Mumbai Law Enforcement is a Joke

The performance of the local police in Mumbai during the recent terrorist attacks was a sad joke. Throughout the crisis I heard comparisons to Mumbai being the "commercial" and "entertainment" capital of India- a city of 18 million people. You know what is the saddest thing is that local cops there are armed with sticks and it sounds like they ran away from the rampaging terrorists. A lot of the press focus is on the abysmal swat/commando performance- lack of proper sighting equipment etc- and don't get wrong their performance was pathetic. But really- it's the local cops where if you are an indian national you have to be like "holy shit what the fuck are we doing in this country?"

Say what you want about 911, but having two airplanes fly into tall skyscrapers is not a failure of local police. Having a bunch of 20 year olds walk through your streets machine gunning people, is, in fact, a failure of the local police.

I've seen video of the swat/commandos high 5-ing citizens and signing autographs. Well, I'm glad someone is happy with how they handled that situation.

Gangland is a TV Show on History Channel

This show on History Channel: Gangland. It's in season three right now? I was kind of unaware of its existence until last month, but I still think it's kind of "under the radar." I have seen... exactly one of them? But I'm buying the DVD Season one and two right now. That's the way to watch tv series. It's television, so it's sensationalistic but whatever. People need to deal with it.

People think of gangs and they think of the mafia on the east coast. The mafia still exists, but it's just been relentlessly targeted for decades. Plus, the real growth has been in the south east and south west, where the traditional mafia is more likely to live in as government informers- Henry Hill, hello? So this show moves beyond that and tells

(GANGLAND-TV SHOW HISTORY CHANNEL WIKI)

Taj Mahal Hotel Erupts into Fire Fight

Watch the live feed. Gun shots n shrapnel included.

(IBN LIVE STREAM)

Captured Terrorist Gives Mumbai Plot Details

In a sensational disclosure made by Ajmal, the jihadi nabbed alive by Mumbai cops, the group had planned to sail out on Thursday. Their recruiters had even charted out the return route for them and stored it on the GPS device which they had used to navigate their way to the Mumbai shoreline.

Ajmal has revealed the name of his fellow jihadis all Pakistani citizens as Abu Ali, Fahad, Omar, Shoaib, Umer, Abu Akasha, Ismail, Abdul Rahman (Bara) and Abdul Rahman (Chhota).

The account of Ajmal also strengthens the doubt of the complicity of powerful elements in the Pakistani establishment. According to him, the group set off on November 21 from an isolated creek near Karachi without the deadly cargo of arms and ammunition they were to use against the innocents in Mumbai. The group received arms and ammunition on board a large Pakistani vessel which picked them up the following day. The vessel, whose ownership is now the subject of an international probe, had four Pakistanis apart from the crew.

A day later, they came across an Indian-owned trawler, Kuber, which was promptly commandeered on the seas. Four of the fishermen who were on the trawler were killed, but its skipper, or tandel in fishermen lingo, Amarjit Singh, was forced to proceed towards India. Amarjit was killed the next day, and Ismail the terrorist who was killed at Girgaum Chowpaty took the wheel.

A trained sailor, Ismail used the GPS to reach Mumbai coast on November 26. The group, however, slowed down its advance as they had reached during the day time while the landing was planned after dusk. The group shifted to inflatable boats, before disembarking at Badhwar Park in Cuffe Parade.

From there, they mandated to kill indiscriminately, particularly white foreign tourists, and spare Muslims split up into five batches. Two of them Ismail and Ajmal took a taxi to Victoria Terminus. Three other batches of two each headed for Oberoi Hotel, Cafe Leopold and Nariman House. The remaining four went to Taj Hotel.

One source in ATS familiar with the details of the interrogation quoted him saying that in all 16 fidayeens came to Mumbai on Wednesday. A native of Faridkot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), 21-year-old Kasab told police they had done a reccee of Mumbai few months ago. He said he had come along with eight of the operatives to Mumbai as students and lived in a rented room at Colaba market, a stone's throw away from Nariman House.

(TIMES OF INDIA)

Description of Chabad House Raid

Mr Dutt described how commandos had tried to rescue the hostages, only to be stopped by militants lobbing grenades at them from top floors.

Three hostages were killed as the commandos began their operation, he said, while militants killed another two as the Indian forces attempted to make their way to the third and fourth floor.

Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Foreign Minister, said that a delegation from Israel’s Zaka emergency medical services unit had tried to enter the building earlier, but were also forced to retreat by gunfire.

When they were finally able to get in, they confirmed that five hostages and two gunmen were dead.

