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Israeli rabbi held hostage by gunmen in Mumbai
27 Nov 2008 06:47:43 GMT
Source: Reuters
MUMBAI, Nov 27 (Reuters) - An Israeli rabbi is among at least three people being held hostage by gunmen in a Mumbai apartment building following a series of attacks in the city that have killed at least 101 people, police said.

Indian commando Amit Tiwari told Reuters a woman and a child had been released, and one of the gunmen had been killed, but at least four armed men remained in the building.

The Israeli rescue service Zaka also said that Rabbi Gabriel Hertzberg's wife, whose name they gave as Rivka, had been released along with his two-year-old child.

On its website, the Jewish group Chabad Lubavitch said it was concerned about the welfare of its representative in Mumbai and his wife, whose names it gave as Gavriel Holtzberg and Rivkam.

"The Israeli Consulate was in touch with Holtzberg, but the line was cut in middle of the conversation," a report on the Chabad organisation website said. "No further contact has since been established."

The last gunfire around the restaurant/synagogue at Chabad House in downtown Mumbai was heard around 8 a.m. and a crowd had gathered around the scene of what appeared to be a stand-off.

"It is not clear what the gunmen want," Tiwari said.

One Indian television channel said Israelis were also among five to six hostages being held at the Trident/Oberoi hotel in a separate siege in the city.

The deputy chief minister of India's Maharashtra state said there could be between 100 and 200 guests and workers trapped in the Trident-Oberoi Hotel, with 10-12 militants also inside. (Reporting by Matthias Williams; Writing by Simon Denyer; Editing by Bill Tarrant)
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