Mumbai

27 November 2008

A co-ordinated series of terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, has led to a number of deaths. The full scale of the horrors and violence of these attacks is yet to emerge. Naturally we all ask many questions but mainly two: who and why? There are many speculations about the identities and origins of the terrorists, and their targets.

India finds itself in a difficult geo-political position, mainly because of its unstable, fragile and nuclear neighbour, Pakistan. India has not been immune from terrorist attacks and inter-communal conflicts, but the scale and location of the attacks today seem to differentiate them from other acts of violence.

More facts will become available over the next few days, therefore it is premature to jump to conclusions at the moment. However, today’s attacks and their scale will doubtless add to the uncertainties and worries that many people in south Asia feel day in day out.