Security Special Advisory: India: Hotels in Delhi Put on High Alert as Hostage Crisis Continues in Mumbai

Internatonal SOS 11/27/2008

According to media reports on 27 November, all five-star hotels in the capital New Delhi have been put on high alert in response to the ongoing terrorist attacks launched on 26 November in Mumbai, the capital of the western state of Maharashtra.

Additionally, a number of hotels in Mumbai have suspended check-ins as a precautionary measure. Several airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France and Northwest Airlines, have cancelled flights to the city. However, Air India and Jet Airways continue to operate their services as per schedule.

Meanwhile, the hostage situation continues at the Taj and Oberoi hotels, and Nariman House, a residential complex with an old Jewish prayer hall. More attacks have been carried out on 26 November at several other locations; dozens of people in total are reportedly still being held hostages.

Additionally, an emergency cabinet meeting is under way in New Delhi; Maharashtra’s state cabinet was scheduled to meet at 14.00 (local time).

The latest casualty toll stands at more than 100 people killed and 300 others injured.

International SOS Comment

India has recently witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks in its main cities, including New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Agartal and Guwahati; the latest attack in Mumbai highlights the significant threat posed by terrorism. Previously in 2006, multiple bomb attacks targeting commuter trains in Mumbai killed 210 people and injured 714 others. The scale of violence witnessed during the latest Mumbai attacks is similar to that seen in 1993, when several high-profile locations in the city, including the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building, the office of national carrier Air India, business-class hotels and commercial areas, were targeted by bomb attacks; 257 people were killed and some 700 others were injured.

The latest incident, which comprised indiscriminate firing and bomb explosions at specific locations, appears to have been well co-ordinated, with the intention of inflicting maximum damage. Most of the targets are located in south Mumbai, the city's business hub. The Taj and Oberoi hotels are prominent landmarks that symbolise India’s growing economy.

Rubber dinghies have been recovered by the police, suggesting that the perpetrators arrived by sea. Importantly, the attacks that took place in Santa Cruz, Vile Parle and Borivali indicate that the operation was not restricted to south Mumbai alone and is likely to have been more widely coordinated.

Media reports also suggest that the militants were specifically targeting British and US nationals; if this is proven true, it would mark the first instance where foreign nationals were directly targeted in a terror attack in the country.

At this stage the identity of the perpetrators is unclear, although a group called the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks; even if this claim has not been verified, the attackers’ modus operandi points to the involvement of radical Islamist activists.

With the hostage situation continuing at the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, Members are advised to stand fast and minimise their movements as much as possible, until the situation stabilises. The authorities have implemented stringent security measures in Mumbai and this is likely to be repeated in other major cities as well.

Public places, including crowded market places, hotels, restaurants, transport nodes and religious sites remain vulnerable to potential terror strikes.

Travel Advice

1. Travellers in Mumbai to avoid the affected areas until the situation becomes clearer. They should also observe the following security precautions:

- Stay off the streets and away from any high-profile venues.

- Limit all non-essential movement.

- Delay any movement to offices or Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) until the situation becomes clearer.

- Ensure they are in constant touch with and updating their manager or family about their location and further plans.

- Monitor local media sources for the latest information.

2. Members who have just arrived in the city by air should consider returning from the airport to the city from which they have flown in if possible.

3. Members planning to travel to or already en route to Mumbai are advised to defer travel for 48 hours.

4. Members in other parts of India should:

- Report their status and keep their manager or family informed of their movement and plans.

- Postpone any plans to travel to Mumbai for at least 48 hours.

- Maintain a high state of situational awareness.

- Communicate regularly and keep their contacts informed at all times.

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