Siege of Taj Mahal hotel over say officials
Police stormed the Taj hotel two hours ago and say they now control the building
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Saturday, 29, Nov 2008 09:59
The siege of the Taj Mahal hotel has been declared over by security forces in India.
Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor has said the hotel is now under police control following a new assault on the building in the early hours of Saturday morning. He asked any hostages that might still be hiding in the hotel to make themselves known to the police.
Security forces are currently sweeping the building amid fears hotel rooms may be booby trapped or that some hostages are still in the building and either too afraid or unable to leave their hiding place for another reason.
Meanwhile the Foreign Office has said there is no evidence that any British citizens were involved in the planning or carrying out of the terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of at least 195 people over the last three days.
Prime minister Gordon Brown has added that he has had no indication from the Indian government that any British born individuals were involved in the attacks, following claims by Indian news networks last night that British born Pakistani‘s may have been involved.
The most likely culprits, according India's foreign minister are "elements with links to Pakistan".
However, Pakistan has urged India not to politicise the situation saying "we should join hands to defeat the enemy".
The Pakistani government is to hold an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday to discuss the attacks.
It had also intended to send its intelligence chief to India to help with investigations, but has reversed the decision following criticism from opposition politicians and a lukewarm response from the army. It will send a lower-ranking representative instead.
On Friday, almost 100 people were rescued from a second hotel, and six bodies were found at a Jewish centre.
At least nine of the terrorists have been confirmed dead while one terrorist suspect has been taken into custody.