structure constructed in 1903. The fourth pair of terrorists accused viz. Hafiz Arshad, alias Abdul Rehman Bada, and Javed, alias Abu Ali, who had landed along with the other terrorists at Macchimar Colony in Badhwar Park, Cuffe Parade, reached the landmark Hotel Taj Palace and Towers in Colaba by a taxi. Before entering the hotel, the two terrorists planted an 8-10 kg RDX-laden improvised explosive device (IED) near a chowky outside the main porch of the Taj Hotel. However, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) defused this "carrier of death" before it could explode. These two terrorists entered the hotel from the front/main gate entrance. Subsequently, Abdul Rehman Bada and Abu Ali fired indiscriminately on the Indian and foreign guests at the hotel.
Meanwhile, Abu Sohaib and Abu Umar, the two terrorists who had attacked Cafe Leopold, entered the hotel from the Northcote (sic) gate and began firing indiscriminately in and around the swimming pool area. The four assembled terrorists then let loose a reign of terror, fear and mayhem in the entire hotel. The army and naval commandos (Marcos) were requisitioned to assist the civilian police to repel the unprecedented terror attack. These four terrorists not only fired indiscriminately with the AK-47 assault rifles, but, time and again, gained an advantage over the security forces due to their vantage location and use of hand-grenades. They planted an RDX-laden IED, weighing about 8-10 kg, on the fifth-floor below the central dome, which exploded causing damage to the structure. They also set fire to the sixth floor of the hotel.
What happened at the Oberoi
The fifth pair of terrorists - Fahadullah and Abdul Rehman Chhota, alias Sakib - landed at the coastline opposite Hotel Oberoi and Hotel Trident with the aid of a motorised rubber dinghy, after dropping their compatriot terrorists at Macchimar Colony in Badhwar Park, Cuffe Parade, and Colaba. Before entering Hotel Trident, one of the terrorists planted an 8-10 kg RDX-laden improvised explosive device (IED) on the slope of the flowerbed adjacent to the hotel's main gate. The IED exploded later. But, the damage was minimised by a bomb blanket the bomb disposal squad had placed on the IED.
Immediately after entering the hotel, the terrorists started firing from their AK-47 rifles and lobbed hand-grenades. The initial commotion led to numerous lives being lost at the bell desk, reception, lobby, Tiffin restaurant, etc.
People dining at the Kandahar restaurant were held hostage by the terrorists and taken upstairs. From this location, they held up the security forces by firing intermittently at them and hurling hand-grenades. The terrorists, during the entire siege period, were in constant touch with the co-conspirators who provided them operational and motivational inputs. The terrorists also called up a TV channel and provided it misleading information to shield their identities.
What happened at the Nariman House
Nariman House, a five-storey building, was purchased two years ago by the Chabad of India Trust, an orthodox Jewish organisation, and was renamed as Chabad House. The second 'buddy' pair of terrorists - Babar Imran, alias Abu Akasha, and Nasir, alias Abu Umar - who landed at the Bhai Bhandarkar Macchimar Colony, reached Nariman House located at a distance of about 500m. Before entering the building, one of the terrorists planted an RDX-laden improvised explosive device (IED) near a petrol pump at Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Colaba. On entering the building, the second terrorist planted another IED near the ground-level parking area. Both the bombs later exploded.
The terrorists held residents of the building as hostage and forced one of the Jewish hostages to speak to their embassy over the phone. The terrorists later contacted the media and misled them by citing reasons for the attack. The conversation was later telecast on India TV. The terrorists, using their huge stockpile of illegal fire arms and hand grenades, not only opened fired inside Nariman House, but also at the nearby buildings, taking innocent lives.
Eight people were killed, including three women. NSG Commando Gajendra Singh was also killed.
What happened at Leopold
The third pair of terrorists - Abu Shoaib and Abu Umer - who landed at the Bhai Bhandarkar Macchimar Colony, reached Cafe Leopold by hiring a taxi. One of the terrorists planted an RDX-laden improvised explosive device, weighing approximately 8 kg, below the driver's seat. The two then got off the taxi near Cafe Leopold and walked quietly inside the cafe to start their indiscriminate shooting using the Ak-47 rifles. They also lobbed hand grenades, killing 11 persons, including two foreigners.
Also, a total of 28 people, including nine foreign nationals, were injured. After causing mayhem at Cafe Leopold, both the terrorists immediately walked towards Hotel Taj. On the way, one of the terrorists planted an 8-10 kg RDX-laden IED near the Gokul Restaurant and Bar. The bomb detection squad later diffused it. The RDX bomb planted by the two terrorists in the taxi exploded when the taxi reached opposite BPT, Mazgaon. It killed two lady passengers and the unsuspecting taxi driver. Also, 19 innocent bystanders in the area suffered serious and minor wounds/injuries.