Helter skelter

Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, 1:08 a.m.

caller: How many hostages do you have?

receiver: We have one from Belgium. We have killed him. There was one chap from Bangalore. He could be controlled only with a lot of effort.

caller: I hope there is no Muslim among them.

receiver: No, none.

Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, 1:26 a.m.

caller: Are you setting the fire or not?

receiver: Not yet. I am getting the mattress ready for burning.

caller: What did you do with the dead body?

receiver: Left it behind. We were in a hurry. We made a big mistake.

caller: What big mistake?

receiver: When we were getting into the boat, the waves were quite high. Another boat came. Everyone raised an alarm that the Navy had come. Everyone jumped quickly. In this confusion, Ismail’s satellite phone got left behind.

Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, 1:37 a.m.

caller 1: Your work is very important. The minister should not escape. Try to set the place on fire.

receiver: We have set fire in four rooms.

caller 1: People will run helter skelter when they see the flames. Keep throwing a grenade every fifteen minutes or so. It will terrorize. Here, talk to Baba.

caller 2: A lot of policemen and Navy personnel have covered the entire area. Be brave!

Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, 3:10 a.m.

receiver: Greetings!

caller: Greetings! There are three ministers and one secretary of the cabinet in your hotel. We don’t know in which room.

receiver: Oh! That is good news! It is the icing on the cake.

caller: Find those people and then get whatever you want from India.

receiver: Pray that we find them.

caller: Do one thing. Throw one or two grenades on the Navy and police teams that are outside.

receiver: Sorry, I simply can’t make out where they are.

Oberoi Trident, 3:53 a.m.

caller 1: Brother Abdul, the media is comparing your actions to 9/11. One senior police officer has been killed.

receiver 1: We are on the tenth or eleventh floor. We have five hostages.

caller 2: Everything is being recorded by the media. Inflict the maximum damage. Keep fighting. Don’t be taken alive.

receiver 2: We have three foreigners, in cluding women from Singapore and China .

caller 1: Kill them.

Nariman House, 7:45 p.m.

caller: Keep in mind that the hostages are of use only as long as you do not come under fire. If you are still threatened, don’t saddle yourself with the burden of the hostages. Immediately kill them.

receiver: Yes, we shall do so, God willing.

caller: The Army claims to have done the work without any hostage being harmed. Another thing: Israel has made a request through diplomatic channels to save the hostages. If the hostages are killed, it will spoil relations between India and Israel.

receiver: So be it, God willing.

caller: Stay alert.