Mumbai Terror Attacks
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The 2008 Mumbai attacks, also referred to as 26/11 attacks, were a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist attacks that took place in November 2008, when 10 members of
Lashkar-e-Taiba Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist militant organization driven by a Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist ideology. The organisation's primary stated objective is to merge the whole of Kashmir with Pakistan. It was founded in 19 ...
, a Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist organisation, carried out 12 shooting and bombing attacks over four days across
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
. A total of 175 people died, including nine of the attackers, with more than 300 injured. Eight of the attacks occurred in
South Mumbai South Mumbai, colloquially SoBo from South Bombay in Indian English, administratively the Mumbai City District, is the city centre and the southernmost precinct of Greater Bombay. It extends from Colaba to Mahalaxmi (Western side), Byculla ...
at
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), officially Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), also known sometimes as Victoria Terminus (VT), is a historic railway terminus and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The term ...
, the
Oberoi Trident The Oberoi Group is a luxury hotel group with its head office in New Delhi, India. Founded in 1934, the company owns and operates 32 luxury hotels and two river cruise ships in 7 countries, primarily under its Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Triden ...
, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel, the
Leopold Cafe The Leopold Cafe and Bar is a restaurant and bar on Colaba Causeway, in Colaba area of Mumbai, India, located across from the Colaba Police station. It was one of the first sites attacked in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. History The Leopold Cafe ...
, the Cama Hospital, the
Nariman House The Nariman House, designated as a Chabad house (), is a five-storey landmark in the Colaba area of South Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The building was home to a Chabad house, a Hasidic Jewish outreach centre run by Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg ...
, the
Metro Cinema Metro Cinema may refer to: * Metro Cinema (Derby), closed 2008 * Metro Cinema (Mumbai) 1938–2006 name, now Metro BIG Cinemas, Mumbai * Metro Cinema (Kolkata), a single screen movie theatre in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) * Metro Cinema Edmonton ...
, and in a lane behind the ''
Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...
'' building and
St. Xavier's College A multitude of schools and universities have been named after St. Francis Xavier, a Spanish Roman Catholic saint and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. This page lists notable educational institutions named after St. Xavier, arranged by country a ...
. In addition to the mass shootings, an explosion occurred at
Mazagaon Mazagaon, also spelled Mazgaon and Mazagon (Portuguese era Mazagão), and pronounced by the Christian Bombay East Indians as 'Mazgon' or 'Maz-a-gon' and Marathi-speakers as Mazhgav. It was one of the seven islands of Bombay. It is now a part ...
, in Mumbai's port area, and in a taxi at
Vile Parle Vile Parle (, also known as Parla), is a suburb and also the name of the railway station in the Western suburb of Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state o ...
. By the early morning of 28 November, all sites except for the Taj Hotel had been secured by the
Mumbai Police The Greater Mumbai Police (Marathi language, Marathi: बृहन्मुंबई पोलीस, IAST: ''Brihanmumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay City Police'') is the Police, police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a cit ...
and security forces. On 29 November, India's
National Security Guards The National Security Guard (NSG) is a central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is the primary counter-terrorism force of the Government of India. It was founded on 16 October 1984, following Operation Blue ...
conducted Operation Black Tornado to flush out the remaining terrorists; it culminated in the death of the last remaining terrorists at the Taj Hotel and ended the attacks. Before his execution in 2012,
Ajmal Kasab Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab (13 July 1987 – 21 November 2012) was a Pakistani terrorist and a member of the Islamism, Islamist militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba through which he took part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2008 Mumbai terr ...
, the sole surviving attacker, who was captured by
Mumbai Police The Greater Mumbai Police (Marathi language, Marathi: बृहन्मुंबई पोलीस, IAST: ''Brihanmumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay City Police'') is the Police, police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a cit ...
, stated and confessed that the terrorists were members of the
Lashkar-e-Taiba Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist militant organization driven by a Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist ideology. The organisation's primary stated objective is to merge the whole of Kashmir with Pakistan. It was founded in 19 ...
, and were controlled from Pakistan, corroborating initial claims from the Indian Government. Initially denying the claims, Pakistan later confirmed that the sole surviving perpetrator of the attacks was a Pakistani citizen. The subsequent capture and interrogation of
David Headley David Coleman Headley (born Dawood Sayed Gilani; June 30, 1960) is a Pakistani-American Islamic terrorist and the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai islamic terrorist attacks. He played a key role in orchestrating the attacks, working with the ...
, a Pakistani-American DEA informer, and Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, pointed to the involvement of rogue officials of Pakistan Army and ISI in the terrorist attacks, who provided support to the
Lashkar-e-Taiba Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist militant organization driven by a Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist ideology. The organisation's primary stated objective is to merge the whole of Kashmir with Pakistan. It was founded in 19 ...
. Furthermore, Headley was also accused of traveling to Denmark to scout the ''Jyllands-Posten'' office and a nearby
synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
. On 9 April 2015, the foremost ringleader of the attacks,
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi (, born 30 December 1960) is a Pakistani Islamist militant and co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba. One of the prime perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, he is featured on India's NIA Most Wanted list. In January 2021, he wa ...
, was released on bail and disappeared; he was arrested again in
Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
on 2 January 2021. In 2018, former Pakistani prime minister
Nawaz Sharif Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani politician and businessman who served as the 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan, prime minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms, first serving from 1990 to 1993, then ...
questioned the Pakistani government's allowance of those who committed the attacks to cross into India. In 2022, one of the masterminds of the attack, Sajid Majeed Mir —who had earlier been claimed to be dead by the Pakistan Government— was convicted for funding terrorist activities by an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan. As of May 2025, it is one of the deadliest terrorist attacks that took place in Mumbai, as well as across India. In April 2025, Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani Canadian, who was a co-conspirator in the attack, was extradited to India from the United States for interrogation by the
National Investigation Agency The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is the principal counter-terrorism law enforcement agency in India. Established under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, it is tasked with investigating and combating offenses related to terroris ...
and to face prosecution for his involvement in the attacks.


Background

Many terrorist attacks had occurred in Mumbai since the 13 coordinated bomb explosions that killed 257 people on 12 March 1993. The 1993 attacks were carried out in the name of revenge for the earlier
Bombay riots The Bombay riots were a series of riots that took place in Bombay (present-day Mumbai), Maharashtra, between December 1992 and January 1993. An estimated 900 people, predominantly Muslims, were killed. The riots were mainly due to escalations ...
, in which many Muslims were killed. On 6 December 2002, a blast in a
BEST Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...
bus near
Ghatkopar Ghatkopar (Pronunciation: ʱaːʈkopəɾ is a suburb in eastern Mumbai, close to which, the City's International Airport is located. The area is located on the Western corner of the Western Ghats and marks the beginning of the Ghats from M ...
station killed two people and injured 28. The bombing occurred on the 10th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Mosque in
Ayodhya Ayodhya () is a city situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ayodhya district as well as the Ayodhya division of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ayodhya became th ...
. A
bicycle bomb A bicycle bomb (or bike bomb) is an improvised explosive device that is placed on a bicycle. History Afghanistan * In Kandahar in the main square at least 15 people were wounded by a bicycle bomb. * In February 2006 in the city of Kunduz as a re ...
exploded near the
Vile Parle Vile Parle (, also known as Parla), is a suburb and also the name of the railway station in the Western suburb of Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state o ...
station in Mumbai, killing one person and injuring 25 on 27 January 2003, a day before the visit of the
Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Union Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers, despite the president of ...
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Atal Bihari Vajpayee (25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian poet, writer and statesman who served as the prime minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 ...
to the city. On 13 March 2003, a day after the 10th anniversary of the 1993 Bombay bombings, a bomb exploded in a train compartment near the
Mulund Mulund (Pronunciation: uluɳɖ is a suburb in the north-east of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It comes under the zone railway station on the Central Railway line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. It was first the railway station of the Mumbai ...
station, killing 10 people and injuring 70. On 28 July 2003, a blast in a BEST bus in Ghatkopar killed 4 people and injured 32. On 25 August 2003, two bombs exploded in South Mumbai, one near the
Gateway of India The Gateway of India is an arch-monument completed in 1924 on the waterfront of Mumbai (Bombay), India. It was erected to commemorate the landing of George V for his coronation as the Emperor of India in December 1911 at Strand Road near We ...
and the other at
Zaveri Bazaar Zaveri Bazaar is a jewellery market and a major hub for Business-to-business, B2B and B2C jewellery industry in Mumbai, India. Located at Bhuleshwar in South Mumbai, just north of Crawford Market, Zaveri Bazaar is a muddle of narrow lanes, dott ...
in
Kalbadevi Kalbadevi is an old neighbourhood in Mumbai (Bombay), India. It is named after Goddess Kalbadevi, the Hindu Goddess. Kalbadevi area is one of the busiest areas during peak hours. The area has mostly traders in watches, bicycles, steel utensils, et ...
. At least 44 people were killed and 150 injured. On 11 July 2006, seven bombs exploded within 11 minutes on the
Suburban Railway Commuter rail or suburban rail is a passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Commuter rail systems can use locomotive-hauled tr ...
in Mumbai, killing 209 people, including 22 foreigners and more than 700 injured. According to the
Mumbai Police The Greater Mumbai Police (Marathi language, Marathi: बृहन्मुंबई पोलीस, IAST: ''Brihanmumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay City Police'') is the Police, police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a cit ...
, the bombings were carried out by
Lashkar-e-Taiba Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist militant organization driven by a Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist ideology. The organisation's primary stated objective is to merge the whole of Kashmir with Pakistan. It was founded in 19 ...
(LeT) and
Students Islamic Movement of India The Students' Islamic Movement of India (abbreviated SIMI) is an Indian Islamic organisation that was formed in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh in April 1977. The Indian government describes it as a terrorist organisation, and banned it in 2001, short ...
(SIMI).


