A raging fire and explosions struck one of the hotels, the landmark
Taj Mahal, shortly after midnight. Screams could be heard and enormous
clouds of black smoke rose from the at the century-old edifice on
Mumbai’s waterfront. Firefighters were spraying water at the blaze, and
plucking people from windows and balconies with extension ladders.
The attackers specifically targeted Britons and Americans, witnesses said. Officials said at least 200 people were wounded.
The motive for the onslaught was not immediately clear, but Mumbai has frequently been targeted in terrorist attacks blamed onIslamic extremists, including a series of bombings in July 2007 that killed 187 people.
State
home secretary Bipin Shrimali said four suspects had been killed in two
incidents when they tried to flee in cars, and Roy said two more gunmen
were killed at theTaj Mahal. State Home Minister R.R. Patil said nine more were captured. They declined to provide any further details.
And look, this isn’t the time for snark, but shit like this makes me crazy:
If there’s no way to verify that statement why is it here? And if it’s such a charged environment that you want to put out whatever information you get and verify later, why bother to use such a transparent ass-covering maneuver? It’s cheap. Make an editorial decision and stick to it, for fuck’s sakes, especially in a scenario where accurate info is important.
A.