(LONDON TIMES)

Two Terrorists of "British Pakistani origin"

Although the city's Oberai hotel and a Jewish centre were cleared of the killers, reports said anywhere between two and six of them remained in the Taj Mahal hotel.

At least two of the captured terrorists were of British Pakistani origin, India's Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said.

(THE ROYAL SCOTSMAN)

'Up to 6' Terrorists in Taj Mahal Hotel

The bloody battle in Mumbai continues as terrorist gunmen defy attempts by Indian forces to prise them from hideouts.

Explosions continued to be heard in central Mumbai despite the Indian authorities' assurances that the situation was under control.

And up to six attackers remain in the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, according to local reports.

Mumbai Terrorist Attack Map

View Larger MapMombai Terrorist Attack Map

The gunmen moved skillfully through corridors slick with blood, thwarting efforts to pin them down, and switched off lights and plunged the rooms into darkness to further confuse the commandos.

One gunman, who was still roaming the Taj Mahal nearly 48 hours after the assault began, was hiding in a ballroom, said army commander Lt. Gen. N. Thamburaj.

"He is moving in two floors. There is a dance floor area where he has cut off all the lights. Sometimes he gets holed up in the rooms and makes that area dark," Thamburaj said.

He saw another colleague shot in the head — "She died on the spot," he said — but he said he managed to pull a tourist to safety through a fire exit. Then he ran down a flight of stairs, and was free.

Varagona said the gunmen kept firing, and bodies fell to the floor, at least a dozen.

"There were bodies everywhere. I felt like I was in a movie," Varagona said.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

US Intelligence Fingers Lashkar-e-Taiba for Mumbai Terror Attack

It seems to me that they would take responsibility for such a stunning piece of work. But maybe the entire purpose is to disguise who did it.

American intelligence and counterterrorism officials said Friday there is mounting evidence that a Pakistani militant group long focused on the conflict in Kashmir, most likely Lashkar- e-Taiba, is responsible for the deadly attacks in Mumbai.

(NEW YORK TIMES)

"Saffronist" Involvement in Mumbai Terrorist Plot

Mumbai Terrorist Photo

THIS STORY: MUMBAI/BOMBAY TERRORIST ATTACKS
Mumbai Terrorist Attack Details 1(CAT DIRT SEZ)
Terrorists Kill 16 With Guns n Bombs in Mumbai(CAT DIRT SEZ)

This is the current events equivalent of "blaming the victim" but 'Saffronist' refers to Hindu-nationalism, and it's no stretch to say that they will be the beneficiaries at the polls in the next couple of weeks.

So here are your potential perps:

1. Lashkar-e-Taiba: Pakistan based group obsessed with ending indian control of disputed Kashmir territory.
2. Indian Mujahideen: domestic muslim terrorist.
3. Shadowy Pakistani/Al Queda led conspiracy.
4. Shadowy Hindu indian conspiracy.
5. Shadowy British/Al Queda led conspiracy.


I'm going with "2" so far.

Mumbai Terrorist Entry: Ship Hijack. Jet Skis, Murder

The batch of terrorists who reached Mumbai on boats two days ago to execute the worst Terror attack on India had killed and thrown off-board three members of the crew of Kuber, the Indian trawler they hijacked, and beheaded the fourth, Amarsinh Solanki, whom they let live longer to help them with navigation.

Sources have told The Indian Express that reports from Coast Guard authorities said that Solanki’s “headless body” was recovered from the 45-foot trawler about five nautical miles from the Mumbai coast during an aerial recce on the waters of Arabian Sea.

It’s also confirmed that the terrorists got off Kuber and boarded an inflatable dinghy — Gemini craft — which they used to land on Mumbai’s shore. Sources said that one of the terrorists caught is said to have admitted that Kuber had only one Gemini craft on board. “Eight terrorists boarded the craft to reach the shore on Wednesday,” a source said.

(INDIAN EXPRESS)

Mumbai Terrorist Attack: Times of India Complete Coverage

Times of India has hands down the best Mumbai Terrorist Attack coverage.
(TIMES OF INDIA COMPLETE COVERAGE MUMBAI TERRORIST ATTACK)

Indian Commandos Seize Terrorist Back Pack

Indian Navy's elite Marine Commandos (MARCOS) have recovered a Mauritian national's identity card from the rug sack of a terrorist, who escaped from the Taj hotel room, after an encounter with the security forces.
"We have recovered a rug sack of a terrorist, who escaped, after an encounter with the MARCOS and we found an identity card of a Mauritian national," Marine Commandos team leader, who was part of the operation, told reporters on Friday.

The rug sack also contained Chinese made grenades, seven ammunition magazines, 400 spare rounds of ammunition, seven credit cards of different banks, dry rations and USD 1,200 and Rs 6,840 from inside the rug sack.

