12-03-2008, 07:08 AM
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>26/11 could have been stopped</b>
November 4, 2006
Vir Sanghvi, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, December 01, 2008
As the investigation into the intelligence failures that preceded the Mumbai attacks proceeds, there is evidence that even quite specific information that was gathered was either not properly analysed or not acted on.
The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), Indiaâs external intelligence agency, had provided several intercepts from signals intelligence over the last three months. These suggested that a terror strike on a Mumbai hotel was imminent. But they were largely ignored.
The revelations about the phone intercepts (which R&AW has documented) are certain to lead to questions about the governmentâs inept response to the attack...On September 18, R&AW computers intercepted a satellite phone conversation between a known Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) asset and an unknown person. The LeT asset said that an operation to target a hotel at the Gateway of India in Mumbai was being planned and that the sea route would be used.
On September 24, R&AWâs computer recorded another satellite phone conversation. This time, the LeT asset identified the hotels that were being considered for the attack by name. They were the Taj, the Marriott, the Landâs End and the Sea Rock. A possible attack on the Juhu airfield (used by a flying club) was also discussed.
All these hotels have one thing in common: they are easily accessible from the sea. The Taj is on the Apollo Bunder waterfront, the Marriott is on Juhu sea face and the Landâs End and the Sea Rock are both on the sea-facing tip of Bandra. This should have been enough to let police know that: 1) Hotels were the target. 2) The attackers would use the sea route.
On November 19, R&AW listeners picked up another unexplained satellite phone conversation. A voice said, âWe will reach Bombay between nine and eleven.â R&AW trackers identified the exact coordinates of the call and discovered that it came from the sea near Mumbai, 40 km west of Jhol.
<b> This was clear evidence â at the very least â of an attempt being made to enter Mumbai illegally by people armed with advanced satellite phones.</b>
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>26/11 could have been stopped</b>
November 4, 2006
Vir Sanghvi, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, December 01, 2008
As the investigation into the intelligence failures that preceded the Mumbai attacks proceeds, there is evidence that even quite specific information that was gathered was either not properly analysed or not acted on.
The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), Indiaâs external intelligence agency, had provided several intercepts from signals intelligence over the last three months. These suggested that a terror strike on a Mumbai hotel was imminent. But they were largely ignored.
The revelations about the phone intercepts (which R&AW has documented) are certain to lead to questions about the governmentâs inept response to the attack...On September 18, R&AW computers intercepted a satellite phone conversation between a known Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) asset and an unknown person. The LeT asset said that an operation to target a hotel at the Gateway of India in Mumbai was being planned and that the sea route would be used.
On September 24, R&AWâs computer recorded another satellite phone conversation. This time, the LeT asset identified the hotels that were being considered for the attack by name. They were the Taj, the Marriott, the Landâs End and the Sea Rock. A possible attack on the Juhu airfield (used by a flying club) was also discussed.
All these hotels have one thing in common: they are easily accessible from the sea. The Taj is on the Apollo Bunder waterfront, the Marriott is on Juhu sea face and the Landâs End and the Sea Rock are both on the sea-facing tip of Bandra. This should have been enough to let police know that: 1) Hotels were the target. 2) The attackers would use the sea route.
On November 19, R&AW listeners picked up another unexplained satellite phone conversation. A voice said, âWe will reach Bombay between nine and eleven.â R&AW trackers identified the exact coordinates of the call and discovered that it came from the sea near Mumbai, 40 km west of Jhol.
<b> This was clear evidence â at the very least â of an attempt being made to enter Mumbai illegally by people armed with advanced satellite phones.</b>
....
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