Secrets of the Dead (2000–…): Season 9, Episode 3 - Mumbai Massacre - full transcript

Announcer: NEXT TIME
ON "SECRETS OF THE DEAD,"

ONE YEAR AFTER TERRORISTS
INVADED MUMBAI,

VICTIMS REVEAL HOW
THEY SURVIVED THE ATTACKS.

AND I THREW MYSELF
FACE DOWN TO
THE STAIRS,

AND HE STARTED
SHOOTING.

I COULDN'T LOOK BACK.
EVERYBODY WAS DEAD.

Announcer: GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS
REVEAL A POWERFUL TALE

OF DESPERATION, BRAVERY,
SURVIVAL, AND DEATH.

"MUMBAI MASSACRE"
ON "SECRETS OF THE DEAD."

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
FRIENDS OF NCI

"SECRETS OF THE DEAD" WAS
MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS
TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM...



Man: YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT A HUMAN BEING IS MADE OF
UNTIL THEY ARE PLACED IN STRESS.

Second man: YOU SEE
THESE FILMS AND YOU THINK,
HERE'S WHAT I WOULD DO.

I WOULD GRAB A GUN OR I WOULD GO
OUT THERE TO FACE THEM.

THE REALITY IS A WHOLE LOT
MORE SOBERING.

Woman: WHETHER YOU MOVE,
WHETHER YOU BUMP SOMETHING,

WHETHER YOU COUGH...
IT COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE.

Second woman: HOW CLOSE IS THIS?
WHERE ARE THESE PEOPLE?

WHEN ARE THEY COMING IN
TO GET ME?

Third man: WE WERE HUNTED.

THERE'S NO ABSTRACTION
OR DEEP THOUGHT.

THERE IS SIMPLY SURVIVAL.

Narrator: MOST TERRORIST ATTACKS
HAPPEN IN SECONDS.

THE ATTACK ON MUMBAI
WAS DIFFERENT,

A DEADLY GAME OF CAT-AND-MOUSE
THAT LASTED FOR DAYS.



THIS IS THE INSIDE STORY,

TOLD BY THE PEOPLE
WHO FOUND A WAY TO SURVIVE.

ON A WARM NIGHT
IN NOVEMBER 2008,

TEN MEN SAILED
FROM PAKISTAN TO INDIA.

THEY CARRIED AK-47s, GRENADES,
AND PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES;

ALSO SATELLITE PHONES
AND GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS...

EQUIPMENT MORE MODERN AND DEADLY

THAN THAT OF THE POLICE
AT THEIR DESTINATION.

THAT DESTINATION WAS MUMBAI,

FINANCIAL AND CULTURAL
HEART OF INDIA.

UPON LANDING, THE GUNMEN
SPLIT UP, FOLLOWING PATHS

DRILLED INTO THEM
OVER LONG MONTHS AT MOUNTAIN
TRAINING CAMPS IN PAKISTAN.

EVERY STEP THEY TOOK WAS
MONITORED VIA SATELLITE
AND MOBILE PHONE

BY THE MEN WHO HAD SENT THEM...

THE LEADERS OF JIHADIST GROUP
LASHKAR-e-TAIBA.

Narrator: THE GUNMEN SPREAD OUT
ACROSS THE CITY.

Narrator: VICTORIA'S STATION...

58 PEOPLE DEAD, 104 WOUNDED.

Narrator: THE GUNMEN
QUICKLY MOVED ON.

SCORES OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED
IN QUICK-FIRE STRIKES

ON THE POPULAR LEOPOLD CAFE,

CAMA HOSPITAL, AND ON
THE STREETS OF MUMBAI.

THEY KILLED AS THEY WENT,

BUT THEIR MOVEMENTS
WERE DELIBERATE AND
THEIR ROUTE DIRECT.

MOST WERE HEADING TO
THEIR MAIN OBJECTIVE...

TARGETS CAREFULLY CHOSEN

TO CAPTURE AND HOLD
THE ATTENTION OF THE WORLD.

AT 9:45 P.M.,

FILM DIRECTOR ANTHONY ROSE
WAS IN A CORNER BAR OF
THE TAJ MAHAL HOTEL

WHEN GUNFIRE BLASTED
THROUGH THE LOBBY BELOW.

Anthony: AT FIRST, WE LAUGHED,
YOU KNOW, AND WE THOUGHT,
OH, LOOK,

IT'S A... I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S AN ARGUMENT OR SOMETHING.

AND THEN, WHEN IT KEPT GOING,
IT SORT OF GOT MORE
AND MORE CHILLING,

AND BEFORE WE KNEW IT, UM...

GUNSHOTS HAD JUST ERUPTED,
AUTOMATIC WEAPON FIRE THROUGH
THE FRONT DOOR OF WHERE WE WERE.

IF THEY WOULD HAVE JUST TURNED
AND GLANCED OVER THEIR SHOULDER,
THEY JUST WOULD HAVE SEEN

MY WHOLE CREW JUST STANDING
THERE AROUND THIS COFFEE TABLE,
ABSOLUTE POINT-BLANK,

AND THEY JUST BACKED OFF
AND WENT INTO THE NEXT
RESTAURANT.

WE COULD HEAR THEM AND,
YOU KNOW, SORT OF SPREAD OUT
ON THAT FIRST FLOOR.

Narrator: RESTAURANT MANAGER
AMIT PESHARVE HAD WORKED AT
THE TAJ SINCE HE WAS 17.

HE KNEW A QUICK WAY OUT.

Narrator: INSTEAD,
AMIT RETURNED TO THE HOTEL.

Narrator: ALISON AND DOUG
MARKELL WERE IN THEIR ROOM
ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE TAJ.

Alison: MY HUSBAND DOUG AND I
WERE ACTUALLY IN BED.

WE WERE READING.
THE RECEPTION RANG.
IT WAS A SECURITY ALERT,

AND TO KEEP... AND TO PULL
THE CURTAINS ACROSS AND TURN OUT
ALL LIGHTS AND STAY PUT.