Training

A group of men said to number between 24 and 26 received training in marine warfare at a remote camp in mountainous
Muzaffarabad Muzaffarabad (; , IPA: ʊzəfːərɑːbɑːd is a city in Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute ...
in Pakistan. Part of the training was said to have taken place on the
Mangla Dam The Mangla Dam () is a multipurpose dam situated on the Jhelum River, lying in the Mirpur District of Pakistan administered Azad Kashmir and the Jhelum District in Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan. It is the List of largest dams, sixth-large ...
reservoir in Pakistan. The recruits went through extensive training: * Psychological:
Indoctrination Indoctrination is the process of inculcating (teaching by repeated instruction) a person or people into an ideology, often avoiding critical analysis. It can refer to a general process of socialization. The term often implies forms of brainwas ...
to Islamist ''jihadi'' ideas, including imagery of atrocities suffered by Muslims in India and globally. * Basic combat: Lashkar's basic combat training and methodology course, the ''Daura Aam'' * Advanced training: Selected to undergo advanced combat training at a camp near
Mansehra Mansehra (Urdu, ) is a city in the Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. By population, it is the List of largest cities in Pakistan, 71st largest city in the country and the List of cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by population, ...
, a course the organisation calls the ''Daura Khaas''. According to an unnamed source at the
U.S. Defense Department The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, t ...
, this includes advanced weapons and explosives training supervised by former members of the
Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...
, along with
survival training Survival training is a theoretical and physical practice where participants aim to survive in the wilderness with as little means as possible. Survival training is used to teach survival skills or as a form of recreational activity in which individ ...
and further
indoctrination Indoctrination is the process of inculcating (teaching by repeated instruction) a person or people into an ideology, often avoiding critical analysis. It can refer to a general process of socialization. The term often implies forms of brainwas ...
. *
Commando A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...
training: Finally, an even smaller group was selected for specialized commando tactics training, and marine navigation training was given to the
Fedayeen Fedayeen ( ''fidāʻiyyūn'' "self-sacrificers") is an Arabic language, Arabic term used to refer to various military groups willing to sacrifice themselves for a larger campaign. Etymology "Fidayun" is the plural of "fidayi" ( ''fidāʻiyy'' ...
unit that was selected, to target Mumbai. From the recruits, 10 were handpicked for the Mumbai mission. They also received training in swimming and sailing, besides the use of high-end weapons and
explosives An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...
under the supervision of LeT commanders. According to a media report citing an unnamed former Department of Defense official of the US, the intelligence agencies of the US had determined that former officers from Pakistan's Army and
Inter-Services Intelligence The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is the premier Pakistani Intelligence community, intelligence agency of Pakistan. It is responsible for gathering, processing, and analyzing any information from around the world that is deemed relevant t ...
agency assisted actively and continuously in training. They were given blueprints of all the four targets –
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel The Taj Mahal Palace is a heritage, five-star, luxury hotel in the Colaba area of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, situated next to the Gateway of India. Built in the Indo-Saracenic architecture, Indo-Saracenic style, it opened in 1903 as the Taj Mah ...
,
Oberoi Trident The Oberoi Group is a luxury hotel group with its head office in New Delhi, India. Founded in 1934, the company owns and operates 32 luxury hotels and two river cruise ships in 7 countries, primarily under its Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Triden ...
,
Nariman House The Nariman House, designated as a Chabad house (), is a five-storey landmark in the Colaba area of South Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The building was home to a Chabad house, a Hasidic Jewish outreach centre run by Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg ...
, and
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), officially Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), also known sometimes as Victoria Terminus (VT), is a historic railway terminus and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The term ...
.


Attacks

The terrorists first hijacked an Indian fishing boat and killed five people on board. The first events were detailed around 20:00
Indian Standard Time Indian Standard Time (IST), sometimes also called India Standard Time, is the time zone observed throughout the Republic of India, with a time offset of UTC+05:30. India does not observe daylight saving time or other seasonal adjustments. I ...
(IST) on 26 November, when 10 men in inflatable speedboats came ashore at two locations in
Colaba Colaba (; or ISO 15919, ISO: Kolābā) is a part of the city of Mumbai, India. It is one of the four peninsulas of Mumbai while the other three are Worli, Bandra and Malabar Hill. During the Portuguese rule in the 16th century, the island was ...
. They reportedly told local
Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
-speaking fishermen who asked them who they were to "mind their own business" before they split up and went in two different ways. The fishermen's' subsequent report to the police department received little response and local police failed to act.


Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) was attacked by two gunmen, Ismail Khan and
Ajmal Kasab Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab (13 July 1987 – 21 November 2012) was a Pakistani terrorist and a member of the Islamism, Islamist militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba through which he took part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2008 Mumbai terr ...
. Kasab was later caught alive by the police and identified by eyewitnesses. The attacks began around 21:30, when the two men entered the passenger hall and opened fire with
AK-47 The AK-47, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova (; also known as the Kalashnikov or just AK), is an assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kala ...
assault rifle An assault rifle is a select fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge, intermediate-rifle cartridge and a Magazine (firearms), detachable magazine.C. Taylor, ''The Fighting Rifle: A Complete Study of the Rifle in Combat'', F.A. Moyer '' ...
s. The attackers killed 58 people and injured 104 others, their assault ending at about 22:45. Security forces and emergency services arrived shortly afterwards. Announcements by a railway announcer, Vishnu Dattaram Zende, alerted passengers to leave the station, which saved many lives. The two gunmen fled the scene and fired at
pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, by wheelchair or with other mobility aids. Streets and roads often have a designated footpath for pedestrian traffic, called the '' sidewalk'' in North American English, the ''pavement'' in British En ...
s and police officers in the streets, killing eight police officers. The attackers passed a police station. Knowing that they were outgunned against the heavily armed terrorists, the police officers at the station, instead of confronting the terrorists, decided to switch off the lights and secure the gates. The attackers then headed towards Cama Hospital with intent to kill patients, but the hospital staff locked all of the patient wards. A team of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad, led by Police Chief
Hemant Karkare Hemant Kamlakar Karkare, () (12 December 1954 – 26 November 2008) was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In 2009, he was posthumously given the Ashoka Chakra, India's ...
, searched the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and then left in pursuit of Kasab and Khan. Kasab and Khan opened fire on the vehicle in a lane next to the hospital and received return fire in response. Karkare, Vijay Salaskar,
Ashok Kamte Ashok Kamte AC (23 February 1965 – 26 November 2008) was an Indian police officer, serving as the Additional Commissioner of the Mumbai Police supervising the Eastern region. He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He was ...
, and three of their officers were killed. The only survivor, Constable Arun Jadhav, was severely wounded. Kasab and Khan seized the police vehicle but later abandoned it and seized a passenger car instead. They then ran into a police roadblock, which had been set up after Jadhav radioed for help. A gun battle then ensued in which Khan was killed and Kasab was wounded. After a physical struggle, Kasab was arrested. A police officer, Tukaram Omble, was also killed when he tried to disarm Kasab by wrestling his weapon away from him.


Leopold Cafe

The Leopold Cafe, a popular restaurant and bar on
Colaba Causeway Colaba Causeway, officially known as Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, is a commercial street, and a major causeway or land link between Colaba and the Old Woman's Island in the city of Mumbai, India. It lies close to the Fort area, and to the east of ...
in South Mumbai, was one of the first sites to be attacked. Two attackers, Shoaib alias Soheb and Nazir alias Abu Umer, opened fire on the cafe on the evening of 26 November between 21:30 and 21:48, killing 10 people (including some international visitors) and injuring many more.


Bomb blasts in taxis

Two explosions happened in taxis caused by
time bomb A time bomb (or a timebomb, time-bomb) is a bomb whose detonation is triggered by a timer. The use or attempted use of time bombs has been for various purposes including insurance fraud, terrorism, assassination, sabotage and warfare. They are a ...
s. The first one occurred at 22:40 at Vile Parle, killing the driver and a passenger. The second explosion took place at Wadi Bunder between 22:20 and 22:25. Three people, including the driver of the taxi, were killed, and about 15 others were injured.


Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and Oberoi Trident

Two hotels, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the Oberoi Trident, were among the four locations targeted. Six explosions were reported at the Taj Hotel – one in the lobby, two in the elevators, and three in the restaurant – and one at the Oberoi Trident. At the Taj, firefighters rescued 200 hostages from windows using ladders during the first night. CNN initially reported on the morning of 27 November 2008 that the hostage situation at the Taj Hotel had been resolved and quoted the police chief of
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, stating that all hostages were freed; later that day, though, two attackers were found to be still holding hostages, including foreigners, in the Taj Hotel. Several members of the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...
Committee on International Trade The Committee on International Trade (INTA) is a committee of the European Parliament. Its current chair, elected on 10 July 2019, is Bernd Lange. but none were harmed. British
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
Member of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and S ...
(MEP)
Sajjad Karim Sajjad Haider Karim (born 11 July 1970) is a British politician. He served as a Member of the European Parliament for the North West England between 2004 and 2019. Sajjad was one of 10 members of the executive of European Movement UK and Chair ...
(who was in the lobby when attackers initially opened fire there) and German
Social Democrat Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...
MEP
Erika Mann Erika Julia Hedwig Mann (9 November 1905 – 27 August 1969) was a German actress and writer, daughter of the novelist Thomas Mann. Erika lived a bohemian lifestyle in Berlin and became a critic of National Socialism. After Hitler came to power ...
were hiding in different parts of the building. Also reported present was Spanish MEP
Ignasi Guardans Ignasi Guardans i Cambó (; born on 18 May 1964 in Barcelona, Catalonia) is a Spanish former politician, currently an independent figure still present in the Spanish media and public opinion. He is one of the 14 grandsons of Francesc Cambó. ...
, who was barricaded in a hotel room. Another British Conservative MEP,
Syed Kamall Syed Salah Kamall, Baron Kamall (born 15 February 1967) is a British politician and academic, who from September to October 2022 served in HM Government as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media an ...
, reported that he along with several other MEPs left the hotel and went to a nearby restaurant shortly before the attack. Kamall also reported that Polish MEP Jan Masiel was thought to have been sleeping in his hotel room when the attacks started, but eventually left the hotel safely. Kamall and Guardans reported that a Hungarian MEP's assistant was shot. Also caught up in the shooting were the
President of Madrid The president of the Community of Madrid is the highest-ranking officer of the Autonomous Community of Madrid and the head of the executive branch. The office is currently held by Isabel Díaz Ayuso of the People's Party. Origins and election ...
,
Esperanza Aguirre Esperanza Aguirre y Gil de Biedma (; born 3 January 1952) is a Spanish politician. As member of the People's Party (PP), she served as President of the Senate between 1999 and 2002 (becoming the first female politician to have held the post), a ...
, while checking in at the Oberoi Trident, and Indian MP N. N. Krishnadas of
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
and Gulam Noon while having dinner at a restaurant in the Taj Hotel.
Gautam Adani Gautam Shantilal Adani () (born 24 June 1962) is an Indian billionaire businessman who is the founder and chairman of the Adani Group, a multinational conglomerate involved in port development and operations in India. As of May 2025, Adani is ...
, a billionaire business tycoon of India, was having dinner in the Taj on November 26; he hid in the hotel kitchen and later in the toilet, and came out safely the next morning.


Nariman House

Nariman House, a
Chabad Lubavitch Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a Hasidic dynasty, dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi Judaism, Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasi ...
Jewish centre in Colaba known as the Mumbai Chabad House, was taken over by two attackers, and several residents were held hostage. Police evacuated adjacent buildings and exchanged fire with the attackers, wounding one. Local residents were told to stay inside. The attackers threw a grenade into a nearby lane, causing no casualties. NSG commandos arrived from
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
, and a naval helicopter took an aerial survey. During the first day, 9 hostages were rescued from the first floor. The following day, the house was stormed by NSG commandos fast-roping from helicopters onto the roof, covered by snipers positioned in nearby buildings. After a long battle, one NSG commando, Sergeant Gajender Singh Bisht was killed, as were both perpetrators. Rabbi
Gavriel Holtzberg Gavriel Noach Holtzberg (; June 9, 1979 – November 26, 2008 (1st of Kislev, 5769) was an Israeli American Orthodox rabbi and the Chabad emissary to Mumbai, India, where he and his wife Rivka ran the Mumbai Chabad House. He was also a religious ...
and his wife Rivka Holtzberg, who was six months pregnant, were murdered with four other hostages inside the house by the attackers. According to radio transmissions picked up by Indian intelligence, the attackers "would be told by their handlers in Pakistan that the lives of Jews were worth 50 times those of non-Jews". Injuries on some of the bodies indicated that they may have been tortured.


NSG raid

During the attacks, both hotels were surrounded by
Rapid Action Force The Rapid Action Force (RAF), is a specialized rapid reaction wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India established in October 1992 to deal with riot and crowd control situations. History RAF was established on 11 December 1 ...
personnel,
Marine Commandos The Marine Commandos () are a special forces unit of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). They are part of the Lebanese Special Operations Command (LSOCOM). Established with assistance from the United States Navy SEALs (U.S. Navy SEALs) and the Bri ...
(MARCOS), and
National Security Guards The National Security Guard (NSG) is a central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is the primary counter-terrorism force of the Government of India. It was founded on 16 October 1984, following Operation Blue ...
(NSG) commandos. When reports emerged that attackers were receiving television broadcasts, feeds to the hotels were blocked. Security forces stormed both hotels, and all nine attackers were killed by the morning of 29 November. Major
Sandeep Unnikrishnan Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Ashoka Chakra (military decoration), AC (15 March 1977 – 28 November 2008) was an Indian Army officer, who was serving in the 51 Special Action Group of the National Security Guards, National Security Guard on depu ...
of the NSG was fatally shot during the rescue of Commando Sunil Yadav, who was hit in the leg by a bullet during the rescue operations at Taj. 32 hostages were killed at the Oberoi Trident. NSG commandos then took on the Nariman House, and a naval helicopter took an aerial survey. During the first day, nine hostages were rescued from the first floor. The following day, the house was stormed by NSG commandos fast-roping from helicopters onto the roof, covered by snipers positioned in nearby buildings. NSG Commando Sergeant Gajender Singh Bisht, who was part of the team that fast-roped onto Nariman House, died from injuries sustained by a grenade after a long battle in which both perpetrators were also killed. By the morning of 28 November, the NSG had secured the Jewish outreach centre at Nariman House, as well as the Oberoi Trident hotel. They also incorrectly believed that the Taj Palace and Towers had been cleared of attackers, and soldiers were leading hostages and holed-up guests to safety, and removing bodies of those killed in the attacks. However, later news reports indicated that two or three attackers were still in the Taj, with explosions heard and gunfire exchanged. Fires were also reported at the ground floor of the Taj, with plumes of smoke arising from the first floor. The final operation at the Taj Palace hotel was completed by the NSG commandos at 08:00 on 29 November, killing three attackers and resulting in the conclusion of the attacks. The NSG rescued 250 people from the Oberoi, 300 from the Taj, and 60 (members of 12 different families) from Nariman House. In addition, police seized a boat filled with arms and explosives anchored at Mazgaon dock off Mumbai Harbour.


Attribution

The search regarding the identity of the terrorists started during the first attacks. During the searches, an unknown group calling itself the Mujahideen Hyderabad Deccan claimed responsibility for attacks in an email, which was later traced to Pakistan and was regarded as
hoax A hoax (plural: hoaxes) is a widely publicised falsehood created to deceive its audience with false and often astonishing information, with the either malicious or humorous intent of causing shock and interest in as many people as possible. S ...
. The Mumbai attacks were planned and directed by Lashkar-e-Taiba militants inside Pakistan and carried out by 10 young armed men trained and sent to Mumbai and directed from inside Pakistan by mobile phones and VoIP. In July 2009, Pakistani authorities confirmed that LeT plotted and financed the attacks from LeT camps in Karachi and
Thatta Thatta is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Thatta was the medieval capital of Sindh, and served as the seat of power for three successive dynasties. Its construction was ordered by Jam Nizamuddin II in 1495. Thatta's historic signif ...
. In November 2009, Pakistani authorities charged seven men they had arrested earlier, of planning and executing the assault. Mumbai police department originally identified 37 suspects—including two
Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...
officers—for their alleged involvement in the plot. All but two of the suspects, many of whom are identified only through aliases, are Pakistani.
David Coleman Headley David Coleman Headley (born Dawood Sayed Gilani; June 30, 1960) is a Pakistani-American Islamic terrorist and the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai islamic terrorist attacks. He played a key role in orchestrating the attacks, working with the ...
and
Tahawwur Hussain Rana Tahawwur Hussain Rana () (born 12 January 1961) is a Pakistani-Canadian terrorist, businessman and former military doctor, who is known for his alleged involvement in terrorism-related activities. He was allegedly a member of the militant group ...
, arrested in the United States in October 2009 for other attacks, were also found to have been involved in planning the Mumbai attacks. One of these men,
Pakistani American Pakistani Americans () are citizens of the United States who have full or partial ancestry from Pakistan, or more simply, Pakistanis in America. They can be from different ethnic groups in Pakistan like Punjabi or Muhajir. The term may also re ...
David Headley (born Daood Sayed Gilani), was found to have made several trips to India before the attacks, and gathered video and
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geol ...
information on behalf of the plotters. In April 2011, the United States issued arrest warrants for four Pakistani men as suspects in the attack. Three men,
Sajid Mir Sajid Mir (born 1976 or 1978) is a Pakistani national and a member of the militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Mir was the chief planner of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and has also managed the tasks of the 'foreign affairs' of Lashkar-e-Taiba's ...
, Abu Qahafa, and Mazhar Iqbal, alias " Major Iqbal", were believed to be members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, and helped plan and train the attackers.


