India Church Condemns Terror In Mumbai

(November 27, 2008) Church people have condemned the "heinous" terrorist attacks in Mumbai that have killed at least 150 people and wounded about 500 others, according to reports on Nov. 27 afternoon. Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil of Ernakulam-Angamaly, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, told UCA News this was "the most heinous crime -- to indiscriminately kill ordinary people in the streets, railway stations and hotels for whatever cause." Similarly, Reverend Enos Pradhan, general secretary of the Church of North India, a unified Protestant Church said "The Indian Church is shocked and disturbed by the events of the bomb blasts, killing innocent people and taking tourists as hostages." Teams of terrorists armed with assault rifles and grenades attacked 11 locations in the city of Bombay, India's commercial capital, situated 1,400 kilometres southwest of New Delhi. The attackers reportedly entered the city by boat, stormed the two luxury hotels on the seafront and took tourists as hostages, singling out foreigners, particularly British and American nationals. Cardinal Vithayathil said the atrocities in Mumbai have deeply wounded and pained him. He urged the government to defend people's life and property. Terrorism is a crime against humanity. Nations and communities must do everything to wipe out terrorist networks and their links from society," he said, while expressing condolences over the many deaths, especially "our security people who sacrificed their lives to protect us."