Narrator: ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE PENINSULA,

ANOTHER ATTACK ON
A MAJOR HOTEL...

THE 5-STAR TRIDENT OBEROI.

FROM UP IN THE ROOMS,
IT SOUNDED

LIKE SOMEONE WAS SETTING OFF
FIRECRACKERS IN THE LOBBY.

Man: AT THAT POINT, I SAW
TWO GUYS WITH MACHINE GUNS AND
BACKPACKS WALK INTO THE LOBBY,

AND THEN I SAW THEM DISAPPEAR
INTO THE LOBBY CAFE.

AND IMMEDIATELY, THE MOMENT
I SAW... LOST SIGHT OF THEM,

I HEARD PROBABLY 30
OR 40 ROUNDS OF GUNFIRE.

WE RAN INTO THE KITCHEN,
AND WE HID BEHIND A COUNTER
IN THE KITCHEN.

WE WERE JUST... JUST CROUCHED DOWN
BEHIND THIS COUNTER AND JUST
SORT OF LOOKING OUT THE DOOR.

YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGED
SIGNIFICANTLY

WHEN THE DOOR OPENED
AND THE GUNMEN ACTUALLY CAME IN.

Woman: I STARTED GETTING
DRESSED, GOT MY SAFE OPEN,

GOT MY PASSPORT OUT,
GOT MY WALLET AND MY ROOM KEY

AND MY MOBILE PHONE
AND GOT READY, REALLY,
TO TAKE SOME STEPS.

I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT THEY WERE.

AND THEN MY MOBILE PHONE RANG,
AND IT WAS MY COLLEAGUE, DREW.

I SAID, "JUST STAY THERE
AND I'LL TRY AND GET DOWN
TO YOU,

AND WE'LL GET THROUGH
THIS THING TOGETHER."

Narrator: DOWNSTAIRS,
THE GUNMEN WERE THROWING
GRENADES, LIGHTING FIRES.

BY THE TIME DREW ARRIVED,
DEBRA'S ROOM,

LIKE THE REST OF THE HOTEL,
WAS FILLING WITH SMOKE.

Debra: SO WE READ
THE EVACUATION PLAN,

AND THERE WAS AN EXIT STAIRWELL
NOT TOO FAR FROM MY ROOM.

SO I PICKED UP MY ROOM KEY,

AND WE MADE OUR WAY ALONG
THE CORRIDOR TO THE STAIRS.

Alex: THE POWER OF A GUN
IS SOMETHING THAT I HAD
NEVER IMAGINED.

HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO SAY
ANYTHING. HE JUST GESTURED
TO US TO MOVE

TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE KITCHEN,
WHERE THERE WAS A DOOR

THAT WE FOUND OUT
LED ONTO THE FIRE STAIRS.

Narrator: THE GUNMEN WERE
MARCHING THEIR HOSTAGES UP
THE SAME SMOKY STAIRS

THAT DREW DICKSON
AND DEBRA BAYNE WERE BLINDLY
MAKING THEIR WAY DOWN.

NOT FAR AWAY,
ONE MORE SIEGE BEGAN.

AT NARIMAN HOUSE,
A JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER,

SANDRA SAMUEL, NANNY TO
THE RABBI'S SON MOSHE,

WAS IN THE PANTRY
WHEN SHE HEARD GUNMEN
BURST INTO THE BUILDING.

SHE SLAMMED THE DOOR
AND LOCKED IT.

ACROSS MUMBAI, PEOPLE HID
IN CONFUSION AND FEAR.

Anthony: WE FIGURED ALL THE TIME
THAT WE WERE ALIVE BECAUSE
THEY JUST HADN'T FOUND US.

WE JUST HAD TO BE AS QUIET
AS POSSIBLE, AND EVERYBODY
SWITCHED OFF THE LIGHTS,

DREW THE CURTAINS, SWITCHED
THEIR PHONES TO SILENT.

Narrator: HUNDREDS OF GUESTS
FROM THE TAJ HOTEL'S MANY BARS
AND RESTAURANTS

HAD SCATTERED THROUGHOUT
THE BUILDING.

ANJALI POLLACK AND HER
AMERICAN HUSBAND MICHAEL

WERE HIDING IN THE OFFICE
OF THE HOTEL'S HEAD CHEF.

Anjali: I'M STILL THINKING,
THIS IS SO, SO, SO BLOODY UNREAL

AND IT REALLY CAN'T
BE HAPPENING TO ME. MY LIFE
JUST ISN'T THIS EXCITING.

WE THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW,
OK, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE...
WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

THINGS WILL SORT OF
SETTLE DOWN.

AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
AT ABOUT 11:15, 11:30,

IT WENT DARK.
IT WENT DEAD-QUIET.

IT WAS THE TYPE OF QUIET
WHERE YOU COULD HEAR A PIN DROP.

THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THUD THUD THUD ON THE DOOR.

AT THAT POINT,
YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER,

FROM THAT POINT ONWARDS,
I WAS FREEZING.

I WAS ABSOLUTELY FREEZING
COLD. MY PALMS WERE COLD.
MY WHOLE BODY FELT COLD.

Narrator: ON THE OBEROI'S
FIRE STAIRS,

DREW DICKSON
AND DEBRA BAYNE PUSHED DOWN
INTO THICKENING SMOKE.

DIRECTLY BELOW THEM,
THE ASCENDING GUNMEN AND
THEIR HOSTAGES SUDDENLY STOPPED.

Alex: AND THEN,
FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE SAID
SOMETHING THAT I UNDERSTOOD.

HE SAID, "BRITISH"
AND "AMERICAN," SO I UNDERSTOOD

THAT HE WAS ASKING US
TO GET OUR PASSPORTS OUT
OR OUR I.D. OUT.

WELL, JUST AS HE'D
ASKED ABOUT THE PASSPORTS,
SOMEBODY'S MOBILE PHONE RANG.

Woman: AND IT WAS MY SON,

AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
TO SAY TO HIM, YOU KNOW?

I STILL TODAY DON'T KNOW
WHAT I SAID.

AND SHE GAVE ME THE TELEPHONE.

