North-West MEP speaks of Mumbai horror

North-West EuroMP Saijad Karim has spoken of the moment when he was shot at by terrorists in the lobby of the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai.

The 38-year old Conservative MEP, who is in Mumbai as part of a trade delegation, is now barricaded in the hotel with the gunmen, while at least one Briton is believed to have been killed.

The Manchester-based Euro-MP, who lives in Burnley, described how he ran through the lobby to escape a gunman: “There was a group of about 17 or 18 of us and another gunman appeared. He had an automatic machine gun-type of weapon in his hands and he just pointed it straight at us and started firing.

“He just stood there spraying bullets around.

“People immediately in front of me and to the side of me started to fall and about three or four of us managed to somehow get away.

“I managed to turn away and I ran into the hotel kitchen and then we were shunted into a restaurant in the basement.

“We’re now in the dark in this room and we’ve barricaded all the doors. It’s really bad.”

Police and the gunmen were still at a stand-off this morning at two luxury hotels after the attacks left 101 people dead.

Hostages, some believed to be Western, are being held in the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident hotels which were among the sites attacked.

Between 10 and 12 terrorists were holding between 100 and 200 hostages in the Oberoi, according to Sky News. Both hotels were ringed by Indian troops this morning.

Hostages were also believed to be held in an office block.

The attacks began at about 11pm local time at a train station, a hospital and a restaurant popular with tourists.

At least two blasts, suspected to be grenade attacks, were reported.

Seven Britons are among the hundreds wounded yesterday when raiders apparently targeted British and American citizens.

A group called Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack.

British High Commissioner in India, Sir Richard Stagg said: “We have visited most of the central hospitals where those injured have been taken and have met seven British victims who are in hospital at the moment and we understand there is likely to be some other injured of British nationality.”

He refused to discuss the nature of their injuries and added that the nationality of the hostages being held in the city was unknown.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “These outrageous attacks in Mumbai will be met with a vigorous response.

“I have sent a message to Prime Minister Singh that the UK stands solidly with his government as they respond, and to offer all necessary help.

“Urgent action is under way to offer every possible protection to British citizens in the region.”

Later this morning a senior Mumbai police official said the hostage situation has ended.

The city’s director general of police, A N Roy, told local media that there was no longer a hostage-type situation.

He added that the terror attacks had been a “very well planned and large operation”.

“This is an unprecedented, very cowardly attack. It is an attack on the entire country, the innocent population,” he said.