Jews Tortured Before Being Executed During Mumbai Attacks

The Daily Telegraph:

Israeli hostages killed by Islamic terrorists during the attacks on Mumbai (formerly Bombay) were tortured by their captors before they were bound together and killed, according to officials in both countries.

Jewish victims made up a disproportionate number of the foreigners killed after 10 Muslim fanatics stormed a series of sites in the Indian financial capital.

Read the whole story: The Daily Telegraph

Comments

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

How about some Muslim street protests akin to protests over Danish cartoons?


(HT to the NYTimes)

[linfort]

Even for extremist terrorists these attacks were particularly barbaric and downright disgusting. I hope that the Muslim world will denounce this type of action completely and without reservation. The only way to get these terrorists caught and stopped is for the Arab world to become INTOLERANT of these people and not allow them to live among them and train and let them believe they are helping the greater Arab good in any way. Nothing changes until it becomes uncomfortable. I hope that this was so barbaric that it makes all Muslims living in Arab countries so uncomfortable that they stop turning a blind eye to the terrorists among them and start standing up to them. They allow them to operate, and say it is not us regular Muslims, it is those "extremists" who are doing all of this. But silence is acceptance. Or worse, remember the dancing in the streets after 911?

[philly282]

priority #1---striking back against radical islam. do it fiercely, and do not mind 'moderate' muslims reactions

[harriettubman]

This is horrendous!!! These cowards don't do this if someone is knowingly armed. All we hear and read about are radical Islamists world wide. Are they trying to make the world afraid of Muslims? Even the good ones? If so, they're doing a great job at Islamaphobia, especially for people who don't personally know any Muslims. This appears to be an attempt at world domination at all costs. We have to tackle this ernestly.

[f1champ]

HYDERABAD, India, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- About 6,000 Muslim clerics from around India approved a fatwa against terrorism Saturday at a conference in Hyderabad.

Maulana Qari Mohammad Usman Mansoorpuri, president of the Jamaiat-Ul­ama-i-Hind­, called terrorism the most serious problem facing Islam, The Hindu reported. He blamed Islamic radicals for their actions and the news media for failing to distinguish between the radicals and the majority of Muslims.

"We have no love for offenders whichever religion they might belong to," he said. "Our concern is that innocents should not be targeted and the career of educated youth not ruined. The government should ensure transparency in investigation."

India has the world's second-largest Muslim population after Indonesia, although Hindus outnumber Muslims. The meeting was also expected to address issues like national integration.

"Islam rejects all kinds of unjust violence, breach of peace, bloodshed, murder and plunder and does not allow it in any form. Cooperation should be done for the cause of good but not for committing sin or oppression," the fatwa written at the Darul Uloom Deoband, India's foremost Islamic seminary.

[Horst]

How about the Imams in Pakistan....

[AwShucks]

Animals did this and animals do not practice any religion. They may use religion as an excuse. But they clearly do not practice it.

[Ajita]

You would rather call human beings who are deluded by religion animals than accept the obvious fact that religion influences people's actions. Its an excuse to say that the terrorists use religion as an excuse. Its an excuse, just like patriotism is an excuse to defend one's country. Its all just an excuse. The question is this: is it valid, not is it an excuse.
If we were not divided into arbitrary groups based on our delusional versions of fantasy, there would be no reason for the majority of terrorist attacks.
But somehow, I dont think you are going to ever agree with me. According to you, they have no religion, even though they are clearly acting in the name of religion. For you, the inquisitions and the spread of Christianity and Islam by the sword were not caused by the religions. For you, Mohammad did not himself raid over 600 villages, murdering and plundering them and raping the women. For you, the Christian massacres in South America, and the Hindu killings in India are not caused by religious people but by heathens. Clearly!

[Zofomofo]

Exactly, I am tired of religious apologists also.

Even best case, it proves the influence of religious teaching doesn't work.

[OutsiderSA]

Following on the meme of this article:

Italian Antonio Di Lorenzo, 63, from the Tuscan city of Livorno (1)
Frenchman Mourad Amarsy, 49, and his French wife Loumia Hiridjee, 47 (2)
British-Cypriot Andreas Dionysiou Liveras, 73 (1)
German Ralph Burkei, 51 (1)

That makes 5 Europeans - heritage?

Canadian physician Michael Moss, 73 (1)
Australians Bradley Taylor, 49, and Douglas Markell, 71 (2)

That is potentially 8 (of European descent)

How many of these were Christians we do not know.

See you can spin it to show anything you want.

I understand the focus but it in no way should be slanted to "favor" any particular group. I am sure all 200+ de.ad would prefer to be alive now and each of these had a horrific end. We mourn all the passings not just 6-8.

Like 9.1.1 those 300 were considered all Americans and at least human, the same should be done here. AT the W.T.C there were also foreigners that perished - remember.

[Ajita]

Let me add that 34 Indians died when the WTC went down on 9/11.