I SAID, "SON, IT'S COMPLICATED.
I THINK WE ARE HOSTAGES,"

AND AT THAT MOMENT, HE GRABBED
THE TELEPHONE FROM ME.

THEN, AFTER THAT,
HE DIDN'T GO BACK

TO ASKING ABOUT WHO WAS BRITISH
AND AMERICAN AT ALL.

HE WAS OBVIOUSLY DISTRACTED
BY THIS SITUATION

AND JUST TOLD EVERYBODY TO KEEP
MARCHING UP THE STAIRS.

FROM THAT MOMENT ONWARDS,
MY BRAIN WAS REALLY IN GEAR
AND I THOUGHT,

RIGHT, I THINK THESE GUYS
ARE GOING TO KILL US ALL,

AND I JUST SUDDENLY HAD
THIS FEELING THAT HE WAS
GOING TO TAKE US UP,

MAYBE TO THE ROOF, AND JUST
GUN EVERYBODY DOWN.

AND JUST THOUGHT, RIGHT,
I'VE GOT TO TRY IT

AND GIVE MYSELF A CHANCE
TO GET OFF THIS STAIRCASE.

Narrator: MELTEM MUEZZINOGLU
ALSO MADE A QUICK CHOICE.

THAT NIGHT, SHE WAS
WEARING A BLACK SHAWL
OVER HER EVENING DRESS.

Meltem: I IMMEDIATELY PUT
THAT HUGE PASHMINA OVER MY HEAD

AND COVERED HALF OF MY BODY
AND ALL OVER MY NECK

SO, YOU KNOW, THE IMAGE
THEY WERE SEEING WAS

A COVERED, MUSLIM...
MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN.

Narrator: JUST A FEW FLIGHTS UP
ON THE SAME STAIRS,

DREW DICKSON AND
DEBRA BAYNE WERE OVERCOME
BY THE SUFFOCATING SMOKE.

Debra: WE COULDN'T BREATHE,
WE COULDN'T SEE,

AND WE KNEW WE'D DIE IF WE'D
STAYED IN THE STAIRWELL.

SO I TURNED TO DEBRA AND I SAID,
"LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT
TO GET BACK TO YOUR ROOM."

Narrator: THE SAME THICK SMOKE
GAVE ALEX CHAMBERLEN HOPE.

UNSEEN BY THE GUNMEN,
HE NOTICED A DOOR
IN THE STAIRWELL.

Alex: AND I SAID TO
THE PERSON BEHIND ME, "I'M
GETTING OUT HERE. COME WITH ME."

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT LAY
BEHIND THAT DOOR.

I JUST ASSUMED IT WOULD BE
A DOOR ONTO THE MAIN FLOOR
OF THE HOTEL,

AND I'D JUST PUSH THE DOOR OPEN
AND LEG IT, PROBABLY.

AND WHAT I FOUND INSTEAD
WAS THIS KIND OF...

ALCOVE OFF A FIRE STAIRCASE
AND... WITH A PADLOCKED DOOR,

JUST RIGHT WHERE THE GUNMAN'S
JUST ABOUT TO COME PAST.

Narrator: AS ALEX AND
HIS COMPANION HELD THEIR
BREATH IN THE ALCOVE,

DREW AND DEBRA STRUGGLED
BACK TO DEBRA'S ROOM.

IT WAS NOW FULL OF SMOKE.

THEY SMASHED A SMALL WINDOW
AND SUCKED IN WHAT AIR
THEY COULD.

Debra: HONESTLY,
WHAT DO YOU DO?

YOU CAN'T GET OUT
OF THE BUILDING,
YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE ROOM,

YOU CAN'T BREATHE OUT IN
THE CORRIDOR, YOU CAN'T SEE.

THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE
YOU CAN STAY NOW.

WE'RE UNDER SIEGE NOW.
THIS IS REALLY, REALLY SERIOUS.

Narrator: DOWN IN THE
FIRE STAIRS, ALEX'S HIDING PLACE
WAS ALSO FILLING WITH SMOKE.

Alex: SO WE HAD TO GO BACK ONTO
THAT STAIRCASE WHERE WE'D JUST,
YOU KNOW, BEEN THROUGH HELL.

WE NOW HAD TO GO BACK ONTO IT
AGAIN AND INTO THE UNKNOWN.

Narrator: THEY PICKED THEIR WAY
DOWN TO THE LOBBY...
FULL OF SMOKE,

STREWN WITH BODIES,
BUT, LUCKILY, NOW EMPTY
OF GUNMEN.

THEN, THEY WALKED STRAIGHT OUT
THE FRONT DOOR OF THE HOTEL.

Alex: I TRY NOT TO THINK
ABOUT THE WHAT IFS.

I TRY AND REMIND MYSELF
HOW INCREDIBLY LUCKY I AM
TO HAVE GOT OUT.

Narrator: THE GROUP
THAT ALEX CHAMBERLEN
HAD ESCAPED FROM,

AND THAT DEBRA BAYNE
AND DREW DICKSON HAD ONLY
JUST AVOIDED RUNNING INTO,

NOW REACHED THE END
OF THEIR MARCH.

AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS,

THE GUNMEN SEPARATED
THE MEN FROM THE WOMEN
AND LINED THEM UP.

Seyfi: AND HE RAISED HIS GUN.

I THOUGHT, HE IS GOING
TO SHOOT US. THIS IS CRAZY.

WE ARE HOSTAGES.
HE SHOULDN'T DO THAT.

MELTEM CRIED OUT,
"HEY, HE'S A MUSLIM!"

Meltem: I ASKED MY HUSBAND
TO PROVE THEM THAT HE'S
A MUSLIM,

AND WE HAD TO, YOU KNOW,
MAKE A PRAYER.

AND I KNOW ONLY ONE SURAH
FROM KORAN.

IT IS THE SHORTEST ONE,
WHICH YOU RECITE AT FUNERALS.

SO I STARTED RECITING THAT.

HE SAID, "OK, OK."