Negotiations with Pakistan

Pakistani Prime Minister
Yousaf Raza Gillani Yusuf Raza Gilani (born 9 June 1952) is a Pakistani politician who served as the 16th prime minister of Pakistan from 2008 to 2012. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan since 2024. Chairman Gilani served as the acti ...
and President
Asif Ali Zardari Asif Ali Zardari (born 26 July 1955) is a Pakistani politician serving as the 14th president of Pakistan since 2024, having held the same office from 2008 to 2013. He is the president of Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians and was the ...
condemned the attacks. Pakistan promised to assist in the investigation, and President Zardari vowed "strong action against any Pakistani elements found involved in the attack". Pakistan initially denied that Pakistanis were responsible for the attacks, blaming plotters in Bangladesh and Indian criminals, a claim refuted by India, and saying they needed information from India on other bombings first. Pakistani authorities finally agreed that Ajmal Kasab was a Pakistani on 7 January 2009, and registered a case against three other Pakistani nationals. The Indian government supplied evidence to Pakistan and other governments, in the form of interrogations, weapons, and call records of conversations during the attacks. In addition, Indian government officials said that the attacks were so sophisticated that they must have had official backing from Pakistani "agencies", an accusation denied by Pakistan. Pakistan arrested a few members of Jamaat ud-Dawa and briefly put its founder under house arrest, but he was found to be free a few days later. A year after the attacks, Mumbai police continued to complain that Pakistani authorities were not co-operating by providing information for their investigation. Meanwhile, journalists in Pakistan said security agencies were preventing them from interviewing people from Kasab's village. The then Home Minister
P. Chidambaram Palaniappan Chidambaram (born 16 September 1945), better known as P. Chidambaram, is an Indian politician and lawyer who currently serves as Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha. He served as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee o ...
said the Pakistani authorities had not shared any information about American suspects
David Headley David Coleman Headley (born Dawood Sayed Gilani; June 30, 1960) is a Pakistani-American Islamic terrorist and the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai islamic terrorist attacks. He played a key role in orchestrating the attacks, working with the ...
and
Tahawwur Hussain Rana Tahawwur Hussain Rana () (born 12 January 1961) is a Pakistani-Canadian terrorist, businessman and former military doctor, who is known for his alleged involvement in terrorism-related activities. He was allegedly a member of the militant group ...
, but that the
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
had been more forthcoming. An Indian report, summarising intelligence gained from India's interrogation of David Headley, was released in October 2010. It alleged that Pakistan's intelligence agency (ISI) had provided support for the attacks by providing funding for reconnaissance missions in Mumbai. The report included Headley's claim that Lashkar-e-Taiba's chief military commander, Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi, had close ties to the ISI. He alleged that "every big action of LeT is done in close coordination with heISI." In 2018, during an interview with newspaper ''Dawn'', Pakistan's former Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani politician and businessman who served as the 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan, prime minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms, first serving from 1990 to 1993, then ...
questioned Pakistan's inaction in preventing the Mumbai attacks.


Investigation

According to investigations, the attackers travelled by sea from
Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...
, Pakistan, across the
Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea () is a region of sea in the northern Indian Ocean, bounded on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, Gulf of Aden and Guardafui Channel, on the northwest by Gulf of Oman and Iran, on the north by Pakistan, on the east by India, and ...
, hijacked the Indian fishing trawler ''Kuber'', killed the crew of four, then forced the captain to sail to Mumbai. After murdering the captain, the attackers entered Mumbai on a
rubber dinghy An inflatable boat is a lightweight boat constructed with its sides and bow made of flexible tubes containing pressurised gas. For smaller boats, the floor and hull are often flexible, while for boats longer than , the floor typically consist ...
. The captain of ''Kuber'', Amar Singh Solanki, had earlier been imprisoned for six months in a Pakistani jail for illegally fishing in Pakistani waters. The attackers stayed and were trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba in a safehouse at Azizabad in Karachi before boarding a small boat for Mumbai. David Headley was a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba, and between 2002 and 2009, Headley travelled extensively as part of his work for LeT. Headley received training in small arms and countersurveillance from LeT, built a network of connections for the group, and lead in scoping out targets for Mumbai attack having allegedly been given $25,000 in cash in 2006 by an ISI officer known as Major Iqbal. The officer also helped him arrange a communications system for the attack and oversaw a model of the Taj Hotel, so that gunmen could know their way inside the target, according to Headley's testimony to Indian authorities. Headley also helped ISI recruit Indian agents to monitor Indian troop levels and movements, according to a US official. At the same time, Headley was also an informant for the US
Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit Illegal drug trade, drug trafficking a ...
, and Headley's wives warned American officials of Headley's involvement with LeT and his plotting attacks, warning specifically that the Taj Hotel may be their target. US officials believed that the ISI officers provided support to LeT militants who carried out the attacks. Disclosures made by former American intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 revealed that the
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
(CIA) had intercepted communications between the Lashkar boat and the LeT headquarters in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and passed the alert on to RAW on 18 November, eight days before the terrorists actually struck Mumbai. In the hours after the attack, the
New York City Police Department The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
sent Brandon del Pozo, an official from their intelligence division, to investigate the incident to understand what vulnerabilities its methods posed for New York City. The arrest of
Zabiuddin Ansari Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari Abu Hamza or Abu Jundal (born 30 November 1980) is an Indian Islamic militant belonging to Indian Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Zabiuddin Ansari's name was featured in the list of "50 most wanted criminals sheltered in ...
, alias Abu Hamza, in June 2012 provided further clarity on how the plot was hatched. According to Abu Hamza, the attacks were previously scheduled for 2006, using Indian youth for the job. However, a huge cache of AK-47s and
RDX RDX (Research Department Explosive or Royal Demolition Explosive) or hexogen, among other names, is an organic compound with the formula (CH2N2O2)3. It is white, odorless, and tasteless, widely used as an explosive. Chemically, it is classified ...
, which were to be used for the attacks, was recovered from
Aurangabad Aurangabad (), officially renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023, is a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Aurangabad district and is the largest city in the Marathwada region. Located on a ...
in 2006, thus leading to the dismantling of the original plot. Subsequently, Abu Hamza fled to Pakistan and along with Lashkar commanders, scouted for Pakistani youth to be used for the attacks. In September 2007, 10 people were selected for the mission. In September 2008, these people tried sailing to Mumbai from Karachi, but could not complete their mission due to choppy waters. These men made a second attempt in November 2008, and successfully managed to execute the final attacks. David Headley's disclosures that three Pakistani army officers were associated with the planning and execution of the attack were substantiated by Ansari's revelations during his interrogation. After Ansari's arrest, Pakistan's Foreign Office claimed they had received information that up to 40 Indian nationals were involved in the attacks.


Method

The attackers had planned the attack several months ahead of time, and knew some areas well enough to vanish and reappear after security forces had left. Several sources have quoted Kasab telling the police that the group received help from Mumbai residents. The attackers used at least three
SIM card A typical SIM card (mini-SIM with micro-SIM cutout)A SIM card or SIM (subscriber identity module) is an integrated circuit (IC) intended to securely store an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number and its related key, which are u ...
s purchased on the Indian side of the border with
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
. There were also reports of a SIM card purchased in the US state of
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. Police had also mentioned that Faheem Ansari, an Indian Lashkar operative who had been arrested in February 2008, had scouted the Mumbai targets for the November attacks. Later, the police arrested two Indian suspects, Mikhtar Ahmad, who is from Srinagar in Kashmir, and Tausif Rehman, a resident of Kolkata. They supplied the SIM cards, one in Calcutta, and the other in New Delhi. The attackers used a satellite phone and cell phones to talk to each other, as well as their handlers who were based in Pakistan. In transcripts intercepted by Indian authorities between the attackers and their handlers, the handlers provided the attackers with encouragement, tactical advice, and information gained from media coverage. The attackers used both personal cell phones and those obtained from their victims to communicate with each other and the news media. Although the attackers were encouraged to murder hostages, the attackers were in communication with the news media via cell phones to make demands in return for the release of hostages. This was believed to be done to further confuse Indian authorities that they were dealing with primarily a hostage situation. Type 86 grenades made by China's state-owned
Norinco China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, doing business internationally as Norinco Group (an abbreviation of "North Industries Corporation"), and known within China as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (), is a Chinese ...
were used in the attacks. Also, indications arose that the attackers had been taking cocaine. The gunman who survived said that the attackers had used
Google Earth Google Earth is a web mapping, web and computer program created by Google that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satelli ...
to familiarise themselves with the locations of buildings used in the attacks. Of the 10 gunmen, nine were subsequently shot dead and one was captured by security forces. Witnesses reported that they seemed to be in their early 20s, wore black T-shirts and jeans, and smiled and looked happy as they shot their victims. Initially, some of the attackers reported to be British citizens, but the Indian government later stated that there was no evidence to confirm this. Similarly, early reports of 12 gunmen were also later shown to be incorrect. On 9 December, the 10 attackers were identified by Mumbai police, along with their home towns in Pakistan: Ajmal Amir Kasab from Faridkot, Abu Ismail Dera Ismail Khan from
Dera Ismail Khan Dera Ismail Khan (; Urdu and , ), abbreviated as D.I. Khan, is a city and capital of Dera Ismail Khan District, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is the 10th largest city of Pakistan and third or fourth largest in the province of Khy ...
, Hafiz Arshad and Babr Imran from
Multan Multan is the List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by population, fifth-most populous city in the Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab province of Pakistan. Located along the eastern bank of the Chenab River, it is the List of cities in Pakistan by populatio ...
, Javed from Okara, Shoaib from
Sialkot Sialkot (Punjabi language, Punjabi, ) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital of the Sialkot District and the List of most populous cities in Pakistan, 12th most populous city in Pakistan. The boundaries of Sialkot are joined ...
, Nazir Ahmed and Nasir from
Faisalabad Faisalabad, formerly known as Lyallpur, is the List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by population, second-largest city and primary List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by population, industrial center of the Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan ...
, Abdul Rahman from Arifwalla, and Fahadullah from Dipalpur Taluka. Dera Ismail Khan is in the
North-West Frontier Province The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP; ) was a province of British India from 1901 to 1947, of the Dominion of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955, and of the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan from 1970 to 2010. It was established on 9 November ...
; the rest of the towns are in
Pakistani Punjab Punjab (, ) is a province of Pakistan. With a population of over 127 million, it is the most populous province in Pakistan and the second most populous subnational polity in the world. Located in the central-eastern region of the country, i ...
. On 6 April 2010, the Home Minister of
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, informed the assembly that the bodies of the nine killed Pakistani gunmen from the 2008 attack on Mumbai were buried in a secret location in January 2010. The bodies had been in the mortuary of a Mumbai hospital after Muslim clerics in the city refused to let them be buried on their grounds.