(INDIAN EXPRESS)

Mumbai Terrorists British Citizens?

Taj Mahal Hotel. India's 9-11?

Indian government just shut down CNN video feed? Their "permit expired."

LONDON: Amid reports that the Mumbai attackers included British citizens of Pakistani origin, Premier Gordon Brown said on Friday that it was too early to tell whether Britons were involved in terror strikes on two luxury hotels and other public places in India's financial hub.

Brown said he would discuss the attacks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, as the Indian Government said the attackers came from outside the country.

Asked about the media reports that said the terrorists included "British citizens of Pakistani origin", Brown said: "I would not want to be drawn into early conclusions about this."

(TIME OF INDIA)

Mubai Terrorist Attacks: That was some crazy motherfucking shit, right?

Right? Crazy!

Mumbai Terrorist Attack: Live Video Feed

This is real time- sounds like fucking mayhem.

(IBN.COM LIVE VIDEO FEED)

Mumbai/Bombay Terrorist Photo

Mumbai Terrorist Photo

THIS STORY: MUMBAI/BOMBAY TERRORIST ATTACKS
Mumbai Terrorist Attack Details 1(CAT DIRT SEZ)
Terrorists Kill 16 With Guns n Bombs in Mumbai(CAT DIRT SEZ)

Hey is that a scary photo?

Feds Warn New York About Potential for Terrorist Attack

Is Grand Central Station the target, or the subway system?

Hey- have a terrorist free thanksgiving, ok?

WASHINGTON — Federal authorities are warning law enforcement personnel of a possible terror plot against the New York City subway system during the holiday season.

An internal memo obtained by The Associated Press says the FBI has received a "plausible but unsubstantiated" report that al-Qaida terrorists in late September may have discussed attacking the subway system.

The report indicates that al-Qaida terrorists "in late September may have discussed targeting transit systems in and around New York City. These discussions reportedly involved the use of suicide bombers or explosives placed on subway/passenger rail systems," according to the document.

"We have no specific details to confirm that this plot has developed beyond aspirational planning, but we are issuing this warning out of concern that such an attack could possibly be conducted during the forthcoming holiday season," states the warning, which is dated Tuesday.

While federal agencies regularly issue all sorts of advisory warnings, the language of this one is particularly blunt.

Intelligence and homeland security officials are working with local authorities to try to corroborate the information "and will continue to investigate every possible lead," the memo says.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Mumbai Terrorist Attack Details 1

Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai/Bombay

That's Bombay for you yokels.

At least five shootouts took place and as many explosions rocked at Colaba and Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) Station in southern part of the Mumbai late tonight The shootouts took place at Colaba and CST while a grenade exploded at Mumbai CST. (INDIA EXPRESS)

Gunmen opened fire in at least seven sites, including a train station, two five-star hotels, a hospital and a restaurant popular with tourists.

Sajjad Karim, an MEP for the North West of England who is in Mumbai, told the BBC he had seen a gunman opening fire in the lobby of Taj Mahal hotel.

The other hotel targeted was the Oberoi. (BBC SOUTH ASIA)

(LOCAL VIDEO OF BOMBAY TERRORIST ATTACK)

Jesus.

Terrorists Kill 16 With Guns n Bombs in Mumbai

MUMBAI, India – Officials and media reports say at least 16 people have been killed and dozens wounded in a series of attacks by terrorist gunmen at seven sites in Mumbai, including two luxury hotels.

The Press Trust of India said at least 16 people were killed in the attacks. Johnny Joseph, chief secretary for Maharashtra, said 90 people had been injured, but refused to say how many had died.

A.N. Roy, a senior police officer, said police were continuing to battle the gunmen.

"The terrorists have used automatic weapons and in some places grenades have been lobbed, the encounters are still going on and we are trying to overpower them," Roy says.

(Yahoo!)

Attacks were reported at the Taj and Oberoi hotels, the popular Café Leopold, and Cama Hospital, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station.

(CNN)

Who is down for drug tunnels?

Drug tunnels are hot, especially in Nogales- almost all the tunnels are in that city. (TUCSON CITIZEN)

I love the elegant simplicity of building a drug tunnel, and given the critical acclaim for "the bank job" movie, which involved the building of a tunnel to rob a bank, I think the dramatic tension is there. I guess the drug tunnel is ongoing, rather then a "one time" thing, so it's less dramatic in that way. Does the tv show "weeds" cover this issue?

Dude, Burn.

Hey let's not rush to judgment on this. This is based on the conduct of two 15 year old boys, who may dislike this guy. Who knows what they did here? They could have hacked his account password and sent the emails themselves, for all we know.