AS HE WAS POSITIONING HIS GUN,

HE TOLD ME WITH HIS LEFT HAND
TO BEND DOWN OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT,

AND I THREW MYSELF FACE DOWN
TO THE STAIRS,

AND AT THAT VERY MOMENT,
HE STARTED SHOOTING.

THE SHELLS WERE RAINING
ON MY HEAD, ON MY BODY,

AND BLOOD OF ALL THE OTHERS
BEHIND ME WERE...

ON MY SHOULDERS,
ON MY HEAD, ON MY LEGS.

Meltem: AND THEN, TOTAL SILENCE.

MY HUSBAND SAID, "I'M NOT SHOT,"
BUT I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM

BECAUSE I HEAR YOU DON'T
FEEL IT AT THE BEGINNING.

I COULDN'T LOOK BACK.
EVERYBODY WAS DEAD.

I DON'T THINK THERE WAS
A PLAN. THEY JUST WANTED
TO KILL AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.

THIS WAS THE WHOLE STORY.
THEY JUST WANTED TO KILL.

Narrator: JUST ONE HOUR
AFTER THE FIRST SHOTS,

ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT CITIES
WAS IN THE STRANGLEHOLD

OF A MULTI-PRONGED,
ORGANIZED ATTACK.

THE TAJ HOTEL, THE OBEROI HOTEL,
AND NARIMAN HOUSE

WERE ALL UNDER SIEGE.

Female reporter:
OVER 100 PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN KILLED IN MUMBAI

IN A SERIES OF
COORDINATED ATTACKS IN
INDIA'S FINANCIAL CAPITAL.

POLICE HAVE CORDONED OFF ALL
OF THE PARTS OF SOUTH MUMBAI

WHERE THE ATTACKS
HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE.

WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN,
WE DON'T KNOW.

IS IT A TERRORIST ATTACK PLANNED
BY SOME BIG ORGANIZATION?
WE DON'T KNOW.

Female reporter: POLICE SAY
THE GUNMEN KNEW THE LAYOUT OF
THE HOTELS BETTER THAN THEY DID.

Male reporter: THIS NIGHT
WILL BE A VERY CRUCIAL NIGHT
FOR

AND FOR THE MUMBAI CITY
AND EVEN FOR THE MUMBAI POLICE.

Narrator: MUMBAI'S POLICE,
ARMED WITH WORLD WAR II
BOLT-ACTION RIFLES

AND HELPLESS TO PREDICT
THE ATTACKERS' NEXT MOVE,
WERE AT FIRST PARALYZED.

INDIA'S TACTICAL RESPONSE
TROOPS WERE IN DELHI,

MORE THAN 600 MILES AWAY.

THOSE HIDING KNEW NONE OF THIS.

Alison: ALL I COULD THINK
ABOUT WAS, WHY AREN'T THERE
ANY SIRENS?

WHY ISN'T THERE ANY NOISE HERE?

IT WAS QUITE EERIE
BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING ACROSS

INTO A BLOCK OF APARTMENTS,

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET WATCHING
A GUY IN HIS BATHROOM
CLEANING HIS TEETH

WHILE THE HOTEL OPPOSITE IS
BEING BOMBED AND BURNT DOWN.

AND HE WAS CARRYING ON
AS THOUGHT IT WAS JUST...
NOTHING WAS HAPPENING.

SO THERE'S A DAWNING REALIZATION
OF, OH, A NIGHT LIKE...
BLOODY HELL! WHAT DO I DO NOW?

HOW SERIOUS IS THIS?
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DOING THIS?
WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON?

I HAD MY EDITOR WITH ME,
WHO'S JUST A BIT OF
A TECH SORT OF GURU.

AND SEEMED VERY QUICKLY,
I TURN AROUND AND HE'S HACKING
INTO THE WIRELESS IN THE HOTEL

AND HE'S GOT HIS iPHONE
IN ONE HAND, GETTING ONLINE.
HE'S GOT HIS BLACKBERRY,

AND HE VERY QUICKLY FED US
INFORMATION AS SOON AS REPORTS
STARTED COMING THROUGH ON CNN.

Michael: I HAD A BLACKBERRY
AND A CELL PHONE,

AND FROM THE SECOND THAT
I COULD PHYSICALLY TAKE OUT THE
BLACKBERRY AND THE CELL PHONE,

RIGHT AFTER WE'D ESCAPED
FROM THE HARBOR BAR UP TO AMAN
OBEROI'S OFFICE, I WAS ON THEM.

Narrator:
OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS,

CELL PHONES, BLACKBERRIES,
AND iPHONES BECAME A CRUCIAL
LINK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

THESE SIMPLE CONSUMER
TECHNOLOGIES EMPOWERED
THE HOSTAGES

AND PROVIDED THE KEY
TO SURVIVING MUMBAI...

INFORMATION.

Anjali: AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW,
THEY ARE SEEING THAT THINGS ARE
HAPPENING AT THE TAJ,

AT THE OBEROI, HAVE HAPPENED AT
THE VICTORIA TERMINUS STATION,
HAVE HAPPENED AT LEOPOLD CAFE.

Debra: NOW, THAT CHANGES
YOUR PERSPECTIVE,
'CAUSE YOU START TO THINK,

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE
TO GET US OUT OF HERE QUICKLY

'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY TERRORISTS THERE ARE.

THEY DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SITES
ARE GOING TO BE ATTACKED.

THEY DON'T KNOW ON
WHAT SCALE IT'S HAPPENING.

Anthony: SO IT JUST
MADE ME FEEL LIKE, I GUESS,

WE HAD TO TAKE MATTERS
INTO OUR OWN HANDS
AS MUCH AS WE COULD.

OUR AMERICAN CAMERAMAN JOSH
SMSed HIS MOTHER IN TEXAS,

AND I GUESS SHE GOT ONLINE
AND MANAGED TO FIND A FLOOR PLAN

TO THE TAJ HOTEL
AND SHE SENT IT TO HIM.

HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS
KIND OF REALLY NO WAY OUT
FOR US.

WE WERE KIND OF VERY MUCH
CORNERED IN THAT PART
OF THE HOTEL.

