15 Years On, Mumbai pays tribute to victims of 26/11 Terror Attack

26/11 Terror Attack: 15 years have passed since the harrowing terrorist attacks that shook Mumbai, India's financial hub, on November 26, 2008.

Known as 26/11, these coordinated assaults orchestrated by 10 terrorists unleashed chaos on the streets of Mumbai, leaving an indelible mark on the nation and the world.

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Members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group infiltrated Mumbai on the fateful night of November 26, 2008. Over the ensuing four days, they claimed the lives of 166 individuals and left 300 others injured.

The targets were meticulously selected for maximum impact, including the Taj and Oberoi Hotels, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the Nariman House Jewish center, and the Leopold Cafe, frequented by Europeans, Indians, and Jews.

The nine LeT terrorists met their end, while the lone surviving Pakistani attacker, Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, was apprehended at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station. In May 2010, Qasab received the death penalty and, two years later, was executed in a high-security prison in Pune.

The wounds inflicted by this tragic event persist in the memories of those who witnessed it, and the lessons learned remain integral to global security.

In observance of the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks, Israel has officially designated Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as a terrorist organization. Notably, this decision was made independently, without any formal request from the Indian government.

The Israeli Embassy stated that all necessary procedures were completed to declare LeT a terror outfit, emphasizing that the move aligns with Israel's practice of listing organizations actively operating against it or in a manner similar to those recognized globally by the UNSC or the US State Department. The decision underscores the importance of a unified global front against terrorism, with Israel's Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs collaborating to expedite the extraordinary listing.

Israel's Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, commended the decision, terming the ban on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as the "right thing." He revealed that Israel had decided to ban LeT months ago after discovering it was not listed as a terrorist organization in Israel.

Simultaneously, a day-long poster exhibition was held at the Broken Chair in front of the United Nations in Geneva to commemorate the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Priyajit Debsarkar, a human rights activist and author who organized the exhibition, explained, "Today, we are protesting in front of the United Nations, Geneva. We have displayed a lot of balance here to commemorate the costly and terrible barbaric terror attacks which rocked Mumbai, the Indian financial epicenter, 15 years ago."

On this annual day of remembrance, the nation pays tribute to the individuals and security forces who sacrificed their lives in the fight against the terrorists.

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