Hostages held in 2 Mumbai locations; death toll up to 101 - Update

Mumbai BEFORE terrorist attacks (above)

New Delhi - Indian commandos on Thursday readied for an assault to flush out terrorists in a luxury hotel and a building in Mumbai, where about 35 people were being held hostage after daring overnight terrorist attacks in the city claimed 101 lives, officials and news reports said. The Trident along with the iconic Taj hotel were among the targets of heavily armed gunmen who carried out coordinated attacks beginning late Wednesday on at least 10 sites in southern Mumbai, an official at Mumbai's police control room said.

The official said 287 people were wounded and six foreigners were among the dead but they had not yet been identified.

The terrorists, who apparently reached Mumbai by boats, fired automatic weapons and lobbed grenades in the two five-star hotels, at the city's busiest railway station, in a cafe, a cinema hall and a hospital, among other targets.

Meanwhile, forces had begun operations aimed at securing the release of people at the Trident hotel. An estimated 100 people were trapped and 30 believed to be taken hostage by the terrorists at the facility, NDTV reported, quoting official sources.

An Israeli family of four was also being held captive by another group of gunmen at Nariman House, a residential building where an exchange of fire was heard, the report said.
"No negotiations are taking place," he said, adding that the authorities had received no demands from the terrorists.

Elite commandos with the National Security Guard who are trained in counterterrorism combat, the army and the navy's marine commandos, and the Maharashtra police's anti-terrorism squad were all involved in the operations.

Peripheral and outer security was being provided by a task force made up of members of army and police units. Sounds of grenade explosions and sporadic gunfire were heard at the Trident. Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Ghafoor said the attacks were suspected to be coordinated terrorist assaults. He said the gunmen appeared to be using automatic weapons like AK-47s, AK-56s and semiautomatic rifles.

A little-known organization called the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks in e-mails sent to local news agencies. Police said the identity of the attackers had not yet been established.

Local media reports said a British, Japanese and Australian nationals were among the victims. Fourteen police officers, including the chief of Maharashtra state's anti-terrorism squad and three other senior officers, were killed in encounters with the gunmen.