Dec. 1, 2008

Survivors Tell Of Mumbai Attack Horrors

CBS News Anchor Katie Couric Interviews Two Terror Attack Survivors

  • Play CBS Video Video Terror At The Taj

    McKinney and Jan Taylor were trapped for nearly two days in their hotel room at the Taj Mahal during the attacks in Mumbai. Katie Couric speaks with the Va. couple after their safe return to the U.S.

  • McKinney and Jan Taylor were trapped for nearly two days as gunshots and explosions echoed outside their room at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India.

    McKinney and Jan Taylor were trapped for nearly two days as gunshots and explosions echoed outside their room at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India.  (CBS)

  • Timeline Mumbai Terror

    A timeline of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai that left more than 170 people dead.

  • Photo Essay Mumbai Mourns

    Residents hold candlelight vigils, leave flowers in memory of those killed in terror attacks.

(CBS)  A Virginia couple experienced the horror at the Taj Mahal Hotel during the attacks in Mumbai firsthand. McKinney and Jan Taylor were trapped for nearly two days as gunshots and explosions echoed outside their room. They had gone to India to celebrate their birthdays but tonight they are back in Richmond, Va. CBS News anchor Katie Couric spoke with them about the horror they experienced in Mumbai.



Katie Couric: Mr. And Mrs. Taylor, let me start with you, Mr. Taylor. I know that the siege began on what was to be your last day visiting India. You were in your hotel room waiting for your car to take you to the airport. How did things unravel?

McKinney Taylor: Well, it was about 9:30, and the firing started about that time and so we missed our car, which was going to leave about 11:00. So, we called the operator when we heard the firing and wanted to know what was going on, they said the hotel had been attacked by terrorists and to lock our door and stay in the room. So that's what we did.

Couric: In fact, you spent 44 hours, nearly two full days, trapped in your hotel room. Were you terrified? You must have been. And what kinds of things were you hearing outside your hotel room door?

Jan Taylor: The noises were really scary. There would from time to time be just a huge "boom" like a bomb. I guess it was grenades, really. So that was the most frightening part. And then it would be quiet for long period.

Couric: I understand that one of the bullets actually pierced your hotel room door?

McKinney Taylor: Yes. Every time there was an explosion out in the hall, I'd open the door just a little bit. And about the fourth time I opened it, I start startled some person out in the hall, slammed the door real fast and locked it and about that time he fired at the door, and it missed me by about six inches.

Couric: I understand you have a souvenir from that experience, in fact, because the bullet pierced your "do not disturb" sign?

McKinney Taylor: Yes, it did.

Couric: Can you show it to me?

McKinney Taylor: Sure. Here's the "do not disturb" sign and here's the bullet that we found in the drawer of the dresser next to the doo but after it was all over … the police took us to the police station and the American consul picked us up. And when I got to the consul and saw the American flag, had to salute it, I was really glad to see that flag.

Couric: Well, Mac Taylor and Jan Taylor, thank you so much for talking with us. We're so happy you're home safe and sound.

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Add a Comment
by jollyuncle March 28, 2009 3:34 AM EDT
26/11 will always be remembered as a Black Day in the Indian history. This attack has proved that terriost can do any thing and everything at any point of time. A common man wants to know from our politicians why they are sitting on such a important seat when they are unable to safe a common man. Today everyboday wants that our politicians should also be hanged alongwith the terriost.

Jolly Uncle
Reply to this comment
by proudkafir December 2, 2008 3:02 PM EST
the US should stop giving US taxpayers'' money as aids,selling arms & training ,buying their --sob tales to these untrustworthy,lying *** murderers....they & their sympathisers are like fastbreeding croachroaches & should be crushed....any amount of excuse "kashmir was where my step-grannu broke his leg/checheya is snowing,saudi has too much crappy sand,....philipines didnt allow muslims to sneeze ..etc etc.""".....sick cases
Reply to this comment
by Meg003 December 2, 2008 11:18 AM EST
Brianwwb

Yes, I think you may very well be right. I have even toyed with the name Mike Totten backwards: Nettot Ekim? Ekim Netto? But his drivel isn''t believable in light of the facts, so I think he is wasting his time.

Another possibility is that he is having a psychotic break and is in an episode of paranoid schizophrenia induced by drug use.
Reply to this comment
by satsanga December 2, 2008 4:03 AM EST
This is an interesting ''theory'' but flawed for the simple reason that the Israelis are not STUPID and CRUEL as you make them out to be. They are of course quite capable of brilliant military tactics.

A few individuals can be cruel but not an entire nation or community. Insanity can become mass hysteria only in an environment of dicatorship like in the case of Hitler''s Germany. The Jewish religion is not fanatical about conquering the world. They have seen the fruits of violence and oppression like no other community in the world.

Jews are CAPITALISTS and know that the only way to weild power is through ECONOMIC domination. Hence they use countries such as USA and UK to generate wealth. If Israelis were that cruel and cared nothing about human lives they would have bombed Iraq, Iran and Syria out of the world map long ago. Nobody would have stopped them!

We all like to believe that the Israelis are extraordinary humans. We have seen their resilience and unity after Hitler and during the wars with Egypt and Syria. They developed this trait of unity as a result of BRUTAL FEAR injected by the Nazis.

But, we tend to over estimate their abilities. Even their enemies have been brainwashed into believing in the incredible prowess of the Jews. This works to their advantage. It is somehow human nature to cheer for the underdog - the David and Goliath syndrome. Tiny Israel versus the mighty Arab Muslims... makes a great story, always!
Reply to this comment
by satsanga December 2, 2008 4:02 AM EST
This is an interesting ''theory'' but flawed for the simple reason that the Israelis are not STUPID and CRUEL as you make them out to be. They are of course quite capable of brilliant military tactics.

