The world can't ignore India's Islamist terrorists any longer

Mumbai, Nov.28 :Islamist terrorists in India have finally made the outside world sit up and take notice by targeting one of the country's most iconic hotels, The Taj Mahal Palace on Mumbai's waterfront and holding hundreds of its wealthy foreign guests hostage.

India has managed to retain its international image as a 'safe' place to visit and invest till the terror strikes in Mumbai. Now, according to The Telegraph, international news networks are filled with the voices of terrified Americans and Europeans, held hostage for hours in the city.

It's a fact now that every serious investor and businessman to visit Mumbai will know the Taj Palace Hotel as the place where terrorist struck.

According to the paper, what will really terrify India's political leaders is the certain knowledge that there is virtually nothing they can do to stop this type of low-tech attack from recurring again and again.

Since 2003, homegrown Islamist terrorists have struck with increasing frequency. Before this week's attacks, they spread panic and mayhem in Jaipur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and New Delhi this year alone, and no breakthrough has been achieved as yet by Indian police.

From a security perspective India is all but ungovernable: a vast landmass that shares porous borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

There is also a disgruntled 130 million-strong Muslim minority that has often proved highly receptive to the extremists' message.

India's political and security leaders have long privately acknowledged and feared this fact. Now, the world knows it.

ANI