Narrator: THE HOSTAGES WEREN'T
THE ONLY ONES USING CELL PHONES
FOR INFORMATION.

THE TERRORISTS WERE
RELYING ON THEM, TOO.

A DEADLY, HI-TECH GAME
OF HIDE-AND-SEEK HAD BEGUN.

Anjali: THEY COULD WATCH
THE SAME TELEVISION.
THEY HAD CELL PHONES.

AND YOU'VE GOT
TO ASSUME THAT WHOEVER WAS
MASTERMINDING THIS WHOLE THING

AS WELL IS WATCHING IT
ALL UNFOLD.

Narrator: INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES
REPORTED CONSTANT PHONE CALLS

BETWEEN THE GUNMEN
AND THEIR HANDLERS IN PAKISTAN.

THEY TOOK MY MOBILE PHONE,

AND MY MOBILE WAS WITH THEM...

FROM THAT TIME ON, AND THEY
TALKED THROUGH MY MOBILE.

AT HOME, WE RECEIVED A BILL
FOR HER TELEPHONE

AT LEAST 6 TIMES MORE AS...

SHE WOULD RECEIVE,
ALTHOUGH SHE TALKS A LOT.

HEH HEH! THERE WERE ONE AND
A HALF PAGES OF CONVERSATIONS

FROM INDIA
ON THE TELEPHONE BILL.

Woman: WHOA, YEAH.
DID YOU SEE IT?

Female reporter: POLICE HAVE
CONFIRMED THAT GUNMEN
HAVE USED HAND GRENADES

AND AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUNS
IN THEIR ATTACKS. THE IDENTITY
OF THE GUNMEN REMAINS UNCLEAR.

Narrator: ONLY A HANDFUL
OF PEOPLE SAW THE GUNMEN
UP CLOSE.

BUT A YOUNG WOMAN FROM SINGAPORE
AND TWO WOMEN FROM INDIA,

SEYFI AND MELTEM MUEZZINOGLU
WERE THE ONLY HOSTAGES LEFT
FROM THE GROUP ON THE STAIRS.

THE GUNMEN WERE MOVING THEM
THROUGH THE OBEROI
ON ORDERS FROM PAKISTAN.

Seyfi: IT'S HARD TO ACCEPT
THAT YOU FALL INTO SUCH
A SITUATION.

IT'S HARD TO ACCEPT
THAT YOU LET YOUR WIFE FALL
INTO SUCH A SITUATION.

Meltem: FROM THE ATTIC,
THEY TOOK US DOWN AGAIN.

THEY WANTED THE POLICE
TO BELIEVE THERE ARE MORE THAN
TWO PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING.

Female reporter: AT LEAST
5 GUNMEN ARE HOLDING HOSTAGES

INSIDE THE HOTEL,
AND THEY'RE WELL-ARMED.

Seyfi: I WAS THEIR SCOUT.

I WAS GOING TO THE LARGE
ATRIUM OF THE HOTEL.

I WOULD JUST GO, WENT OUT THERE,
LOOK RIGHT, LOOK DOWN.

I WOULD SAY, "IT'S OK,
IT'S FREE."

THEN ONE FRIGHTENED TERRORIST
WOULD COME CRAWLING BEHIND ME

AND DROP A GRENADE
AND RUN AWAY.

Narrator: AT NARIMAN HOUSE,

NANNY SANDRA SAMUEL WAS STILL
HIDING IN THE PANTRY,

UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE
WITH ANYONE.

IN THE KITCHEN ABOVE,
THE GUNMEN WERE RECEIVING
CONSTANT INSTRUCTION.

Narrator: THE RABBI,
HIS WIFE AND SON,

AND A HANDFUL OF VISITORS
WERE ALL IN THE HOUSE.

Anthony: REALLY,
ALL WE HAD TO GO ON,
LIKE, SO MUCH WAS SOUND.

IT WAS VERY MUCH
KIND OF LIKE A "THEATER
OF THE MIND" EXPERIENCE.

AND I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO THINK,
IS WHAT I'M HEARING...
AM I KIND OF MAKING THIS UP?

Drew: THEY SEEMED
TO BE EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.

YOU WOULD HEAR GUNFIRE DOWN
THE HALL, BUT THE NEXT MINUTE,

YOU'D HEAR AN EXPLOSION
OUTSIDE THE DOOR.

Alison:
IT IS A TERRIFYING SOUND.

I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED GUNFIRE

AND I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED
GRENADES OR BOMBS,

AND IT IS
THE SOUND OF DEATH.

I LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF
AS A PROACTIVE, BRAVE PERSON,

BUT IT'S JUST WITHERING.
YOU JUST...

KIND OF SHRINK AND MELT
AT THE FACE OF THAT KIND
OF GUNFIRE.

I SPENT MOST OF THE TIME FACING
THE DOOR, FEELING THAT THEY WERE
GOING TO COME THROUGH,

IT WAS INEVITABLE, AND THAT
THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY FIND US.

AND JUST ALWAYS, ALL THE TIME,
THINKING, HOW AM I GOING
TO REACT? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

Narrator: AROUND MIDNIGHT ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TAJ,

STAFF USHERED MICHAEL
AND ANJALI POLLACK

INTO A LITTLE-KNOWN PART
OF THE HOTEL...

A PRIVATE CLUB CALLED
THE CHAMBERS.

200 GUESTS AND STAFF
WERE HIDING THERE,

DESPERATELY SEARCHING
FOR NEWS ABOUT THE ATTACKS.

Woman: EYEWITNESSES SAY
THOSE WITH BRITISH
AND AMERICAN PASSPORTS

WERE SPECIFICALLY TARGETED.

AND THEN HE STOPPED US AFTER
2 OR 3 FLIGHTS AND TOLD EVERYONE
TO PUT THEIR HANDS UP

AND SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?"
YOU KNOW, "ANY BRITISH
OR AMERICANS HERE?"

Michael: THE REPORTS WERE
COMING IN SAYING THAT THEY
WERE TARGETING FOREIGNERS,

SO I DIDN'T WANT...