[GZLives]

The point being missed here is Jews ... not israelis, but Jews were specific targets. It points out the hatred of Jews by these Islamists and contradicts an argument often made by them that its not Jews who they have any problems with - but Zionists or Israelis. The fact is they hate Jews and teach their children Jews are sub humans as can be seen by having a look at the books the publish or any of the media they have.

You know, the starving Gazans who have TWO satellite networks ????

They hate all UNBELIEVERS but they have particularly special place in their cold hearts for the Jews.

[levibatgirl]

The article is about how Jewish captives were tortured.

[boing007]

Their actions were unholy and wholly unjustified. Torture and execution are not acceptable methods to redress one's grievances. Ever. I'm fed up.

[bobsled1]

OutsiderSA-

I don't believe anyone is arguing that everyone killed in this terrorist attack is equally dead and their deaths are equally tragic. The slant of the article was that those killed at the Jewish Center were singled out for torture before being killed while the others weren't. The terrorists took it one step further with them simply because they were Jewish.

Why does that perfectly legitimate angle bother you so much? Had the terrorists singled out a local Indian sect for particularly brutal torture and it had been reported in the media, would you have even bothered commenting. Somehow, I seriously doubt it.

[mouselion]

My condolences go out from my heart to the families of these victims. My hope is for an end to this madness. May we all learn a better way to live our lives.

Enough of the cynical/self-pity. Enough of the greed and callousness. Enough of blind-faith in religion and ideologies. Every person would live peacefully with their neighbors if not for the cynical belief that one can dominate and oppress another whether for economic or for religio-political gain.

[hughbetcha]

Both sides aren't equal in this incident so enough with the moral equivalency. One group set out to murder as many humans as possible with special treatment meted out to Jews. So let's call evil evil and stop playing games about how we are need to get along. One side clearly needs this lesson more than the other.

[Stefano]

A nice sentiment, echoed by John Lennon many years ago. Unfortunately, also utopian and niave (as Imagine was criticized as being some 30 years ago) There seems there is no reasoning with these people. Reading excerpt of how these extremists went about their killing shows me that there will be no coming together with these people. If only yours and John Lennon's dream could be fulfilled, but I'm afraid, not in this lifetime.

[Stilts9]

Any religion worth its salt has been torturing its opponents for millenium.

[mouselion]

Any religion *not* worth its salt.

[Zofomofo]

You miss the point.

[Moshe]

I was already heart broken about what had happened, and now this.

There is no greater evil than to torture the helpless.

Torture is evil. No excuses. No exceptions.

And that is why having the U.S. just quietly end it's use of torture is absolutely not acceptable.

U.S. torture must be ended immediately, forcefully denounced, and every person, from the top to the bottom, who broke our laws and committed war crimes through the illegal use of torture must be held publically accountable.

Anything less is condoning evil and contributes to a continuation of the great evil of torture.

President Obama, I understand the necessity to comprimise, and why it is often wiser simply to move on rather than to drag up old bones.

But torture is NOT one of those isssues in which there can be any moral comprimise: There is a bright line test here.

A nation and its people either publicly condemn torture and severly and publicly punish all that are still evil enough to engage in it, or they find themselves among those who condone torture, and those that condone torture have the same blood on their hands as those that practice it.

[jamie461]

Totally agree. I have always said that we cannot "win" this struggle by sinking to their level. We cannot claim the "moral high ground" while we condone torture. There can be no compromise anymore in our position on torture.

[Moshe]

Wise words Jamie. Although revenge can be emotionally gratifying at the time, in the long run it quickly devolves to little more than further violence.

We must instead take the moral high ground of justice and righteousness.

There is an ancient proverb that says: If you hate your enemy too much, you will become like him.

We must remain true to our better principles and the higher calling of justice and righteousness, not give in to fear, which leads to anger, hatred, and violence.

Only justice and righteousness lead to peace and the better world we want for our children.

[hughbetcha]

Jewish captives are tortured by Muslims in India and you attack the U.S. What planet are you living on?

[Moshe]

The Planet Earth my friend.

Where torture is not about religion or nationality. It is about good and evil.

Evil people use religion, nationality, ethnicity, etc., as a pretext for their crimes against humanity. We Jews have been disproportionately targeted throughout history, but this is a human problem not unique to any religion, nationality, or ethinicity.

We cannot allow the practitioners of evil among us to divide us based on religion, nationality, ethiniticity, etc. All people of good faith, be they Jews, Muslims, Christians, etc., must stand together against those that would divide us and stop the violence and lawlessness. Not allow it to spread like a virus under the pretext of religious division, etc.

[endecott]

While we know that all Muslims do not support or adhere to the tactics of Muslim terrorists i would like to see Muslim religious leaders and prominent Muslims speak out forcefully against these actions. They need to do this publicly, loud and clear, locally and internationally, over and over until the message takes hold. I have not heard it and am waiting. I think pressure should be put on them. The press should corner, confront them and make them take a stand now. They can have a huge influence.

[Moshe]

Agreed. All persons of good faith, and all nations that wish to be legitimately seen as civilized and decent, all must loudly and forcefully denounce the use of torture and do all they can to stop it and hold anyone who practices or supports torture fully accountable under the law.

