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On November 21, 2008, ten terrorists left territory friendly to their cause and started out to strike their target. Each of the 10 men is given one AK-47 style rifles, 6 to 7 magazines of 30 rounds each plus 400 rounds not loaded in magazines, 8 hand grenades, a pistol, prepaid credit cards and a supply of dried fruit. Two days later, they hijacked a trawler on the open ocean and transferred to that boat. Once they came to within four miles of their target, they killed the captain and crew of the trawler and proceeded to shore in three small boats at dusk.  Over the next four days, they conducted 11 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India’s largest city.

At no point during the attack did the terrorists attempt to overcome armed guards or police. The terrorists attacked largely unguarded ‘soft’ targets, which had been scouted in advance. These included two large hotels, a hospital, and a railway station.  Working in small 2-5 man teams they killed 164 people and wounded at least 308 before being taken down themselves. The resulting panic sent tremors throughout the country. The New York Times, in July 2009, described the event as “what may be the most well-documented terrorist attack anywhere.

Can it happen here?

More at my column at Firearms Talk.com