TERRORISTS BOMB TRAINS IN INDIA
Randy L. Harrington
July 11, 2006
INDIA—105 people were killed and 230 were injured as a series of seven bombs exploded on the rail network in India's financial capital of Mumbai Tuesday evening during rush hour.
India officials said that the blasts occurred at seven separate suburban stations and took place during the evening rush hour time. Local officials said that the death toll will likely be higher because of the 230 injured most had serious life threatening injuries.
The blasts ripped through train compartments with such a force that mangled bodies of commuters were thrown out of the train, causing a stampede in the adjoining cars as passengers pushed each other to get out.
The blast in the first-class compartment of the one of the trains was so powerful that it not only tore through the train, but destroyed a good m majority of the platform outside the train as well.
One witness described the scene as “miserable...stomachs torn open and limbs strewn all around. Blood was spattered in the compartments as the coaches suffered extensive damage.”
Many of the passengers in other compartments of the trains who were not injured in the blast suffered injuries by jumping from the moving trains.
Another witness said that “The train was crowded when suddenly there was a loud explosion and the compartment was covered in fire and smoke. It was unnerving. I just managed to plunge out of the moving train.”
Over 6.1 million commuters who use the train network on a daily basis were in shock, as a panic and fear gripped the city. Train commuters were stranded and not able to travel because train services had been suspended.
This was considered the worst terrorist attacks on India since 1993 when over 270 people were killed in serial bombings that were allegedly carried out by India mobsters following the tearing down of the Babri Mosque in northern Uttar Pradesh, India.
India security and police authorities said that the terrorists were behind these blasts because the bombing was coordinated, and synchronized to cause the greatest amount of fatalities during the rush hour while people were on their way home from work.
Police say that the blasts took place over a period of 30 minutes. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Security experts, however, suspect the Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tiiba- or The Army of the Pure. The Pakistani group has been implicated in other terrorist attacks in India.
The Mumbai railroad network is India's life-line because millions of riders commute on the rail line every day.
In India's capital city, New Deli, the Indian Premier Manmohan Singh called an emergency meeting with Home Minister Shivrak Patil and other senior officials to review the countries security.
After the meeting Patil said that Singh condemned the acts as cowardly and shameful, and said that India was resolved to “defeat all the evil designs of terrorists.” He said of the meeting that “We reiterated that we will fight terror in all forms and manifestations.”
Indian intelligence and security officials were said to have been compiling a list of Lashkar-e-Tiiba terrorists in the country and target them for round-up. Indian officials said that they would ask the United States intelligence community for assistance in finding, rounding up, and bringing the terrorists to justice.
Most Indian cities were placed on high security alert.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: AP WIRE; DEUTCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR WIRE; NEW YORK TIMES
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
India officials said that the blasts occurred at seven separate suburban stations and took place during the evening rush hour time. Local officials said that the death toll will likely be higher because of the 230 injured most had serious life threatening injuries.
The blasts ripped through train compartments with such a force that mangled bodies of commuters were thrown out of the train, causing a stampede in the adjoining cars as passengers pushed each other to get out.
The blast in the first-class compartment of the one of the trains was so powerful that it not only tore through the train, but destroyed a good m majority of the platform outside the train as well.
One witness described the scene as “miserable...stomachs torn open and limbs strewn all around. Blood was spattered in the compartments as the coaches suffered extensive damage.”
Many of the passengers in other compartments of the trains who were not injured in the blast suffered injuries by jumping from the moving trains.
Another witness said that “The train was crowded when suddenly there was a loud explosion and the compartment was covered in fire and smoke. It was unnerving. I just managed to plunge out of the moving train.”
Over 6.1 million commuters who use the train network on a daily basis were in shock, as a panic and fear gripped the city. Train commuters were stranded and not able to travel because train services had been suspended.
This was considered the worst terrorist attacks on India since 1993 when over 270 people were killed in serial bombings that were allegedly carried out by India mobsters following the tearing down of the Babri Mosque in northern Uttar Pradesh, India.
India security and police authorities said that the terrorists were behind these blasts because the bombing was coordinated, and synchronized to cause the greatest amount of fatalities during the rush hour while people were on their way home from work.
Police say that the blasts took place over a period of 30 minutes. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Security experts, however, suspect the Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tiiba- or The Army of the Pure. The Pakistani group has been implicated in other terrorist attacks in India.
The Mumbai railroad network is India's life-line because millions of riders commute on the rail line every day.
In India's capital city, New Deli, the Indian Premier Manmohan Singh called an emergency meeting with Home Minister Shivrak Patil and other senior officials to review the countries security.
After the meeting Patil said that Singh condemned the acts as cowardly and shameful, and said that India was resolved to “defeat all the evil designs of terrorists.” He said of the meeting that “We reiterated that we will fight terror in all forms and manifestations.”
Indian intelligence and security officials were said to have been compiling a list of Lashkar-e-Tiiba terrorists in the country and target them for round-up. Indian officials said that they would ask the United States intelligence community for assistance in finding, rounding up, and bringing the terrorists to justice.
Most Indian cities were placed on high security alert.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: AP WIRE; DEUTCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR WIRE; NEW YORK TIMES
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.