Mumbai hostage crisis heads for dramatic finish; commandos airdropped

[FarCenter]

Mumbai (IANS): Thirty-three hours after it began, hostage crisis in Mumbai seemed headed for its final denouement here as Indian special forces on Friday morning dramatically slithered down ropes from two military helicopters to the roof of a five-storey building to flush out terrorists holed up there.

On the ground, some 100 other commandos massed in the lane leading to the Nariman House - known among Israelis as Chabad House - one of the three buildings seized by the terrorists on Wednesday night, and on adjacent rooftops provided covering fire in what seemed to the final decisive stage of the operation.

The first of the choppers arrived overhead at around 7.30 a.m. and some six commandos, their ankles gripping the rope, slithered down to the roof of Nariman House with one hand, balancing their AK-56 assault rifles in the other.

A second helicopter arrived soon thereafter with another six commandos

More at http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/000200811280980.htm

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. uh oh

[madeline_con]

2. Are they really Indian commandos?

I mean, why would it take so long to deploy them, if they're local guys? I'm just saying...

[FarCenter]

3. Who else would be using AK-56s?

India has a substantial military. They have fought some major wars.

[aquart]

4. And CNN immediately stopped covering the story.

Suddenly the all-day coverage ceased. For two hours of Anderson Cooper.

[FarCenter]

5. Apparently the Indians stopped the TV coverage temporarily

Gunshots erupted from the Nariman House around 7 a.m. as the commandos on the ground were taking position. A second round of firing was heard about 15 minutes later.

As the operation progressed, the authorities pushed back TV news channel crews from the scene, banning them from beaming live pictures from the scene. The position, however, changed as an Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter arrived on the scene with the commandos.