MY BEING NEXT TO MY WIFE
TO FURTHER SINGLE HER OUT.

AND I LOOKED AT HER
AND I SAID, "LISTEN,

"I LOVE YOU AND I WANT
TO BE WITH YOU,

BUT THESE GUYS COME THROUGH
THE DOOR, WE'RE SPLITTING UP."

Anthony: THERE WAS
A LULL FOR A WHILE,

LIKE AN EERIE LULL,
AND THEN...

A MASSIVE EXPLOSION THAT
JUST ROCKED THE FOUNDATIONS
OF THE WHOLE HOTEL.

SO DOUG GOT UP AND WENT
TO LOOK THROUGH THE PEEPHOLE
OF THE DOOR,

AND HE SAID, "OH, MY GOD.
WE'RE ON FIRE."

AND HE SAID, "WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE."

Narrator: TWO FLOORS BELOW
IN THE CORNER BAR,

ANTHONY ROSE ALSO HAD
A DECISION TO MAKE.

Anthony: UP UNTIL THEN,
I GUESS OUR WHOLE SURVIVAL

HAD BEEN BASED ON BEING QUIET
AND OUT OF SIGHT.

AND WHEN WE MADE THE DECISION
TO GO, IT WAS THE COMPLETE
OPPOSITE OF THAT:

WE GOT TO SMASH THE WINDOWS,
NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.
AND IT TOOK A BIT.

TOOK A FEW TABLES
AND A FEW CHAIRS
THAT JUST BOUNCED OFF,

AND THEN IT WASN'T TILL I FOUND
THE CHAMPAGNE BUCKET HOLDER
OR SOMETHING...

I DON'T REMEMBER... BUT IT WAS
LIKE AN AX THAT WE MANAGED
TO JUST...

I REMEMBER WHEN THE FIRST WINDOW
JUST SHATTERED, IT WAS...

A GOOD FEELING.

HALFWAY DOWN THE SHEET OUT
THE SIDE OF THE HOTEL,
I COULD HEAR A CLICK,

AND I TURN AROUND, AND SOMEONE
HAD TAKEN MY PHOTOGRAPH.

LIKE, IT JUST SEEMED TO BE
A BIZARRE SITUATION.

A PRETTY AMAZING FEELING
TO ACTUALLY GET OUT OF THERE.

Narrator: DOUG AND ALISON
FACED A TOUGHER ROUTE
OUT OF THE TAJ.

Alison:
WHEN DOUG OPENED THE DOOR,

I SAW HIM SILHOUETTED

IN FRONT OF WHAT I IMAGINED
HELL WOULD BE LIKE.

AND I REMEMBER DOUG GOT CLOSE
TO WHERE THE STAIRS WENT DOWN.

HE FELL DOWN IN FRONT OF ME,
AND I THOUGHT HE'D JUST
TRIPPED OVER INITIALLY.

AND I FELL BECAUSE
I WAS RIGHT BEHIND HIM.
I FELL ON TOP OF HIM.

HE'D ACTUALLY BEEN SHOT
IN THE LEG,

AND AT THAT POINT, THERE WAS
A MASSIVE ROUND OF GUNFIRE.

I SAW... I HAD MY ARM
ACROSS THE TOP OF HIM,

AND I SAW... IT WAS LIKE
JUMPING JACKS, FIREWORKS
JUMPING DOWN MY ARM.

AND I REMEMBER SAYING
TO HIM, "I'VE BEEN SHOT, TOO."
AND I TRIED TO SAY SOMETHING,

BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT...
WHAT HAD JUMPED ACROSS MY ARM

AND HAD GONE... IT'D GONE
STRAIGHT INTO HIM,

AND HE DIED ALMOST INSTANTLY.

I... I COULDN'T MOVE.
I COULDN'T... THINK.

I VAGUELY REMEMBER SAYING THINGS
LIKE, "WOULD SOMEBODY HELP ME?"

AT THE SAME TIME, I KNEW
THERE WAS NOBODY THERE
WHO COULD HELP ME.

Narrator: THE 200 PEOPLE HIDING
IN THE CHAMBERS AREA OF THE TAJ
WERE SAFE FROM THE FIRE,

BUT THEY KNEW THE GUNMEN
WERE SEARCHING FOR THEM.

Michael: THE CHAMBERS
WAS THE PRIZE.

THERE... IT WAS VERY HARD
FOR THE TERRORISTS TO GET
INTO THE INDIVIDUAL ROOMS.

THE TERRORISTS WERE WONDERING
WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE HAD LEFT.

Anjali: WE HAD BEEN TOLD BY
THE STAFF NOBODY KNOWS, REALLY,
THAT THE CHAMBERS EXISTS.

Michael: AND THEN,
UNFORTUNATELY, ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGED
QUITE DRAMATICALLY.

Narrator: AN INDIAN POLITICIAN
HIDING IN THE CHAMBERS

GAVE A CELL-PHONE INTERVIEW
TO A LOCAL RADIO STATION.

Man, on radio: SIR, COULD YOU
PLEASE EXACTLY GIVE US
YOUR EXACT LOCATION?

SIR, ARE THERE A LOT
OF FOREIGNERS PRESENT THERE?

Narrator: THE INTERVIEW
FLASHED AROUND THE WORLD
AND TO NEIGHBORING PAKISTAN.

Narrator: NEWS OF THE CALL
ALSO BOUNCED BACK
TO THE CHAMBERS.

Michael: PEOPLE'S FACES DROPPED.
THEY BECAME INCREDIBLY FOCUSED.

WE FELT LIKE,
AT THIS POINT IN TIME,

WE WERE NOW POTENTIALLY,
YOU KNOW, LIVESTOCK
TO BE HUNTED.

THE STAFF CAME IN AND SAID,

"WE'RE GOING TO START
TO TAKE PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOTEL.

WE WANT YOU TO LINE UP
AND FOLLOW US."

SO WE WERE LINED UP, AND
WE WERE MUCH MORE TOWARDS
THE BACK OF THE QUEUE.

