Thursday

28th Mar 2024

EU condemns Mumbai attacks

  • The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel - site of one of the Mumbai attacks (Photo: PlaneMad (Wikipedia))

The European Union has condemned the gunmen responsible for the killing of some 101 individuals and injuring 287 in a series of attacks across seven sites in Mumbai's tourist and commercial districts.

The French EU presidency has reacted "with horror and indignation at the terrorist acts perpetrated in Mumbai, India, and condemns them in the strongest terms."

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The presidency "knows the attachment the Indian people have for democracy - the target of such terrorist acts."

"Europe joins the Indian nation in mourning and stands by her side during these trying times."

The European Commission echoed the words of the presidency.

"The European Commission condemns in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attacks this night in Mumbai, which have cost the lives of many innocent people and injured others," said external relations spokesperson Christiane Hohmann in a statement.

"Terrorism is never justified and is no means to achieve any goal. We stand by the Indian government in its fight against terrorism."

A co-ordinated series of machine-gun and grenade assaults rocked India's commercial centre on Wednesday night, targeting up-scale hotels - the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the Oberoi Trident, a popular tourist restaurant, the main train station, a hospital and the police headquarters.

A previously unknown group, the Deccan Mujahideen, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

From the five-star Oberoi Hotel on Thursday morning (27 November), a militant told India TV that seven individuals from the group were still holding hostages.

"We want all mujahedeen held in India released, and only after that we will release the people," he said.

Amongst those hiding in the hotel are two MEPs, UK Conservative Sajjad Karim, and independent right-wing Polish deputy Jan Masiel, that were part of a group of seven deputies in the city ahead of an EU-India summit.

The Times of London reported that Mr Karim had barricaded himself in the hotel's basement, while Mr Masiel was thought to be in his hotel room, along with an official with the parliamentary delegation.

Erika Mann, a German Social Democrat MEP, hid in a hotel restaurant kitchen after gunmen attacked dining guest, but subsequently escaped, according to the same edition of the Times.

The UK daily also reported that the head of the delegation had received text messages from the two stranded MEPs saying there were all right.

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