India commemorates Mumbai attacks (Roundup)

Nov 26, 2009, 13:36 GMT

New Delhi - Prayers and memorial services were held across India on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Mumbai which led to the collapse of peace talks with Pakistan and forced a revamp of India's security.

In the capital New Delhi, parliament began with two minutes' silence to remember the victims, before passing a resolution to wage a united war against terrorism.

The three days of attacks which began on November 26, 2008 targeted 10 key locations across Mumbai, including the main railway station and sites popular with tourists and business people, including two luxury hotels.

At least 175 people, including 26 foreign nationals and nine attackers from the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, were killed by the time Indian forces ended the terrorist siege.

Thousands participated in the memorial events in Mumbai as the country's financial centre kept up its usual busy pace, sending a signal that it would not be deterred by terrorism.

Memorial services were held at the targetted Taj and Trident hotels and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway station.

The station was worst hit in the attacks, with more than 50 reported casualties. Thousands of commuters en route to their offices halted Thursday to pay homage and joined prayers with porters and railway workers.

Chabad House, the Mumbai headquarters of the Jewish Chabad- Lubavitch movement, where a rabbi, his wife and four others were killed by gunmen, reopened with a multi-faith prayer.

A small memorial comprising a wall pock-marked by bullets has been set up by residents.

'We shall never forget what happened on 26/11. We have established the memorial to make Mumbaikers more aware and alert to the dangers of terrorism,' Koresh Zorawar, a local, said.

   Earlier Thursday, umbai police held a parade, showcasing their new equipment, including automatic weapons and patrol boats.

   Commandos from the city's newly created anti-terrorism force also participated. India has embarked on a multi-million dollar security upgrade for its forces after the attack.

Locals lighted candles in front of the Leopold cafe and other targets of the attack to show solidarity with the victims of the attack.

Hundreds lined up at a function to honour the memory of the victims at the Gateway of India monument which many of their family members attended.

Viju Chavan, a worker who was shot in the stomach, told the IANS news agency, 'I was pregnant at the time of the attack. After that incident, people told me to name my daughter Goli (Hindi for bullet)'.

'Even today, my daughter is referred to as Goli, not by her real name,' she said.

Concerts, seminars and other events were also organized in cities across India such as Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata to commemorate the attack.

In one of the largest such events in Delhi, around 700 young men and women from India and abroad participated in the 'Indian Model United Nations' and lit candles in memory of the victims.

The youth from Sri Lanka, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt and other countries joined Indian students to salute the victims.

Later on Thursday, Federal Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram unveiled a memorial at Mumbai's Police Gymkhana for 18 policemen who lost their lives during the terrorist attack.

'Each one of the targets was chosen carefully in order to create the maximum impact on the conscience of Indians. It was a challenge which we had not faced before,' Chidambaram said.

'Yet the city rose as one man. The police force rose as one force to defend the city and defend the honour and integrity of India'.

The devastating attacks led New Delhi to halt five-year-old peace talks with Pakistan.

India has reiterated that it will not restart talks until Mumbai attack suspects were brought to justice. The lone surviving attacker, Pakistani Ajmal Kasab, is currently facing trial in Mumbai.

   On Wednesday, a court in Pakistan charged seven people in connection with the attacks, including alleged mastermind LeT head, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.

   But on the eve of the attacks, Indian Premier Manmohan Singh, currently on a US visit, said India 'will not rest' until the perpetrators of the attack were punished.

   'We have taken up the matter with all the force at our command with the government of Pakistan,' Singh was quoted by the PTI news agency as saying.

   'We expect the masterminds of the attack and their supporters to be tried and punished. The infrastructure of terrorism and all safe havens have to be dismantled,' he said.