Attackers

Only one of the attackers, Ajmal Kasab, survived the attack. He was
hanged Hanging is killing a person by suspending them from the neck with a noose or ligature strangulation, ligature. Hanging has been a standard method of capital punishment since the Middle Ages, and has been the primary execution method in numerou ...
in
Yerwada Central Jail Yerwada Central Jail is a noted high-security prison in Yerwada, Pune in Maharashtra. This is the largest prison in the state of Maharashtra, and also one of the largest prisons in South Asia, housing over 5,000 prisoners (2017) spread over va ...
in 2012.


Arrests

Ajmal Kasab was the only attacker arrested by police. At first, he deposed to police inspector Ramesh Mahale that he had come to India "to see
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema. He is often considered one of the greatest, most accomplished and commercially successful actors in the history of Indian cinema.* * * * * With a cinemati ...
's bungalow", and that he was apprehended by the
Mumbai Police The Greater Mumbai Police (Marathi language, Marathi: बृहन्मुंबई पोलीस, IAST: ''Brihanmumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay City Police'') is the Police, police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a cit ...
outside the bungalow. Much of the information about the attackers' preparation, travel, and movements comes from his subsequent confessions to the Mumbai police. On 12 February 2009, Pakistani Interior Minister
Rehman Malik Rehman Malik NI ( Punjabi, Urdu: رحمان ملک; born 12 December 1951 – 23 February 2022) was a Pakistani politician, and a former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer, who later served as the federal Interior Minister from 25 Marc ...
said that Pakistani national Javed Iqbal, who acquired VoIP phones in Spain for the Mumbai attackers, and Hamad Ameen Sadiq, who had facilitated money transfer for the attack, had been arrested. Two other men known as Khan and Riaz, but whose full names were not given, were also arrested. Two Pakistanis were arrested in
Brescia Brescia (, ; ; or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the region of Lombardy, in Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Lake Garda, Garda and Lake Iseo, Iseo. With a population of 199,949, it is the se ...
, Italy (east of
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
), on 21 November 2009, after being accused of providing logistical support to the attacks and transferring more than US$200 to Internet accounts using a false ID. They had Red Corner Notices issued against them by
Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL (abbreviated as ICPO–INTERPOL), commonly known as Interpol ( , ; stylized in allcaps), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime cont ...
for their suspected involvement and it was issued after the last year's strikes. In October 2009, two Chicago men were arrested and charged by the FBI for involvement in "terrorism" abroad, David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana. Headley, a Pakistani American, was charged in November 2009 with scouting locations for the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Headley is reported to have posed as an American Jew and is believed to have links with militant Islamist groups based in Bangladesh. On 18 March 2010, Headley pleaded guilty to a dozen charges against him thereby avoiding going to trial. In December 2009, the FBI charged
Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed, also known as Pasha, is a retired Major in the Pakistan army, accused of involvement with terrorism. He is listed on the NIA Most Wanted list. Biography Abdur Rehman retired in 2007 from the Pakistan army as a Major. ...
, a retired
major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
in the
Pakistani Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...
, for planning the attacks in association with Headley. On 15 January 2010, in a successful snatch operation,
R&AW The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) is the foreign intelligence agency of the Republic of India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area; the most populous ...
agents nabbed Sheikh Abdul Khwaja, one of the handlers of the 26/11 attacks, chief of HuJI India operations and a most wanted suspect in India, from
Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...
, Sri Lanka, and brought him over to
Hyderabad, India Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
, for formal arrest. On 25 June 2012, the Delhi Police Department arrested Zabiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Hamza, one of the key suspects in the attack at the
Indira Gandhi International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport serving New Delhi, the capital of India, and the National Capital Region (NCR). The airport, spread over an area of ,
in New Delhi. His arrest was touted as the most significant development in the case since Kasab's arrest. Security agencies had been chasing him for three years in Delhi. Ansari is a LeT ultra and the Hindi tutor of the 10 attackers who were responsible for the Mumbai attacks in 2008. He was apprehended, after he was arrested and deported to India by Saudi Intelligence officials as per official request by Indian authorities. After Ansari's arrest, investigations revealed that in 2009 he allegedly stayed for a day in a room in Old Legislators's Hostel, belonging to Fauzia Khan, a former MLA and minister in Maharashtra Government. The minister, however, denied having any links with him. Home Minister P. Chidambaram asserted that Ansari was provided a safe place in Pakistan and was present in the control room, which could not have been established without active State support. Ansari's interrogation further revealed that
Sajid Mir Sajid Mir (born 1976 or 1978) is a Pakistani national and a member of the militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Mir was the chief planner of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and has also managed the tasks of the 'foreign affairs' of Lashkar-e-Taiba's ...
and a Pakistani Army major visited India under fake names as cricket spectators to survey targets in Delhi and Mumbai for about a fortnight.
Sajid Mir Sajid Mir (born 1976 or 1978) is a Pakistani national and a member of the militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Mir was the chief planner of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and has also managed the tasks of the 'foreign affairs' of Lashkar-e-Taiba's ...
, a Pakistani citizen and key operative of the militant
Islamic extremist Islamic extremism refers to extremist beliefs, behaviors and ideologies adhered to by some Muslims within Islam. The term 'Islamic extremism' is contentious, encompassing a spectrum of definitions, ranging from academic interpretations of Is ...
group LeT, is seen as one of the main organizers of the 2008 attacks. He has been called the "mastermind" and "project manager". Mir is on the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's Most Wanted list and the
United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...
offers in its
Rewards for Justice Program Rewards for Justice Program (RFJ) is United States Department of State's national security interagency program that offers reward for information leading to the location or an arrest of leaders of terrorist groups, financiers of terrorism, inclu ...
, a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Mir. Mir has carried out terrorism operations in different parts of the world, including France. Jason M. Blazakis, professor of practice at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at
Monterey Monterey ( ; ) is a city situated on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. Located in Monterey County, the city occupies a land area of and recorded a population of 30,218 in the 2020 census. The city was fou ...
, stated in 2018 in ''The Hill'': "A lethal, miasmic mix of bureaucratic inertia, diplomatic dysfunction and misperception has contributed to the fact that LeT members
Sajid Mir Sajid Mir (born 1976 or 1978) is a Pakistani national and a member of the militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Mir was the chief planner of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and has also managed the tasks of the 'foreign affairs' of Lashkar-e-Taiba's ...
, Mazhar Iqbal, Abu Qahafa (his nom de guerre), and their ISI handler, Major Iqbal (no relation to Mazhar), roam free." On April 10, 2025, the NIA formally arrested Tahawwur Rana after his arrival from the U.S.


Casualties and compensation

A total of 175 people, including civilians, security personnel, and nine of the attackers, were killed in the attacks. Among the dead were 29 foreign nationals. One attacker was captured. The bodies of many of the dead hostages showed signs of torture or disfigurement. A number of those killed were notable figures in business, media, and security services. The
chief minister of Maharashtra The chief minister of Maharashtra (IAST: Mahārāṣṭrāce Mukhyamaṃtrī) is the head of the executive branch of the government of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Following elections to the Legislative Assembly, the governor invites ...
,
Vilasrao Deshmukh Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh (26 May 1945 – 14 August 2012) was an Indian politician who served as the 14th Chief Minister of Maharashtra, first term from 18 October 1999 to 16 January 2003 and second term, from 1 November 2004 to 5 De ...
, said that 15 policemen and two NSG commandos were killed, including the following officers: * Assistant Police Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble, who succeeded in capturing a terrorist alive, with his bare hands. * Joint Commissioner of Police
Hemant Karkare Hemant Kamlakar Karkare, () (12 December 1954 – 26 November 2008) was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In 2009, he was posthumously given the Ashoka Chakra, India's ...
, the Chief of the Mumbai
Anti-Terrorism Squad An Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is a special counterterrorism unit present in several state police agencies of India including Maharashtra Police, Gujarat Police, Kerala Police, Uttar Pradesh Police, Rajasthan Police, Bihar Police, Jharkhan ...
* Additional Commissioner of Police:
Ashok Kamte Ashok Kamte AC (23 February 1965 – 26 November 2008) was an Indian police officer, serving as the Additional Commissioner of the Mumbai Police supervising the Eastern region. He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He was ...
* Encounter specialist Senior Inspector Vijay Salaskar * Senior Inspector Shashank Shinde * NSG Commando, Major
Sandeep Unnikrishnan Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Ashoka Chakra (military decoration), AC (15 March 1977 – 28 November 2008) was an Indian Army officer, who was serving in the 51 Special Action Group of the National Security Guards, National Security Guard on depu ...
* NSG Commando, Hawaldar Gajender Singh Bisht Three railway officials of
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), officially Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), also known sometimes as Victoria Terminus (VT), is a historic railway terminus and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The term ...
were also killed. The casualties occurred in the following locations: The
government of Maharashtra The Government of Maharashtra is the executive branch of the Indian states of india, state of Maharashtra. The government is led by the List of chief ministers of Maharashtra, chief minister (currently Devendra Fadnavis since 5 December 2024) ...
announced about as compensation to the kin of each of those killed in the terror attacks and about to the seriously injured. In August 2009, the Indian Hotels Company and the Oberoi Group received about US$28 million as part-payment of the insurance claims, on account of the attacks on Taj and Trident, from General Insurance Corporation of India.