AT WHICH POINT...
THERE WAS OPEN FIRE...

AND WE WERE SURE
THAT, YOU KNOW,

SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE KILLED THEN,
AND THEN IT WAS A STAMPEDE.

IT WAS A STAMPEDE BACK INSIDE,

AND, AT THAT POINT, I SORT
OF REALIZED THAT MICHAEL WAS
NO LONGER WITH ME.

Narrator: ALL OVER THE WORLD,

FRIENDS AND FAMILY WATCHED
AND HOPED.

SOME PEOPLE WERE GETTING OUT,

BUT OTHERS WERE STILL TRAPPED.

Debra: MY DAUGHTER WAS ON
HER OWN IN A HOTEL ROOM

IN AN INCREDIBLY REMOTE AREA
IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

AND I SAID TO HER,
"I'M ON THE 19th FLOOR.

"ALL THE KILLING IS
GOING ON DOWN IN THE LOBBY.

"DON'T WORRY.
I'M 19 FLOORS ABOVE IT.

I'M SAFE. I'VE GOT
A COLLEAGUE WITH ME.
WE'RE FINE.

Narrator: SOON AFTER
RECEIVING THIS REASSURANCE,

DEBRA'S DAUGHTER SAW
BREAKING NEWS FROM THE OBEROI.

Reporter: THE ROOM
THAT YOU SEE LIT... WE WILL
JUST ZOOM INTO THAT ROOM.

THIS IS THE 19th FLOOR.

WE ARE TOLD THAT THE TERRORISTS
ARE ON THIS FLOOR.

WE DON'T KNOW WHICH WING
OF THE HOTEL, WHICH SIDE
OF THE HOTEL.

IT COULD BE THIS, COULD BE
THE OTHER SIDE, BUT, YES,

WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE STILL STUCK INSIDE.

SO MY DAUGHTER...

THAT'S A REALLY HARD THING
TO HEAR WHEN YOU'RE ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD.

SHE HAD NO MOBILE CONTACT
WITH ME FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF,
'CAUSE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS.

I COULDN'T TYPE A TEXT,
I COULDN'T SPEAK.
WE HAD TO HIDE.

Narrator: THE GUNMEN WERE
HUNKERED DOWN ON THE 19th FLOOR
WITH THEIR HOSTAGES.

Female reporter:
IT'S ON THE 19th FLOOR
OF THIS BUILDING

THAT AT LEAST 3 TO 4 FOREIGNERS,
WE ARE TOLD, ARE BEING
HELD HOSTAGE.

Meltem: WE RUSHED TO
THE BATHROOM TO GET SOME WATER.

AND HE WAS LOOKING LIKE THIS,
AND WE DRINK THE WATER.
AUTOMATICALLY WE CLOSED IT.

AND THEN, BECAUSE HE SAW IT,
HE WANTED TO DO IT,
BUT HE COULDN'T DO IT.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW
HOW TO USE A TAP.
THEY ARE SO... HA HA!

I DON'T WANT TO SAY.
THEY ARE SO FUNNY,
SO HELPLESS,

AND STILL, WHEN YOU HAVE A GUN,
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.

ISN'T THAT INTERESTING?

THEY WERE TALKING AND GOING
TO THE WINDOW, LOOKING OUT

AND COMING BACK TO THE TELEPHONE
AND ANSWERING SOMETHING.

THEY WERE EXPECTING
SOMETHING TO HAPPEN OUTSIDE.

THEY WERE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH THEIR SITUATION.

THEY WERE, I THINK,
VERY MUCH FRIGHTENED.

Anjali: I DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE MICHAEL WAS.

Michael: I WAS IN A STATE
OF ABSOLUTE HYPER-AWARENESS.

I COULD HEAR EVERYTHING.
I COULD CONTROL EVERYTHING.

I FELT LIKE I COULD
CONTROL MY HEARTBEAT.

Narrator: MICHAEL POLLACK HID
IN THE CHAMBERS BATHROOM.

HIS WIFE ANJALI WAS
ACROSS THE CORRIDOR.

Anjali: I REMEMBER HEARING
PEOPLE CLEAR THEIR THROATS.

I REMEMBER HEARING PEOPLE
TURN, YOU KNOW,

JUST THE SOUND OF SOMEBODY
TURNING THIS WAY OR THAT WAY.

I REMEMBER HEARING
FOOTSTEPS OUTSIDE,

RIGHT BEFORE
THE FIRING BROKE OUT.

AFTER THE FIRING BROKE OUT,

I REMEMBER THERE BEING
PIN-DROP SILENCE.

NOTHING. NO SOUND AT ALL.

Michael:
THE HARDEST THING TO DO...

IS TO BE LYING BY YOURSELF,

WONDERING WHERE YOUR WIFE IS
WHEN YOU'RE HEARING
SINGLE SHOTS,

KNOWING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE
LIKELY BEING EXECUTED.

Anjali: AND I REMEMBER
AT THAT POINT SORT OF THINKING,

THERE'S ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE,
BUT THERE WAS NO MORE STAFF
ANYWHERE TO BE SEEN, YOU KNOW?

I DIDN'T SEE THEM
AT THAT POINT.

Michael: THE STAFF
DELIBERATELY LOCKED
THE DOOR TO THE CHAMBERS

SO THE TERRORISTS
COULDN'T COME IN.

Anjali: WHAT THEY REALLY DID,
EFFECTIVELY, WAS SEAL US OFF

INSIDE THE CHAMBERS
AND REMAIN OUTSIDE THEMSELVES.

Michael: AND THEY MUST
HAVE KNOWN THAT THE TERRORISTS
WOULD FOLLOW THEM THAT WAY.

Narrator: MANY OF
AMIT PESHARVE'S COLLEAGUES
PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE.

EARLIER, ONE OF THE CHEFS
HAD PROMISED ANJALI
HE WOULD KEEP HER SAFE.

Anjali: AND HE SAID,
"I AM HERE TO PROTECT YOU.
IT'S MY DUTY TO PROTECT YOU."