Torture is a monstrous crime against humanity, so any torture anywhere is a crime against us all.

The U.S. must take a leadership role in this by holding all U.S. citizens who practiced or supported torture fully accountable under the law.

Torture is evil. No excuses. No exceptions. And no get out of jail free cards for those that committed these vile crimes against humanity. Ever.

This is torture dammit, not a parking ticket.

It's time for the U.S. to step up and deal seriously with it's own torture and those broke our laws in doing so.

[mouselion]

Hear, hear! (or, more appropriately, Read, read!)

[hughbetcha]

In the meantime, I can only hope you want to also capture and prosecute the Muslims and those who enable and condone their torture of innocents as in India. Or are you solely interested in the three people waterboarded by the U.S. which included Khalid Sheik Mohammed who cut the head off American reporter Daniel Pearl simply because he was a Jew? It would be nice to see some of your anger directed against those who make torture and intolerance a way of life. So far you seem content to single out only America. Why?

[Alaskan4alaska]

Same thoughts. Many gleeful people that would never do this themselves. They are the problem, the ones that condone vile acts. I need to hear denouncing.
.
We also need to look to prevention. Our State Dept. needs to be interested in much more than cheap Oil-Bananas-Coffee. WHY are we supporting the governments of Saudi Arabia and Egypt? These are the countries that sent us 9-11. At very least they should pay for their citizens acts of destruction.

[Wiserone]

Yes, their actions were rephrehensible. But, do not forget that Bush has sanctioned TORTURE as a means to an end. It has been mentioned, that the terrorists will use more and more torture to make their point and BECAUSE of our own actions at Guatanomo. Guess, the chickens are coming home to roost. The sooner Bush leaves the better for us all.

[chickenhawkwarrior]

Right, like they have even heard of Guatanamo. Because obviously waterboarding prisoners to get information is pretty much the same as picking out civilians specifically for their faith and then brutally torturing and killing them in front of their toddler? Right? Is that seriously what you are saying.

Keep making excuses for these barbarians...

[Ajita]

I dont think it was an excuse for the terrorists. There is no excusing such violence, but the impression that people in the middle east have of the US now is that innocent Muslims are being tortured in Gitmo. Thats all thats needed to create these violent factions. Remember, violence breeds more violence. Unless we kill every mulsim, there will always be those seeking revenge. The same goes for Americans. Its an endless cycle.
The way to end it is using diplomacy.

[Jeff1958]

Waterboarding is torture. Being a prisoner does NOT imply guilt. They haven't been convicted of any crime. They haven't even been tried in a court of law.

The couple wasn't killed in front of their toddler.

The people who committed those heinous acts are barbarians. But do not make the mistake of thinking that our barbarians are any better than their barbarians.

[GZLives]

"that the terrorists will use more and more torture to make their point"

Their point? What's their point other then to kill as many unbelievers as they can?

It is not ‘our’ fault; it has nothing to do with Muslim poverty, oppression or discrimination.

They use specific grievances like Kashmir, Iraq, Palestine, Chechnya only for recruiting purposes.

They singled out a religious Jewish outreach organization with no Israeli or political agenda because at the core of the Islamists’ hatred of Israel festers their hatred of the Jews.

[boing007]

They use specific grievances like Kashmir, Iraq, Palestine, Chechnya only for recruiting purposes.

They singled out a religious Jewish outreach organization with no Israeli or political agenda because at the core of the Islamists" hatred of Israel festers their hatred of the Jews.

They are 21st Century Nihilists, masquerading as holy agents of Allah.

[realwoman]

Wiserone for you to say that they torture because of Guantanamo shows your lack of knowledge and history. They tortured before, during and after Guantanamo. Plus if you think waterboarding, loud music or sleep deprivation is torture God help you if al Qaida or any other similar group got a hold of you. Stop blaming America for the worlds problems. No Arab in the world has more freedom and opportunity, fairness and justice , in any Arab country than they have here.

[ICanHasDemocracy]

Was it torture, or merely "Aggressive Questioning ". Use of the word "Execution" confers carrying out of swift justice or a political action and not cold hearted murder- which is what it was.

John Wayne Gacy was executed. Innocents were murdered.

[glorialovelace]

Why would they be "aggressively questioning" the Jews at Chabad House? What "secrets" could they possibly have wanted to find out from them?

[TheAlchemist]

My prayers and condolences go out to all who suffered and to their surviving loved ones.

[linfort]

This whole incident makes me ill. If there any chance that these horrid acts will get more people to see just how dangerous it is to allow these extremist groups to continue to operate. It is only through any kind of tolerance that something is allowed to exist. The mainstream Muslim population has to come around to disavow their actions and show no tolerance for their barbaric actions in order for these groups to cease to exist. We will never get rid of them by hunting them down, it has to be a shift in tolerance and conscience in the Arab community itself. Maybe not in our lifetime, but the shift will have to come or the nuclear weapons will effectively end the world.