Mumbai Attacks

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

What a mess. 125 killed, 372 injured, one hotels, two hospitals, and a busy train station attacked.
Gun fire

Regular gun fire and blasts could be heard at the Oberoi and Taj Mahal hotels and a Jewish center in the city.

hostages

Up to 20 more people were believed trapped or held hostage at the hotel, said CNN correspondent Andrew Stevens citing an official.
...
Indian officials have told Canada that they believe six Canadians are being held hostage, according to a senior aide to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
...
Gunmen also remained holed up in a building called Chabad House, where several Jewish families live. Rabbi Gabriel Holtzberg, the city's envoy for the community, was being held inside with his wife, a member of the Hasidic Jewish movement said. The couple's 18-month-old baby was released unharmed.

Hijacking and indiscriminate violence

Police said gunmen fired indiscriminately from the building. Stray bullets killed a couple in their home and a 16-year-old boy who stepped outside, police said.
...
The gunmen then hijacked cars -- including a police van -- and broke up into at least three groups to carry out the attacks, police said.
One group headed toward the Cafe Leopold, a popular hangout for Western tourists, firing indiscriminately at passers-by on the street. They then opened fire and lobbed grenades at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, a Victorian building.
As police rushed to the scene of the attacks, gunmen attacked the Cama Hospital. Two other groups attacked the Oberoi and Taj hotels.

And the appearance of a new group?

Several Indian news outlets reported receiving e-mails from a group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen, claiming responsibility for the attacks. CNN was not able to verify the reports.

Looks like this was an Indian New York style attack--Mumbai is India's financial capital.

_{edited to fix quotes}

[beagle]

"Mad people everywhere", as Inspector Morse observed.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

The declaration from the prime minister of 'foreign involvement' is worrisome. I hope this doesn't increase tensions between India and Pakistan.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

I think it'll be proven wrong--they're thinking it's a new name for an old group, the Indian Mujahideen. But if it doesn't, this could get messy within India itself and with Pakistan, like you said Zono.

[Griffin NoName]

We are getting the too early to tell here.

[Swatopluk]

Too late to help McCain/Palin.
Pardon my cycnicsm but think what their campaign would have (tried to) make out of this.
So, where will be the next major target and how much time is left until then? My bet is Inauguration Day but not in the US.