 |
US intelligence twice alerted India of a maritime attack on Mumbai, including Taj Mahl hotel. (Reuters) |
WASHINGTON — A month prior to the devastating attacks, the US warned its strategic Asian ally of possible maritime terrorist attacks against its financial capital and even named the iconic Taj Mahl hotel as a top target.
"US intelligence indicated that a group might enter the country by water and launch an attack on Mumbai," a US counterterrorism official told CNN, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
Another intelligence official told ABCNews that US intelligence agencies warned their Indian counterparts in mid-October of a potential attack "from the sea against hotels and business centers in Mumbai."
A second government source said specific locations, including the Taj hotel, were listed in the US warning.
At least 188 people, including 22 foreigners, were killed and nearly 300 injured in attacks on ten Mumbai targets, including its luxurious Oberoi and Taj Mahal hotels.
It too Indian commandoes 60 hours to bring the situation under control and overcame militants who had taken scores of people, mostly westerners, hostage.
The three-day long siege left a trail of destruction in the 565-room Taj Mahal Palace, a 105-year-old Victorian building that is a Mumbai's flagship.
Indian officials have confirmed to CNN that US officials, twice, warned them of a water-borne attack.
The warnings were followed by tightened security measures at hotels, before they were later reduced.
Ratan Tata, the chairman of the company that owns the Taj Mahal hotel, has admitted that they were warned of a possible attack.
"It's ironic that we did have such a warning and we did have some measures," he told CNN on Sunday.
"But if I look at what we had -- which all of us complained about -- it could not have stopped what took place."
Failure
There is widespread public anger over intelligence and security failings that led to the attacks.
The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India’s external intelligence agency, reportedly provided several intercepts from signals intelligence over the last three months suggesting an attack on a Mumbai hotel was imminent.
"This should have been enough to let police know that: 1) Hotels were the target. 2) The attackers would use the sea route," the Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday.
"…these intercepts were clear, detailed and specific. So, are the police lying? Was this information not passed on? Or was it just incorrectly processed?" it asked.
"So far, there are no answers."
Vilasrao Deshmukh, the chief minister of Maharashtra state, offered to resign Monday, December 1, after his deputy stepped down over the devastating attacks.
Deshmukh was widely criticized on Sunday when he visited the wreckage of the Taj Mahal hotel.
Interior Minister Shivraj Patil resigned on Sunday and has been replaced, while the country's powerful national security adviser offered to quit but will likely stay.
The head of the country's Coast Guard also "retired" on Sunday.
|
