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Deccan Mujahideen, a terrorist organization, has claimed responsibility for today's Mumbai shootings and hostages. Little is known about the organization, but early reports have been trickling in over the internet.
The term itself is not very specific, and according to CNN may just be a generic term for radicals in the region. "Deccan" is an area of India and "Mujahideen" is the plural form of a term referring to a Muslim participating in a jihad.
Deccan Mujahideen also claimed responsibility for a series of bombings across India in September that killed at least 130 people.
That email read:
"You should know that your acts are not at all left unnoticed; rather we are closely keeping an eye on you and just waiting for the right time to execute your bloodshed. We are aware of your recent raids at Ansarnagar, Mograpada in Andheri and the harassment and trouble you created there for the Muslims," the group said in the email they sent to various media houses on Saturday evening.
"You threatened to murder them and your mischief went to such an extent that you even dared to abuse and insult Maulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan Qasmi and even misbehaved with the Muslim women and children there," the email said.
"If this is the degree your arrogance has reached, and if you think that by these stunts you can scare us, then let the Indian Mujahideen warn all the people of Mumbai that whatever deadly attacks Mumbaikars will face in future, their responsibility would lie with the Mumbai ATS and their guardians - Vilasrao Deshmukh and R R Patil," the email said. "You are already on our hit-list and this time very very seriously."
Deccan Mujahideen also claimed responsibility for bombings in Jaipur in May.
AROUND THE WEB
Foreign Policy: Who are the Deccan Mujahideen?
"Deccan" is an area of India, while "Mujahideen" is the plural form of a Muslim participating in a jihad.
But terrorism experts say it is unlikely that an unknown terrorist group could carry out such a highly-organized and heavily-armed attack.
Rohan Gunaratna, an international terrorism expert, told CNN Wednesday that only the Indian Mujahideen, an Islamist terror group active in India, had the resources to carry out the plan.
The Indian Mujahideen, has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly attacks throughout 2008, and in a chilling email in September, said Mumbai was its next target.
The group accused Mumbai's police of harassing Muslims and also claimed responsibility for a number of 2008 bomb attacks throughout India, which killed at least 130 people.