A Petaluma high school teacher was arrested Saturday morning after allegedly setting up an illicit date with a person he believed was a 15-year-old girl, police and prosecutors said.

a teacher at Casa Grande High School, was arrested in San Mateo on Saturday after allegedly showing up for a date with "Jackie," a teenage persona created on MySpace by two teen boys, San Mateo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

The 15-year-old San Mateo County boys posted the online profile as a joke, Wagstaffe said.

"They were playing a joke with their friends and suddenly they've got a sexual predator," Wagstaffe said

(CONTRA COSTA TIMES)

Australian Rebels MC Officers Indicted

Rebels MC Perth

I just wanted to point out that on the above jacket, the Rebels are clearly abiding by the international rules regarding the jacket insignia:
Name on top, patch in middle, area controlled on bottom. Note the area controlled is designated as "Australia." Take that, other Australian Motorcycle Clubs.

Two members of the Rebels motorcycle gang have made a brief appearance in the Perth Magistrates Court.

Club President, 39-year-old Nickolas Martin and Sergeant At Arms, 43-year-old Errol Munro made no application for bail.

They appeared on charges including causing grievous bodily harm and deprivation of liberty.

They were remanded in custody to appear at a later date.

Police arrested six people, including four members of the motorcyle gang, following a lengthy investigation into the club's activities.

(ABC)

Not deprivation of liberty. Anything but that. What's the maximum prison sentence in Australia- 18 months & a movie deal from Russell Crowe?

It's Harvest Season!

Marijuana Seizure

As an advocate for the de-criminalization of marijuana, it pains me to see Mexican drug cartel's so intimately involved in the importation and distribution of mj in the United States, but it's a difficult fact that all proponents of decriminalization of marijuana need to address. Right now it's "Harvest Season" in Mexico, which means a series of multi-ton seizures along the U.S./Mexico border. Two or three a week? Here is yesterday's edition San Diego-style:

SAN DIEGO -- Three motorists were arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry Tuesday after service dogs sniffed out a total of nearly 7,600 pounds of marijuana concealed in the men's vehicles, authorities reported.

Inspectors discovered the cannabis hauls around daybreak, over a roughly 30-minute period, according to U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement.

Two of the suspected drug traffickers -- both Mexican nationals -- arrived at the government checkpoint in white vans, CBP spokesman Vince Bond said.

Alerted by a drug-sniffing canine, agents found a total of 415 packages of marijuana hidden in the vehicles.

The illicit cargo weighed a combined 7,338 pounds.

(CHANNEL 10 SAN DIEG0)

Who do you think that weed belonged to? A Mexican drug cartel, that's who. I want to get my own drug-sniffing canine.

Somali Pirates Earn Western "Think" Pieces

I'm part of a complex global phenomenon.


THIS STORY: THE SOMALI PIRATES OIL SUPERTANKER EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
Hijacked Supertanker Drops Anchor (CAT DIRT SEZ)


RELATED CONTENT: SOMALI PIRATES, YARGH!
Somali Pirate Spokesman Interviewed by NY Times(CAT DIRT SEZ)
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Cruise off the Somalian Coast? World's Worst Vaca!(CAT DIRT SEZ)


Somali Pirates: part international pop culture phenomenon, part serious global threat:

When pirates armed with little more than AK-47s and rope ladders seized a supertanker last week, they showed how simple it is to storm a ship -- a vulnerability that al Qaeda could exploit to attack the global economy.

"There had been an argument that terrorist groups don't have the nautical skills required to capture a ship. But the Somali experience shows you don't need a high degree of skills," said Ian Storey, a fellow at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and an expert on piracy. "It shows how easy it can be."

Peter Chalk, a terrorism-risk analyst at the Rand Corporation think tank, said in a report on piracy and terrorism in June that "there has been a modest yet highly discernable spike in high-profile terrorist incidents at sea over the past six years.

(REUTERS)

A "modest yet highly discernible spike" Oh-no! I'm terrified... This seems like a problem the third world should go ahead and fix by itself- specifically south east asia and africa/middle east.

The Gamblers Book Shop, Las Vegas NV. (Photo)

The only other blog post I wanted to do about Las Vegas was to point out how totally kick ass the gamblers book shop in Las Vegas, Nevada, is. It's located "off the strip," shall we say, but not a scary neighborhood (unless you consider Burger King Hobo Wonderland to be "terrifying.") All credit goes to JFCD for the find. But as a bibliophile I was like, "Whoa." and dropped $100+. Seriously- check out the photo.

