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Saturday, November 29, 2008

Mumbai Terror: Intelligence warnings could not be made useful

NYT Photo Journal: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/28/world/20081128-Mumbai/index.html

NYT Photos 2


Pointed intelligence warnings preceded attacks

Praveen Swami

Weaknesses in police infrastructure facilitated the terror strike, government sources say

— Photo: PTI/TIMES NOW 
 
The body of Amarsinh Solanki, captain of the fishing boat ‘Kuber.’

MUMBAI: India’s intelligence services had delivered at least three precise warnings that a major terrorist attack on Mumbai was imminent, highly-placed government sources have told The Hindu.

However, weaknesses in police manpower and training allowed the attacks to proceed, the sources said.

On November 18, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) intercepted a satellite phone conversation, in which a so-far unidentified caller notified his handlers that he was heading for Mumbai along with a certain cargo.

RAW analysts, however, rapidly determined that the apparently innocuous call was made to a Lahore phone number known to be used by the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s main military commander for operations targeting India, who is known only by the code-names ‘Muzammil’ and ‘Abu Hurrera.’

Mumbai Police investigators have determined that the call was made from a satellite phone that was eventually found abandoned on the Porbandar-based fishing boat Kuber, hijacked by the terrorists mid-ocean, most likely on November 19. The satellite phone also contains records of several other calls to Lashkar handlers in Pakistan.  more

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