Obama On Mumbai Attack: 'Hateful Ideology'
Both the White House and President-elect Barack Obama condemned today's series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India, the first major terrorist incident since Obama’s election.
At least 100 people were killed and 200 injured when gunmen opened fire with machine guns and grenades at a Mumbai train station, a crowded restaurant and hotels, according to reports. Westerners appear to have been the primary targets of the attackers, who then engaged in firefights with members of the police and army, which were ongoing for a second day at noon Thursday in Mumbai, or 1:30 a.m. Eastern time.
At least 15 foreign hostages, half with American or British passports, were being held at the Taj Mahal hotel, and over 100 guests and workers remained in the Trident-Oberoi Hotel, along with about 10 terrorists. The Indian military is now at both locations, according to reports, and police say that have killed four of the gunmen and arrested nine suspects. Twelve policemen have been killed, including the chief of the city's anti-terrorist squad. So far there are no known American casualties.
A group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen has taken credit for the attacks, though little is known about it and that claim is yet to be confirmed. Gunmen also took control of the headquarters of ultraorthodox Jewish group Chabad Lubavitch, and shots were heard in the building. The group's chief rabbi and his wife are now believed to be held hostage, according to reports.
“President-Elect Obama strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of India,” Obama spokesman Brooke Anderson said. “These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism. The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks. We stand with the people of India, whose democracy will prove far more resilient than the hateful ideology that led to these attacks.”
The White House has yet to issue a formal statement, but White House spokesman Tony Fratto made clear the Bush Administration’s reaction.
"We condemn these attacks and the loss of innocent life," Fratto said, adding, "We continue to seek more information."
Bush has said he would consult Obama on any major decisions and Obama spoke with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday evening and then called Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen to offer his thoughts his prayers, let him know he'd spoke with Rice and was monitoring the situation, and to say that there is just one president at a time.
The White House signaled earlier this month that it was concerned that such an attack may take place on American soil during the transition. Perino said, “We know that Al Qaeda and others try to test a new administration.”
“I don't know of anything specific,” she added, “but we do know that this is just a heightened period of concern.”
Vice President-elect Joe Biden caught flack for a similar warning on the campaign trail.
“Watch,” Biden said. “We're going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy,” meaning Obama.
Republican presidential nominee John McCain seized on those comments as proof that Obama was not prepared to be commander in chief.
Police in New York City Tuesday bolstered security on trains and subways after a government warning of a possible attack. Rep. Peter King, the ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, told the Associated Press that the government has "very real specifics," about the plot, which he said "certainly involves suicide bombing attacks on the mass transit system in and around New York."
He deemed the warning "plausile," adding that "there's no evidence yet that it's in the process of being carried out."