Aftermath

The attacks are sometimes referred to in India as "26/11", after the date in 2008 that the attacks began. The Pradhan Inquiry Commission, appointed by the Maharashtra government, produced a report that was tabled before the legislative assembly more than a year after the events. The report said the "war-like" attack was beyond the capacity to respond of any police force, but also found fault with the Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor's lack of leadership during the crisis. The Maharashtra government planned to buy 36 speed boats to patrol the coastal areas and several helicopters for the same purpose, along with installation of surveilance cameras citywide. It also planned to create an anti-terror force called " Force One" and upgrade all the weapons that Mumbai police had prior to the attack. Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh Manmohan Singh (26 September 1932 – 26 December 2024) was an Indian economist, bureaucrat, academician, and statesman, who served as the prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He was the fourth longest-serving prime minister after Jaw ...
on an all-party conference declared that legal framework would be strengthened in the battle against terrorism and a federal anti-terrorist intelligence and investigation agency, like the
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
, will be set up soon to co-ordinate action against terrorism. The government strengthened anti-terror laws with UAPA 2008, and the federal
National Investigation Agency The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is the principal counter-terrorism law enforcement agency in India. Established under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, it is tasked with investigating and combating offenses related to terroris ...
was formed. A Public Interest Litigation has been filed by social activist Ketan Tirodkar to demand equal justice for all the police who were killed in the terror attack; especially for the members of the Bomb Disposal Squad of Mumbai Police. During the hearing of the petition, the Government informed the High Court that the Federal Government of India has rejected the proposal to award the Bomb Disposal Squad of the city police for their contribution in defusing grenades in the terror attack. The attacks also resulted in the suspension of peace talks between India and Pakistan, significantly increasing tensions between the two countries. India's then External Affairs Minister
Pranab Mukherjee Pranab Kumar Mukherjee ( ; born, 11 December 1935 – 31 August 2020) was an Indian statesman who served as the president of India from 2012 until 2017. He was the first person from West Bengal to hold the post of President of India. In a pol ...
declared that India may indulge in military strikes against terror camps in Pakistan to protect its territorial integrity. There were also after-effects on the United States's relationships with both countries, the US-led
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
war in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...
, and on the Global War on Terror. FBI chief
Robert Mueller Robert Swan Mueller III (; born August 7, 1944) is an American lawyer who served as the sixth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013. A graduate of Princeton University and New York University, Mueller served a ...
praised the "unprecedented cooperation" between American and
Indian intelligence agencies Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...
over the Mumbai terror attack probe. However,
Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL (abbreviated as ICPO–INTERPOL), commonly known as Interpol ( , ; stylized in allcaps), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime cont ...
secretary general
Ronald Noble Ronald Kenneth "Ron" Noble (born September 24, 1956) is an American law enforcement officer who served as the secretary-general of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) from 2000 to 2014. He was the organization's first A ...
said that Indian intelligence agencies did not share any information with Interpol. A new
National Counter Terrorism Centre The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) was a proposed federal anti-terror agency to be created in India, modelled on the National Counterterrorism Center of the US. The proposal arose after the 2008 Mumbai attacks 26/11 attacks where se ...
(NCTC) was proposed to be set up by the then-Home Minister P. Chidambaram as an office to collect, collate, summarise, integrate, analyse, co-ordinate and report all information and inputs received from various intelligence agencies, state police departments, and other ministries and their departments. The attack led to an increase in anti-Pakistan sentiments across India, especially from right wing political groups, which continued in the aftermath. Similar sentiments were echoed elsewhere, most notably in the United States of America, as 6 American citizens were killed in the attack. Following the attack, as well as raid in Abbottabad in May 2011 that killed
9/11 The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
mastermind
Osama bin Laden Osama bin Laden (10 March 19572 May 2011) was a militant leader who was the founder and first general emir of al-Qaeda. Ideologically a pan-Islamist, Bin Laden participated in the Afghan ''mujahideen'' against the Soviet Union, and support ...
, anti-Pakistan views and hate crimes against Pakistani origin people surged in the United States. Consequently, due to such hate crimes and views, many
Pakistanis Pakistanis (, ) are the citizens and nationals of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. As much as ...
and
Pakistani-Americans Pakistani Americans () are citizens of the United States who have full or partial ancestry from Pakistan, or more simply, Pakistanis in America. They can be from different ethnic groups in Pakistan like Punjabi or Muhajir. The term may also r ...
have identified themselves as
Indians Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...
to avoid discrimination and obtain jobs.


Movement of troops

Pakistan moved troops towards the border with India voicing concerns about the Indian government's possible plans to launch attacks on Pakistani soil if it did not co-operate. After days of talks, the Pakistan government, however, decided to start moving troops away from the border.


Reactions

Indians criticised their political leaders after the attacks, saying that their ineptness was partly responsible. ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...
'' commented on its front page that "Our politicians fiddle as innocents die." Political reactions in Mumbai and India included a range of resignations and political changes, including the resignations of
Minister for Home Affairs An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
Shivraj Patil Shivraj Patil (born 12 October 1935) is an Indian politician was the Minister of Home Affairs of India, from 2004 to 2008 and 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996. He was Governor of the state of Punjab and Administrator of the U ...
,
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union ter ...
Vilasrao Deshmukh Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh (26 May 1945 – 14 August 2012) was an Indian politician who served as the 14th Chief Minister of Maharashtra, first term from 18 October 1999 to 16 January 2003 and second term, from 1 November 2004 to 5 De ...
and deputy chief minister R. R. Patil for controversial reactions to the attack including taking the former's son and
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
director
Ram Gopal Varma Penmetsa Ram Gopal Varma (born 7 April 1962), often referred to by his initials RGV, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer, primarily known for his work in Hindi cinema, Hindi and Telugu cinema, Telugu films.** * * Varma has dir ...
to tour the damaged Taj Hotel and the latter's remarks that the attacks were not a big deal in such a large city.
Indian Muslims Islam is India's second-largest religion, with 14.2% of the country's population, or approximately 172.2 million people, identifying as adherents of Islam in a 2011 census. India also has the third-largest number of Muslims in the world. ...
condemned the attacks and refused to bury the attackers. Groups of Muslims marched against the attacks and mosques observed silence. Prominent Muslim personalities such as Bollywood actor Aamir Khan appealed to their community members in the country to observe Eid al-Adha as a day of mourning on 9 December. The business establishment also reacted, with changes to transport, and requests for an increase in self-defence capabilities. The attacks also triggered a chain of citizens' movements across India such as the India Today Group's "War Against Terror" campaign. There were vigils held across all of India with candles and placards commemorating the victims of the attacks. The NSG commandos based in
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
also met criticism for taking ten hours to reach the three sites under attack. On 28 December 2010, 2 years after the attack, United Progressive Alliance, UPA leader Digvijaya Singh was criticized for attending a book launch which described that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had conspired the attack. The book ''RSS ki Saazish'' (meaning Conspiracy by RSS), written by Aziz Burney, was extremely condemned by RSS members and opposition leaders. Furthermore, the Indian National Congress, Congress party was also slammed for coining the terms of Hindu terrorists and Saffron terror, relating to several terror attacks across the nation before the November 2008 attack in Mumbai, most notably the Jaipur bombings, Jaipur, 2008 Bangalore serial blasts, Bangalore, and 2008 Ahmedabad bombings, Ahmedabad. International reaction for the attacks was widespread, with many countries and international organisations condemning the attacks and expressing their condolences to the civilian victims. Many important personalities around the world also condemned the attacks. Media coverage highlighted the use of social media and social networking tools, including Twitter and Flickr, in spreading information about the attacks. In addition, many Indian bloggers offered live textual coverage of the attacks. A map of the attacks was set up by a web journalist using Google Maps. The New York Times, in July 2009, described the event as "what may be the most well-documented terrorist attack anywhere". In November 2010, families of American victims of the attacks filed a lawsuit in Brooklyn, New York, naming Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, chief of the ISI, as being complicit in the Mumbai attacks. On 22 September 2011, the attack on the American Embassy in Afghanistan was attributed to Pakistan via cell phone records identical to the attacks in Mumbai, also linked to Pakistan.


