26/11: Eyewitness Account on Anniversary of Mumbai Terror Attacks

On the anniversary of the “26/11″ terror attacks in Mumbai, I was in the city for a conference and got a chance to interview Farzad Jehani. He’s the co-owner of the Leopold Cafe and witness to attacks that left 11 people dead in his restaurant. A total of 173 people died in the November 26, 2008 attacks.

Jehani and his brother run the Leopold Cafe. It is sometimes described as a “backpacker bar,” but it’s more clearly a space where young middle class Indians and people from around the world come to have reasonably priced food, beer, and get a good welcome.

In 2008, Pakistan-based fundamentalist terrorists attacked several sites in the southern part of the city, including a major tourist hotel and a nearby pub, killing 173 people and leaving more wounded. (Pakistan indicted several alleged conspirators the day before the anniversary.) The first anniversary of what locals call “26/11″ (Indians, like British and many other cultures, use the day-slash-month format for dates) brought increased security checkpoints across the city and a mix of sadness about the attack, and pride that the city was healing.

Mumbaikars say that there is not currently a lot of religious tension in the city. The attackers were Muslim, but many people It’s clearly a mixing pot — Hindu and Muslim, Christian, Jain, Jewish… and on and on. Tensions with Pakistan continue to foment over whether the terrorists could have been stopped… or were even given approval.. by the Pakistani government.

I know I had a great chance to talk to people here and get a better sense of the struggles and tensions they face when considering terrorism. India has a tense border with Pakistan (Kashmir); the nations have nukes. Pakistan borders Afghanistan. Taliban fighters cross that border. I will let more experienced hands on these issues give you greater context. I do want to see Fareed Zakaria’s documentary on the attacks, where he acquired cell phone audio of the attackers talking to their commander during the attacks.

As for me, this project was unusual. The day I left for India (yes, the very day), I bought a $250 cam and a $60 external mic. Everything I’m doing is an experiment. I don’t generally shoot and edit videos, but I’m starting to play with media again, as opposed to doing what I know I can do well. And it’s fun! Clearly the results are uneven, but if you can use fun in this somber context, the process of making the video was.

Meanwhile, I leave you with an image from one of the local neighborhoods:

terrorism boomerangs

Giving thanks for the safety I have and peace to all….

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  • http://mistermachine.com Michael

    Wow, great footage Farai. This was chilling for me as I was in this cafe having a beer about nine months before the attacks.

  • http://faraichideya.com farai

    Wow Michael… it’s amazing. As much as we deal with risk in the U.S., I certainly have had a different feel when I travel, which is paradoxically both freeer and more aware of danger. I know you spent months in South Asia.

  • http://www.paperairplaneshq.com/flights-and-launching.html Clarissa Smith

    Brilliant. I wish more bloggers would take the time to come up with quality posts like this one.