Smoke Signals [1] slams the mainstream media coverage of the event, as the television screens are filled with almost panic inducing sequences, and hurried question and answer sessions. At the time that this post is being written, the gun battles are still going on in at least one of the hotels and in another building.
The same asthmatic quality, the same inane back and forth between ‘expert’ and ‘commentator’ [What equipment will those commandos be carrying? In what order will then go in? What do you think they will do first when they enter the building? These commandos are masked so their features cannot be seen… This is great photography by our cameraman who is getting them exclusively for you… Geez! Just go on and say this terrorist attack is sponsored by XYZ, why don’t you?!]…
An interesing perspective from one of the most public figures in India – Amitabh Bachchan, who writes on his blog about how the mainstream media wants him [2]to get on air for a sound byte.
I have been at the receiving end of a million calls and an equal number of sms’s the whole day to come live on TV or on the print media to express my views on the current situation and am being lured by words such as ’we need you to speak to express solidarity and for the people to maintain their calm’.
This is disgusting !! I will NOT do that. TELL ME AND ORDER ME INSTEAD THAT WE REQUIRE FOR EVERY INDIAN TO GET UP AND WALK INTO THE FACILITIES WHERE THE ACTION IS ON AND I WILL BE THE FIRST TO WALK. But, please do not ask me to come and make sloppy statements that will do nothing more than create viewer interest in said particular channel ! I respect what the media is doing in serving the nation with its continuous information bulletins and I admire the brave and diligent manner in which they have devoted themselves to the cause. But what they expect me do I find against my ethics and want to be excused from it.
Counterterrorism blog [3] on the modus operandi of the terrorists and who it could have been
In view of the historical context, precedents and latest analysis, the most likely groups that may be behind these attacks are the Lashkar e Toiba/SIMI (they now call themselves Indian Mujahideen). These groups are Jihadists, have links to the other organizations in Kashmir but also inside Pakistan with pro-Taliban elements and eventually Al Qaeda. The ideological identification is most likely Jihadist although the group almost surely will issue a more than one release to claim the attack and put it in context.
At counterpunch [4], a political newsletter, Tariq Ali examines the nuances of insiders and outsiders.
Why should it be such a surprise if the perpetrators are themselves Indian Muslims? Its hardly a secret that there has been much anger within the poorest sections of the Muslim community against the systematic discrimination and acts of violence carried out against them of which the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in shining Gujarat was only the most blatant and the most investigated episode, supported by the Chief Minister of the State and the local state apparatuses.
Pickled Politics [5] does a post on what India needs to do in the near future to combat terrorism.
1) There’s a very good chance that the long-discussed US style ‘Dept of Homeland Security’ will be established. This is a good move since India’s intelligence services haven’t had much success in combating terrorism. In this, I hope they pump in more money and bring in expertise from the UK, USA and Israel.
2) They will have to put more money into border control, especially at ports (which is how the Mumbai attackers came in).