Trials


Kasab's trial

Ajmal Kasab, Kasab's trial was delayed due to legal issues, as many Indian lawyers were unwilling to represent him. A Mumbai Bar Association passed a resolution proclaiming that none of its members would represent Kasab. However, the Chief Justice of India stated that Kasab needed a lawyer for a fair trial. A lawyer for Kasab was eventually found, but was replaced due to a conflict of interest. On 25 February 2009, Indian investigators filed an 11,000-page chargesheet, formally charging Kasab with murder, conspiracy, and waging war against India among other charges. Kasab's trial began on 23 March 2009, and he pled not guilty on 6 May 2009. On 10 June 2009, Devika Rotawan, a child who had been shot in her leg during the attack, identified Kasab as one of the attackers during her testimony. He pled guilty on 20 July 2009. The judge found many of the 86 charges were not addressed in his confession, and therefore the trial continued 23 July 2009. Kasab initially apologised for the attacks and said he deserved the death penalty for his crimes, but on 18 December 2009, retracted his confession, and said he had been forced by police to make his confession. Kasab was convicted of all 86 charges on 3 May 2010. He was found guilty of murder for directly killing seven people, conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of the 164 people killed in the three-day terror siege, waging war against India, causing terror, and of conspiracy to murder two high-ranking police officers. On 6 May 2010, he was sentenced to death by hanging. However, he appealed his sentence at high court. On 21 February 2011, the Bombay High Court upheld the death sentence of Kasab, dismissing his appeal. On 29 August 2012, the Indian Supreme Court upheld the death sentence for Kasab. The court stated, "We are left with no option but to award death penalty. The primary and foremost offence committed by Kasab is waging war against the Government of India". The verdict followed 10 weeks of appeal hearings, and was decided by a two-judge Supreme Court panel, which was led by Judge Aftab Alam. The panel rejected arguments that Kasab was denied a free and fair trial. Kasab filed a mercy petition with the President of India, which was rejected on 5 November. Kasab was hanged in Pune's Yerwada jail in secret on 21 November 2012 at 7:30 am named as operation 'X'. The Indian embassy in Islamabad informed the Pakistan government about Kasab's hanging through a letter. Pakistan refused to take the letter, which was then faxed to them. His family in Pakistan was sent news of his hanging via a courier.


In Pakistan

Indian and Pakistani police exchanged DNA evidence, photographs and items found with the attackers to piece together a detailed portrait of the Mumbai plot. Police in Pakistan arrested seven people, including Hammad Amin Sadiq, a homoeopathic pharmacist, who arranged bank accounts and secured supplies. Sadiq and six others began their formal trial on 3 October 2009 in Pakistan. Indian authorities said the prosecution stopped well short of top Lashkar leaders. In November 2009, Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh Manmohan Singh (26 September 1932 – 26 December 2024) was an Indian economist, bureaucrat, academician, and statesman, who served as the prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He was the fourth longest-serving prime minister after Jaw ...
said that Pakistan had not done enough to bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice. An eight-member commission comprising defence lawyers, prosecutors and a court official was allowed to travel to India on 15 March 2013 to gather evidence for the prosecution of seven suspects linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. However, the defence lawyers were barred from cross-examining the four prosecution witnesses in the case including Ajmal Kasab. On the eve of the first anniversary of 26/11, a Pakistani anti-terror court formally charged seven accused, including LeT operations commander Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi. However, the actual trial started on 5 May 2012. The Pakistani court conducting trial of Mumbai attacks accused, reserved its judgement on the application filed by Lakhvi, challenging the report of the judicial panel, to 17 July 2012. On 17 July 2012, the court refused to take the findings of the Pakistani judicial commission as part of the evidence. However, it ruled that if a new agreement, which allows the panel's examination of witnesses, is reached, the prosecution may make an application for sending the panel to Mumbai. The Indian Government, upset over the court ruling, however, contended that evidence collected by the Pakistani judicial panel has evidential value to punish all those involved in the attack. On 21 September 2013, a Pakistani judicial commission arrived in India to carry out the investigation and to cross examine the witnesses. This is the second such visit: the one in March 2012 was not a success as its report was rejected by an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan due to lack of evidence. On 17 July 2019, Hafiz Saeed, the founder of
Lashkar-e-Taiba Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist militant organization driven by a Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist ideology. The organisation's primary stated objective is to merge the whole of Kashmir with Pakistan. It was founded in 19 ...
and one of the co-conspirators of the attack, was arrested in Gujranwala by the Punjab Counter Terrorism Department(CTD) on the charges of terror financing, after it was found that Saeed's group Jamat-ud-Dawa(JuD) was financing terrorism from the funds collected by several non-profit organizations. Saeed was sentenced to serve 15 years in December 2020 on several charges of terror financing, which was extended to 31 years in April 2022. The following month, on 2 January 2021,
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi (, born 30 December 1960) is a Pakistani Islamist militant and co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba. One of the prime perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, he is featured on India's NIA Most Wanted list. In January 2021, he wa ...
, another mastermind of the attack, was arrested on the same charges of terror financing, and handed a 15-year sentence. The arrests and sentencing were carried out after the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) threatened the Government of Pakistan to be put in the Financial Action Task Force#Current FATF blacklist, FATF Blacklist for failure to comply on money laundering and financing of terrorism, amid an economic crisis after being put on the FATF grey list in 2018. On 24 June 2022,
Sajid Mir Sajid Mir (born 1976 or 1978) is a Pakistani national and a member of the militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Mir was the chief planner of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and has also managed the tasks of the 'foreign affairs' of Lashkar-e-Taiba's ...
, a co-plotter of the attack and a Pakistan Army Officer, was sentenced to 15 years for terror financing. Mir was earlier declared dead and Pakistan had denied his presence, but due to compliance of FATF actions, Pakistan was forced to admit about his existence. An interrogation with Zabiuddin Ansari, Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari revealed that Mir scouted targets in 2005 with a fake name and passport under the cricket diplomacy to watch the India-Pakistan One Day International, ODI Cricket match at Mohali. Additionally, Ansari stated that after visiting several places in India, Mir prepared the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Taj Hotel's miniature model to familiarize the attackers with the hotel. Mir was reportedly poisoned in prison in December 2023. In November 2024, a video verified through Facial recognition system, facial recognition revealed about co-conspirator
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi (, born 30 December 1960) is a Pakistani Islamist militant and co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba. One of the prime perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, he is featured on India's NIA Most Wanted list. In January 2021, he wa ...
participating in a fitness test, which questioned about Pakistan's compliance with international sanctions from the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. Despite his conviction, Lakhvi was reported to move freely in
Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
, Rawalpindi, and Okara. Living Media, India Today's intelligence sources described his arrest as a pseudo-event and cover-up, with no genuine enforcement of restrictions and pretense on seriousness to tackle terrorism.


In the United States

The LeT operative
David Headley David Coleman Headley (born Dawood Sayed Gilani; June 30, 1960) is a Pakistani-American Islamic terrorist and the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai islamic terrorist attacks. He played a key role in orchestrating the attacks, working with the ...
(born Daood Sayed Gilani) in his testimony before a Chicago federal court during co-accused Tahawwur Rana's trial revealed that Mumbai Chabad House was added to the list of targets for surveillance given by his Inter Services Intelligence handler Major Iqbal, though the Oberoi Hotel, one of the sites attacked, was not originally on the list. On 10 June 2011, Tahawwur Rana was acquitted of plotting the 2008 Mumbai attacks but was held guilty on two other charges. He was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on 17 January 2013. In May 2023, a US court approved his extradition to India where he is sought for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. David Headley pleaded guilty to 12 counts related to the attacks, including conspiracy to commit murder in India and aiding and abetting in the murder of six Americans. On 23 January 2013, he was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison. His plea that he not be extradited to India, Pakistan or Denmark was accepted.


Extradition of Tahawwur Rana

On 13 February 2025, US President Donald Trump confirmed the extradition of Rana to India, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States in May 2023, after the Government of India renewed its request for his extradition. On 8 April 2025, after Rana's last plea to stop his extradition was rejected by the Supreme Court of the United States, a team of
National Investigation Agency The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is the principal counter-terrorism law enforcement agency in India. Established under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, it is tasked with investigating and combating offenses related to terroris ...
officers arrived in the United States to take Rana into custody. He arrived in Delhi on 10 April 2025.


Memorials

On the first anniversary of the event, the state paid homage to the victims of the attack. Force One—a new security force created by the Maharashtra government—staged a parade from Nariman Point to Chowpatty. Other memorials and candlelight vigils were also organised at the various locations where the attacks occurred. On the second anniversary of the event, homage was again paid to the victims. On the 10th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Nariman House, one of the several establishments that were targeted by the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, were to be declared a memorial and renamed as Nariman Light House. The Indian Express group hosts an annual memorial event, 26/11 – Stories of Strength, in Mumbai to pay homage to those killed in the ghastly terror attacks in the city in 2008. The memorial event started in 2016, is now organised at the Gateway of India and brings forth the inspiring stories of courage and strength of more than 100 survivors that the Indian Express has interviewed over the past decade. Actor Amitabh Bachchan has been the brand ambassador for the event over the years.


Published accounts


Documentaries

* ''Mumbai Massacre'' (2009), television documentary film by Victoria Midwinter Pitt about survivors of the attack. Originally broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, it was re-edited for PBS' ''Secrets of the Dead'' as the episode "Mumbai Massacre", it was also shown in Four Corners (Australian TV program), ''Four Corners'' as the twenty-sixth episode of season 49. * ''Terror in Mumbai'' (2009), British television documentary film by Dan Reed (director), Dan Reed, broadcast by HBO which features audio tapes of the intercepted phone calls between the young gunmen and their controllers in Pakistan, and testimony from the sole surviving gunman. * ''Mumbai Terror Attacks'' (2010), Indian television documentary film by Ashish R. Shukla produced by Miditech and broadcast by National Geographic (Indian TV channel), Nat Geo India. * "City Under Siege" (2012), directed by Matthew Hinchcliffe, first episode of the television documentary series ''Black Ops'' with a focus on the rescue operation during the attacks. * "Terror in Mumbai" (2011), directed by Mike Phillips, fourth episode of the American television docudrama series ''Got Home Alive'', about foreign tourists caught in the attacks. * "Mumbai Massacre" (2012), directed by Stan Griffin, List of Seconds from Disaster episodes, sixth episode of season 5 of the television docudrama series ''Seconds from Disaster'', focusing on intelligence failures which lead to the attacks. * "Operation Black Tornado" (2018), third episode of the Indian television documentary series ''Battle Ops'' on the online channel Veer by Discovery. * ''Rubaru Roshni'' (2019), Indian documentary film by Svati Chakravarty Bhatkal broadcast by STAR India, Star India, about survivors of the attacks.