(FLICKR PHOTO)

Foul Smelling Man Robs Phoenix Area Restaurant

Phoenix Sunset

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At about 5:50 a.m., the robber dressed in all black demanded cash from the staff of Brunchies, a restaurant on the corner of Arizona Avenue and Boston Street in the heart of the downtown historic district, said Detective David Ramer, a police spokesman.

Witnesses described the man as about 5 feet 8 inches tall, wearing a black shirt, blue jeans and a ski mask. One employee said the man had a thick accent, but couldn't identify its origin, and also said he had a strong odor and possibly a hygiene problem.

(ARIZONA STAR)

Long Island Boiler Room Raided

Long Island, 1978.
Long Island and Boiler Room Operations like peanut butter and chocolate. Note high dollar fraud value.

A Long Island-based boiler room operation stole millions of dollars from elderly victims who believed they would make a mint from purchasing and reselling rare coins, authorities said.

Charges were filed Monday against nine defendants who were to be arraigned Monday afternoon in Central Islip federal court, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell said. Three other suspects are named in a federal complaint, which does not reveal the charges.

At least 20 people paid hundreds of thousands of dollars each to buy supposedly rare coins, with the expectation that anonymous investors would purchase them at higher prices, according to a complaint filed Friday by U.S. Postal Inspector William Hessle.

After buying the coins, the victims were told that the investors backed out, Hessle said. Some victims learned that the coins were worth only a tenth of what they paid for them, he said.

Companies run by the defendants, including All American Coin in Copiague and Northeast Gold and Silver in Lindenhurst, made more than $70 million over the past eight years, Hessle said. The companies also face charges.

(NEWS DAY)

Terry Christensen Gets Three Years

Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown.


Well, maybe I identify with Terry Christensen, but my condolences go out to him and his family. Three years! For wiretapping illegally? C'mon!

A prominent Hollywood attorney has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for his role in a wiretapping scheme orchestrated by private eye Anthony Pellicano.

Terry Christensen was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer after being convicted of conspiracy to commit wiretapping and aiding and abetting a wiretap.

He was sentenced to 36 months for each count, with the terms to run concurrently, along with three years probation and a fine of $250,000. He remains free pending an appeal.

Pellicano and Christensen were accused of recording phone conversations of Lisa Bonder Kerkorian in an effort to disprove her claims that MGM mogul Kirk Kerkorian was the father of her young daughter.

(LA TIMES)

San Diego Cockfighting Arena Bust!

wOW. Fallbrook cockfighting ring located in an avocado grove? I'm "all in" on this crime. 25 people detained... how many charged?

Cockfighting Arena, San Juan Puerto Rico

FALLBROOK, Calif. -- Authorities have uncovered a cockfighting arena in Fallbrook.

San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Anthony Ray says deputies responded to a report of roosters crowing at an avocado grove around 10 a.m. Sunday.

When they arrived they found the arena as well as alcohol and food vendors among the trees.

About 100 people ran away as deputies approached.

Some 25 people were detained, along with dozens of vehicles.

Cockfighting Arena Found In Avocado Grove(CHANNEL 10 SAN DIEGO)

The Sports Book at the Palazzo is a Sad Joke

The Sports Book at the Palazzo is a sad joke.

I don't know what the Palazzo, an otherwise well put together property, is thinking with its attempt to turn Jay Z's 40/40 Club into a sports book. Oh man- it sucks so big time. Also: Jay Z's 40/40 club looked like it sucked big time. The employees said, "The crowd was a problem." Zing! But I just wanted to single out the Palazzo Sports Book for sucking.

Barrio Aztecas Secret Code Language Described

Hawaiian Royale Motel - El Paso, Texas

THIS STORY: BARRIO AZTECAS TRIAL
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Zetas Leave Headless "Message" for Barrio Aztecas...(CAT DIRT SEZ)
Barrio Azetcas Trial Sounds Awesome(CAT DIRT SEZ)
Links Between Juarez Cartel and El Paso Street Gang Detailed(CAT DIRT SEZ)

I continue to love the Barrio Aztecas RICO trial in El Paso, Texas. Did you catch the racketteing joke on 30 Rock this week: Steve Martin's character says he was convicted of racketeering, and Liz says, "What is racketeering?" and Jack responds, "Liz, nobody knows." Hilarious! Last week,trial testimony detailed use of gang "slang" or "code language":

Code words used in letters and conversations were in English, Spanish, Spanglish and even Nahuatl, the Aztec language, all in an attempt to throw off "G.I.s" or gang investigators.

Former Azteca sergeant Gerardo Hernandez testified the organization trained members to read and write in gang slang.

"I was taught that," Hernandez said.

(EL PASO TIMES)