Israel Matzav

Breaking: 3-7 Israelis murdered in Mumbai?

I have been forwarded an email from a source in Mumbai who intimates that seven Israelis have been murdered at Chabad House. I am reproducing the email below:

you dont really know the real scene its bad...in Nariman house these son of thousand fathers(his respect for Mohammedians) asked a family about their residence country and when they came to know israel they just shot them all three.....7 foriegners dies and I think they were all israelis

...

Nariman house(building hosting governmental office looking after construction stuff in town) is the residential/governmental area that host Chabad house as well the Leopold Cafe, named after big governmental office.....

Israel Radio reported on its 6:00 news that 5-6 Israelis are being held hostage at Chabad House and 9 are being held in the Oberoi Hotel. Hostages are also being held at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai. Those are the only three places in Mumbai where hostages are still being held.

A subsequent email from my source confirms that three Israelis were killed. Yeshiva World News is also reporting based on 'American media sources' that three Israelis have been murdered. There is no confirmation from any Israeli source.

There have been conflicting reports all day regarding the Rabbi of the Chabad House and his wife. I have seen or heard reports that claim that they escaped and I have seen and heard reports claiming that the wife escaped with their one-year old son. The picture below of one-year old Moshe Holtzberg being held by his nanny outside Chabad House seems to indicate that it is only the child who has escaped - and not his parents. Other reports here claim that the parents are "unconscious but alive."

That's clearly not the Rabbi's wife.

It is also clear from the reports that the Chabad House was a purposely chosen target - not a coincidence.

Israel Radio also reported that the terrorists came from Pakistan. This report from Al-Guardian would confirm that (Hat Tip: Hot Air).

At least some of the terrorists, said to be in their early twenties and armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand grenades, landed on the coast of Mumbai’s commercial and entertainment neighbourhood in light and fast Gemini boats, powered by small outboard motors.

These inflatable dinghies, according to Indian navy sources quoted by the Headlines Today TV news channel, were launched from a larger vessel, the MV Alfa, which arrived near Mumbai sometime yesterday and anchored offshore a distance from India’s financial capital…

By this time the vessel had left the vicinity of Mumbai. When first reported by the news channel today, the MV Alfa was said to be off the Gujarat coast and heading towards Pakistan.

So why isn't anyone going after the MV Alfa? Well, apparently, someone is. This report (in Hindi, which I don't speak) says that the Mumbai(?) police have caught the boat. Let's go to the videotape.



A situation assessment is taking place at the Israeli foreign ministry at 6:15 PM Israel time. More to follow when I have it. I have to say that I admire how the Indians have handled this crisis - especially given that their number one counter-terror officer was murdered in the initial attack.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:02 PM