The night of 8 PM on 26 November 2008 remains etched in the memory of every Indian, when 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists unleashed terror in the heart of India’s financial capital, Mumbai. As the main accused Ajmal Kasab and his team moved through the city and stormed the Taj Hotel, they left a trail of horror — killing 166 people and injuring over 300. This attack not only shook India, but also strengthened the demand for unity against terrorism all over the world. Ajmal Kasab was caught alive in this attack, who was hanged on 21 November 2012 after the country’s legal procedure. However, many of the key conspirators are still on the run.
Lashkar-e-Taiba And ISI At Helm, Orchestrating Attacks On Taj And Other Key Locations
Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, jointly orchestrated the Mumbai attack conspiracy. They sent the terrorists from Karachi to Mumbai by sea. The planners handpicked 10 terrorists for the mission, instructing them to target major locations such as the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Trident, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Leopold Café, and Nariman House. In the aftermath, several high-profile names emerged as key masterminds and collaborators behind the plot.
How Many Terrorists Involved? Where Are They Now?
10 terrorists carried out the Mumbai attack. Among them, 9 were killed in an encounter with Indian security forces, while one was caught alive. Mumbai Police had confirmed the identity of all 10 terrorists involved in the horrific terrorist attacks. Authorities did not release the photo of one terrorist because the fire at the Taj Hotel badly burnt his body after security forces killed him. They later identified him as ‘Umar’. NSG commandos threw his body down from the top floor of the hotel after an encounter on November 27, a day after the attack. Security forces captured Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab as the only surviving terrorist involved in the attacks.
Arrest Of Ajmal Kasab And Hanging
Since his arrest in 2008, Kasab was kept in a high-security bulletproof cell in Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail. Ajmal Kasab’s testimony revealed the involvement of several major figures in the 26/11 conspiracy, including top terrorist Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. His accomplice, Ismail Khan, was killed in a police encounter near Chowpatty in South Mumbai on the morning of November 27. CCTV footage from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) captured Ismail’s movements. Along with Kasab, he moved from CST to Cama and Albless Hospital, Metro Cinema, Nariman Point, and eventually to Chowpatty, where the encounter took place.
He moved the Supreme Court on February 14 this year against the High Court verdict of October 10 last year. They upheld a lower court order sentencing the terrorist to death. The lower court had pronounced its judgement on May 6, 2010, 18 months after he was captured. He was hanged on 21 November 2012 in Pune’s Yerwada jail. Kasab attacked Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and killed several people.
Taj Attack
The three terrorists who stormed the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel were Bada Abdul Rehman, Abu Ali, and Abu Sohaib. The encounter at the Taj was the longest and bloodiest of all, marking the most intense phase of the coordinated attacks that struck a total of 13 locations across Mumbai.
Nariman House Attack, Colaba
The two terrorists who took control of Nariman House, a Jewish place of worship in Colaba, were Nasir alias Abu Umar and Babar Imran alias Abu Akasha. To neutralize them, commandos were airdropped onto the premises. Meanwhile, the terrorists who attacked the Oberoi Trident Hotel at Nariman Point were Fahad Ullah and Abdul Rehman Chhota.
10 Terrorists: 9 Killed, 1 Caught Alive
- Bada Abdul Rehman – Taj attack
Abu Ali – Taj attack
Abu Sohaib – Taj attack
Umar – Taj attack (body burnt, photo not released)
Abdul Rehman Chota – Oberoi attack
Fahad Ullah – Oberoi attack
Ismail Khan – CST attack (killed)
Mohammad Ajmal Amir (Kasab) – CST attack (caught alive)
Nasir alias Abu Umar – Nariman House attack
Babar Imran alias Abu Akasha – Nariman House attack