Films

* ''Crackers (2011 film), Crackers'' (2011), Indian animated film by Anil Goyal, inspired by the attacks. * ''Operation Mumbai'' (2012), Indian action film by Ajit Varma which dramatizes the events of the attacks including the motivations of
Ajmal Kasab Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab (13 July 1987 – 21 November 2012) was a Pakistani terrorist and a member of the Islamism, Islamist militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba through which he took part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2008 Mumbai terr ...
. * ''Shahid (film), Shahid'' (2012), Indian biographical drama film by Hansal Mehta, based on the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi – assassinated in 2010 after agreeing to defend Faheem Ansari who was accused of abetting the terrorists (was later found not-guilty by the courts). * ''The Attacks of 26/11'' (2013), Indian action thriller film directed by
Ram Gopal Varma Penmetsa Ram Gopal Varma (born 7 April 1962), often referred to by his initials RGV, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer, primarily known for his work in Hindi cinema, Hindi and Telugu cinema, Telugu films.** * * Varma has dir ...
, depicting the attacks based on the book ''Kasab: The Face of 26/11'' by Rommel Rodrigues with a focus on Ajmal Kasab. * ''Arrambam'' (2013), Indian action-thriller film by Vishnuvardhan (director), Vishnuvardhan about counter-terrorism operations in India, inspired by the attacks. * ''Phantom (2015 film), Phantom'' (2015), Indian action-thriller film by Kabir Khan (director), Kabir Khan, an alternative-historical account about the assassination of Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed. * ''Taj Mahal (2015 film), Taj Mahal'' (2015), French-Belgian thriller-drama film directed and written by Nicolas Saada. It was screened in the Horizons section at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival. The film is about an 18-year-old French girl who was alone in her hotel room when the terrorists attacked the hotel. * ''Mumbai Siege: 4 Days of Terror'' (also known as ''One Less God'') (2017), independent Australian film directed by Lliam Worthington, featuring the situation of some foreigners inside The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Taj Hotel. * ''Hotel Mumbai'' (2019), action thriller film directed by Anthony Maras and written by John Collee and Maras. It has come under criticism for omitting any reference to the role of Pakistan in the terror strikes. * ''Punha 26/11'' (''Again 26/11''), Indian action film set in the aftermath of the attacks with efforts to avert another strike on Mumbai. * ''The Interview (2021 film), The Interview'' (2021), Indian thriller film written and directed by Laurence Postma, about a journalist who foregoes the coverage of the attacks to interview a Bollywood actress. * ''Sooryavanshi'' (2021), Indian action film by Rohit Shetty set in the aftermath of the counter-terrorism operations following the attacks. * ''Major (film), Major'' (2022), an Indian biographical-action film directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka. Shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi languages, the film is based on the life of Major
Sandeep Unnikrishnan Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Ashoka Chakra (military decoration), AC (15 March 1977 – 28 November 2008) was an Indian Army officer, who was serving in the 51 Special Action Group of the National Security Guards, National Security Guard on depu ...
, who was killed while rescuing hostages during the attacks.


Television

* ''Operation 26/11'' (2021), Indian Hindi-language television miniseries by Ajit Varma, set in the aftermath of the attacks and focusing on counterterrorism operations therein. * ''State of Siege: 26/11'' (2020), Indian Hindi-language web series released on ZEE5, showing the attacks from the perspective of National Security Guard, NSG Commandos. It is based on the book ''Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11'' by journalist Sandeep Unnithan. * ''Mumbai Diaries 26/11'' (2021), Indian Hindi-language medical drama series on Amazon Prime Video. The series is directed by Nikkhil Advani, Nikhil Advani and Nikhil Gonsalves. It follows the staff of Cama Hospital, Bombay General Hospital during the night of the attacks.


Books

* ''Kasab: The Face of 26/11'' (2010) by Rommel Rodrigues focuses on
Ajmal Kasab Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab (13 July 1987 – 21 November 2012) was a Pakistani terrorist and a member of the Islamism, Islamist militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba through which he took part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2008 Mumbai terr ...
, the sole terrorist who was caught. It is the basis of the aforementioned film ''The Attacks of 26/11''. * ''The Siege: The Attack on the Taj'' is a non-fiction book by Cathy Scott-Clerk and Adrian Levy. It is an account of the 2008 attacks on
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel The Taj Mahal Palace is a heritage, five-star, luxury hotel in the Colaba area of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, situated next to the Gateway of India. Built in the Indo-Saracenic architecture, Indo-Saracenic style, it opened in 1903 as the Taj Mah ...
in Mumbai, India, during the night of 26 November 2008. The book was first published by Penguin Books in 2013. * In 2014, ''Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11'' was published by Indian journalist Sandeep Unnnithan, a non-fiction book, presented a blow-by-blow account of the terrorist strike and how the siege of
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
was thwarted by India's security forces. The book covers the heroic efforts of Marine Commandos of Indian Navy as well as an ill-equipped yet valiant
Mumbai Police The Greater Mumbai Police (Marathi language, Marathi: बृहन्मुंबई पोलीस, IAST: ''Brihanmumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay City Police'') is the Police, police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a cit ...
. But its primary focus is on the 51 Special Action Group of
National Security Guards The National Security Guard (NSG) is a central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is the primary counter-terrorism force of the Government of India. It was founded on 16 October 1984, following Operation Blue ...
, commanded by the decorated Indian Army Special Forces officer, then Colonel, now Brigadier. Sunil Sheoran Sena Medal (Bar). The book delves into the reasons for the delayed arrival of the NSG, including incredible facts like the then Home Minister of India,
Shivraj Patil Shivraj Patil (born 12 October 1935) is an Indian politician was the Minister of Home Affairs of India, from 2004 to 2008 and 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996. He was Governor of the state of Punjab and Administrator of the U ...
, wanted to fly in the NSG aircraft and came 1 hour late to board the plane which inturn delayed the NSG's arrival into the city and that the then Southern Army Commander, Lt. General. Noble Thamburaj, notoriously toured the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel with his wife while the NSG operation was still on. It was adapted into the web series ''State of Siege: 26/11'' (2020). * Aziz Burney wrote a book titled ''26/11: RSS ki Saazish?'' ("26/11: An RSS conspiracy?") hinting that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was somehow linked to the attack and launched the book in presence of Indian National Congress, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. Later as ''Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, RSS'' filed a case against him, he had to apologise for it. * In his 2020 memoirs, ''Let Me Say It Now'', former IPS officer Rakesh Maria, who was given the responsibility of investigating the attacks and personally interrogated
Ajmal Kasab Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab (13 July 1987 – 21 November 2012) was a Pakistani terrorist and a member of the Islamism, Islamist militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba through which he took part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2008 Mumbai terr ...
, revealed the extent to which terrorists had gone to ensure their bodies would be mis-identified as Hindus, to lend credence to the narrative that the attack was the handiwork of Hindu extremists, and thus provide the Pakistani authorities with plausible deniability. According to Maria,
Lashkar-e-Taiba Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist militant organization driven by a Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist ideology. The organisation's primary stated objective is to merge the whole of Kashmir with Pakistan. It was founded in 19 ...
wanted Kasab to be killed as a Bengaluru resident named ‘Samir Dinesh Chaudhari’, with a "red (sacred) thread" tied around his wrist to portray the attack as a case of ‘Hindu terror’, but their plan apparently did not succeed and the police nabbed Kasab. LeT had even given each terrorist a fake identity card listing an Indian address, to further strengthen the circumstantial narrative. If everything went according to plan, Kasab would have died as Chaudhari and the media would have blamed 'Hindu terrorists' for the attack. Kasab, in his confessional account, acknowledged this plot, as did
David Coleman Headley David Coleman Headley (born Dawood Sayed Gilani; June 30, 1960) is a Pakistani-American Islamic terrorist and the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai islamic terrorist attacks. He played a key role in orchestrating the attacks, working with the ...
, who corroborated this account by confirming that the sacred threads to be worn around the terrorists' wrists to identify them as Hindus, were procured from Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai, Siddhivinayak Temple.


See also

* 1993 Bombay bombings * 2006 Mumbai train bombings * 2002 attack on American cultural centre in Kolkata, Attack on American Consulate, Kolkata * ''The Attacks of 26/11'' * Sarah Avraham * Bowbazaar Bomb Blast 1993 * ''Hotel Mumbai'' * List of Islamist terrorist attacks * ''Mumbai Diaries 26/11'' * November 2015 Paris attacks * ''Phantom (2015 film), Phantom'' * ''The Siege: The Attack on the Taj'' * Survivor registry * Westgate centre shootings * List of massacres in India


Notes


References


Further reading

* * * *


External links


Incident Summary
at the Global Terrorism Database * * [Interview of captured terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab] *
Web of Terror
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