8/3/2019 Mumbai terrorist attacks have lessons for Vancouver
Olympics 2010
1/7
Page 1 of 7
hhttttpp::////ttiinnyyuurrll..ccoomm//55zz66vvkknn
MMuummbbaaiitteerrrroorriissttaattttaacckkssooffffeerr
lleessssoonnssffoorrVVaannccoouuvveerr
OOllyymmppiiccss
sseeccuu iittyy
PPuubblliisshh DDaattee:: NNoovveemmbbeerr 2277,, 22000088
rr
BByy CChhaarrlliiee SSmmiitthh
T e terrorists arrived at night on boats that docked bythe
Gateway of India on the edge of the Arabian Sea.
http://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vknhttp://tinyurl.com/5z6vkn
8/3/2019 Mumbai terrorist attacks have lessons for Vancouver
Olympics 2010
3/7
Mumbai a city Ive visited on four different occasions.
Ive walked the streets of Colaba Causeway, gawked at
LeopoldsRestaurant, dined in the luxurious Taj Mahal Hotel and
visited its bookstore many times, and dropped by the Oberoi Hotel
for lunch and
dinner. Ive seen the glorious architecture of V.T. station
which, like theTaj and Oberoi and Leopolds, was the site of a
terrorist attack.
Ive also walked around the Gateway of India where the
terroristsreportedly arrived on dinghys [dinghies] or zodiacs,
depending on whichnews outlet you believe.
Since the mayhem began, Ive also talked to people whove spent
most oftheir lives in South Mumbai, and theyre heartbroken over
what hashappened.
To them, the sight of the rooftop of the Taj on fire was one of
the mostdisturbing images. Everyone knew it from their childhood.
It was not justa hotel, but a Mumbai institution the place where
locals tookwesterners to see the very best of their city.
The 104-year-old Taj makes Vancouver hotels like the Pan Pacific
and theFour Seasons seem, well, second rate.
The magnificent arch of the Gateway of India is about 200 to 300
metresfrom the front door of the Taj. But its a world apart.
The Taj is where the local business elites, the occasional movie
star, andthe foreign dignitaries hang out. The Gateway of India,
despite its outwardelegance, attracts more than its share of
miscreants, petty criminals,pickpockets, hookers, and drug dealers
especially at night.
The government used to light up the Gateway, but not in recent
years.When the terrorists arrived in darkness, they were able to
slip into thecity with a minimum amount of fuss. It was easy for
them.
The Taj was a soft target. Ive entered the side door without
encounteringsecurity officials, who are ever-present at the front
door. The swimming
pool at the back offers another entry point. There have been
reports thatthe terrorists entered through Shamiana, which is a
restaurant close tothe swimming pool, and one of my favourite spots
in the hotel.
The Oberoi Hotel isnt far away, so it would have been easy for
theterrorists to split into different groups after disembarking at
the Gateway.The Oberoi has a shopping mall below, which is popular
with local peopleand tourists, as well as an elegant restaurant
that had no
Page 3 of 7
8/3/2019 Mumbai terrorist attacks have lessons for Vancouver
Olympics 2010
4/7
Page 4 of 7
observable security on the two occasions I visited. It was also
a softtarget.
VVaannccoouuvveerrssggeeooggrraapphhyyhhaass ssoommeetthhiinngg
iinnccoommmmoonnwwiitthh tthhaatt
ooffMMuummbbaaii,,wwhhiicchhssiittssoonnaappeenniinnssuullaassuurrrroouunnddeeddbbyywwaatteerroonnaallllssiiddeess..
TThheeGGeeoorrggiiaaSSttrraaiigghhtt hhaass pprreevviioouussllyy
rreeppoorrtteedd tthhaatt VVaannccoouuvveerrccoouulldd bbee
aassoofftt ttaarrggeettdduurriinngg
tthhee22001100WWiinntteerrGGaammeess bbeeccaauussee ooff
tthheeddiissttaannccee bbeettwweeeenn
vveennuueessaannddbbeeccaauusseetthheerreeiissaassiinngglleerrooaaddlliinnkkiinnggtthheecciittyyaannddWWhhiissttlleerr..
TThheerree aarree lleessssoonnssffrroomm tthhee MMuummbbaaii
aattttaacckkssffoorr tthhee RRCCMMPP aanndd ffoorr
tthheeCCaannaaddiiaannaarrmmeeddffoorrcceess,,
wwhhiicchhwwiillllbbeerreessppoonnssiibblleeffoorrkkeeeeppiinnggVVaannccoouuvveerrssaaffeedduurriinnggtthhee22001100OOllyymmppiiccss..
This week, terrorists entered South Mumbai by water with
nointerference. From there, they were free to cause havoc in the
heart of