A few individuals can be cruel but not an entire nation or community. Insanity can become mass hysteria only in an environment of dicatorship like in the case of Hitler''s Germany. The Jewish religion is not fanatical about conquering the world. They have seen the fruits of violence and oppression like no other community in the world.

Jews are CAPITALISTS and know that the only way to weild power is through ECONOMIC domination. Hence they use countries such as USA and UK to generate wealth. If Israelis were that cruel and cared nothing about human lives they would have bombed Iraq, Iran and Syria out of the world map long ago. Nobody would have stopped them!

We all like to believe that the Israelis are extraordinary humans. We have seen their resilience and unity after Hitler and during the wars with Egypt and Syria. They developed this trait of unity as a result of BRUTAL FEAR injected by the Nazis.

But, we tend to over estimate their abilities. Even their enemies have been brainwashed into believing in the incredible prowess of the Jews. This works to their advantage. It is somehow human nature to cheer for the underdog - the David and Goliath syndrome. Tiny Israel versus the mighty Arab Muslims... makes a great story, always!
Reply to this comment
by satsanga December 2, 2008 3:49 AM EST
This is an interesting ''theory'' but flawed for the simple reason that the Israelis are not STUPID and CRUEL as you make them out to be. They are of course quite capable of brilliant military tactics.

A few individuals can be cruel but not an entire nation or community. Insanity can become mass hysteria only in an environment of dicatorship like in the case of Hitler''s Germany. The Jewish religion is not fanatical about conquering the world. They have seen the fruits of violence and oppression like no other community in the world.

Jews are CAPITALISTS and know that the only way to weild power is through ECONOMIC domination. Hence they use countries such as USA and UK to generate wealth. If Israelis were that cruel and cared nothing about human lives they would have bombed Iraq, Iran and Syria out of the world map long ago. Nobody would have stopped them!

We all like to believe that the Israelis are extraordinary humans. We have seen their resilience and unity after Hitler and during the wars with Egypt and Syria. They developed this trait of unity as a result of BRUTAL FEAR injected by the Nazis.

But, we tend to over estimate their abilities. Even their enemies have been brainwashed into believing in the incredible prowess of the Jews. This works to their advantage. It is somehow human nature to cheer for the underdog - the David and Goliath syndrome. Tiny Israel versus the mighty Arab Muslims... makes a great story, always!
Reply to this comment
by satsanga December 2, 2008 3:49 AM EST
This is an interesting ''theory'' but flawed for the simple reason that the Israelis are not STUPID and CRUEL as you make them out to be. They are of course quite capable of brilliant military tactics.

A few individuals can be cruel but not an entire nation or community. Insanity can become mass hysteria only in an environment of dicatorship like in the case of Hitler''s Germany. The Jewish religion is not fanatical about conquering the world. They have seen the fruits of violence and oppression like no other community in the world.

Jews are CAPITALISTS and know that the only way to weild power is through ECONOMIC domination. Hence they use countries such as USA and UK to generate wealth. If Israelis were that cruel and cared nothing about human lives they would have bombed Iraq, Iran and Syria out of the world map long ago. Nobody would have stopped them!

We all like to believe that the Israelis are extraordinary humans. We have seen their resilience and unity after Hitler and during the wars with Egypt and Syria. They developed this trait of unity as a result of BRUTAL FEAR injected by the Nazis.

But, we tend to over estimate their abilities. Even their enemies have been brainwashed into believing in the incredible prowess of the Jews. This works to their advantage. It is somehow human nature to cheer for the underdog - the David and Goliath syndrome. Tiny Israel versus the mighty Arab Muslims... makes a great story, always!
Reply to this comment
by satsanga December 2, 2008 3:48 AM EST
This is an interesting ''theory'' but flawed for the simple reason that the Israelis are not STUPID and CRUEL as you make them out to be. They are of course quite capable of brilliant military tactics.

A few individuals can be cruel but not an entire nation or community. Insanity can become mass hysteria only in an environment of dicatorship like in the case of Hitler''s Germany. The Jewish religion is not fanatical about conquering the world. They have seen the fruits of violence and oppression like no other community in the world.

Jews are CAPITALISTS and know that the only way to weild power is through ECONOMIC domination. Hence they use countries such as USA and UK to generate wealth. If Israelis were that cruel and cared nothing about human lives they would have bombed Iraq, Iran and Syria out of the world map long ago. Nobody would have stopped them!

We all like to believe that the Israelis are extraordinary humans. We have seen their resilience and unity after Hitler and during the wars with Egypt and Syria. They developed this trait of unity as a result of BRUTAL FEAR injected by the Nazis.

But, we tend to over estimate their abilities. Even their enemies have been brainwashed into believing in the incredible prowess of the Jews. This works to their advantage. It is somehow human nature to cheer for the underdog - the David and Goliath syndrome. Tiny Israel versus the mighty Arab Muslims... makes a great story, always!
Reply to this comment
by mrmeatspin December 2, 2008 3:15 AM EST
Posted by MikeTotten1 at 07:57 PM : Dec 01, 2008
+ report abuse

**********

im sorry but i failed to get your point...whoever instigate this..leads only to one thing..toning down these radical muslims..TO STOP ATTACKING JEWS AND non-jews

I am sorry..if that is the case..The jews and I have something in common..

Reply to this comment

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