AND I SAID, "IT'S NOT YOUR DUTY
TO PROTECT ME." AND HE SAID...

HE'S HOLDING MY HANDS,
AND HE SAID, "IT IS MY DUTY
TO TAKE CARE OF YOU AS MY GUEST,

AND... IF SOMETHING HAPPENS,
I WILL DIE, BUT NOT YOU."

HIS WIFE AND HIS SON
LIVED 3 BLOCKS AWAY.

THE DOOR WAS WIDE-OPEN.
HE COULD HAVE LEFT.

Narrator: THE CHEF WAS SHOT
IN THE CHAMBERS.

HE DIED TWO DAYS LATER.

Seyfi: AFTER SOME TIME,
THEY SAID, "WE ARE GOING OUT."

AND SO WE ALL WENT OUT

AND THEY MADE US ALL...

LEAN ON THE WALL
IN A STRAIGHT LINE.

IT WAS AN EXECUTION LINE.

AND THEY WERE TALKING ALL
THE TIME ON THE PHONE.

ABDUL WAS TALKING ON THE PHONE.
THE OTHER GUNMAN WAS
PREPARING HIS GUN.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THEY STARTED SHOOTING
AT THE LADIES.

I CLOSED MY EYES.

SO MUCH SHOOTING.

3 WOMEN RECEIVED
SO MANY BULLETS,

BUT THE OLDER INDIAN WOMAN,

SHE DIDN'T FALL DOWN.
SHE WAS STANDING AND SMILING.

IT WAS...

IT WAS RATHER ANNOYING FOR THEM,

AND SHE WAS SMILING
AND LOOKING AT US, YOU KNOW?

AFTER HAVING RECEIVED
SO MANY BULLETS.

SO THE GUY PUT
ANOTHER CARTRIDGE

AND WENT TO THEM
AND SHOT THEM AGAIN.

WHEN EVERYTHING STOPPED,

I OPENED MY EYES, BUT I...

I WAS LOOKING SO,
SO I DON'T SEE ANYBODY,

BECAUSE A FEW MINUTES AGO...

HWEI YEN, THE SINGAPORE GIRL,
SHE WAS HOLDING MY HAND,

AND AT THE TIME I KNEW
SHE WAS DEAD, OF COURSE.

SO THE...

I TOLD TO MY HUSBAND SEYFI,

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE ANYHOW.
LET'S PRAY FOR THE DEAD."

SO WE STEPPED FORWARD,

OPENED OUR HANDS...

AND SPOKE OUR PRAYER.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?

ABDUL WAS STARING US
WITH BIG EYES.

HE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT,

AND THE KILLER WAS
LOOKING ONTO THE FLOOR.

WE SPOKE OUR DEAD MAN'S PRAYER,

THE SURAH AL-FATIHA,
IN ARABIC.

IT'S SPOKEN
OF THE DEAD PEOPLE...
OF THE DEAD MUSLIMS.

WE SPOKE IT LOUD, ME
AND MY WIFE, HAND IN HAND,

IN FRONT OF
THESE 3 NON-MUSLIM WOMEN.

Michael: PHRASES GO
THROUGH YOUR HEAD,

AND FOR ME,
IT WAS PSALMS 23:4...

"THOUGH I WALK
THROUGH THE VALLEY OF
THE SHADOW OF DEATH,

I WILL FEAR NO EVIL,
FOR THE LORD IS WITH ME."

AND I'M NOT
PARTICULARLY RELIGIOUS,

REALLY, IN THE SLIGHTEST,

BUT IT IS AN INCREDIBLY
COMFORTING MANTRA.

Anjali: I HAD SORT OF MADE MY
PEACE WITH THE FACT THAT I MIGHT
NOT BE GETTING OUT OF THERE,

BUT IF SOMETHING WERE
TO HAPPEN TO ME, FROM WHETHER
I WAS GOING TO BE KILLED OR NOT,

I PRAYED VERY HARD THAT IT
COULD BE ME AND NOT HIM.

YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS ONE
OF US, LET IT BE ME.

Anjali: I THINK SOMETHING ABOUT
THE BREAKING OF DAWN BROUGHT,
I THINK, A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE.

ON ONE HAND, YOU'RE GLAD
OF DAYBREAK BECAUSE
YOU CAN SEE BETTER

AND YOU KNOW BETTER
WHAT'S AROUND YOU,

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,

THE DAYBREAK ALSO MEANS THAT
THE TERRORISTS CAN SEE BETTER,
AND YOU'RE A SITTING DUCK.

Seyfi: AND THEY WERE LOADING
THEIR CARTRIDGES WITH BULLETS.

THEY TOLD US
TO GO TO THE BATHROOM,
THAT SOMETHING WAS EXPLODING,

NOT TO BE NEAR TO THE GLASS
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

AND THEY LEFT. IT WAS 6:00
IN THE MORNING.

WE ASKED EACH OTHER,

"DO YOU THINK THEY ARE GONE?
ARE THEY GOING TO COME BACK?"

Meltem: YOU DON'T BELIEVE
THAT THEY LEFT.

AT LEAST THEY ARE NOT
WITH YOU ANYMORE.
EVEN THIS IS A RELIEF.

EVEN IF IN 5 MINUTES THEY GOING
TO BLOW THE WHOLE BUILDING,

BUT YOU ARE ALL ALONE,

YOURSELF, WITHOUT THEM.

NOT... NOT 5 MINUTES,

AND THE DOOR WAS...
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

AND THEY WERE BACK.

THEY WERE SAYING SOMETHING,
BUT IN LOW TONE.

THEY WERE AFRAID TO BE HEARD.

"MELTEM, THEY ARE BACK.
SHALL WE TAKE THEM IN OR NOT?"

NO, NO.

IF I DON'T WANT SOMETHING,
I CAN SAY NO, SO...

WELL... AND AT THAT POINT,
WE WERE ALONE WITH MY HUSBAND,

AND I SAID NO.

WE NEVER RESISTED THEM
FOR 8, 9 HOURS.

THIS IS THE POINT
TO RESIST THEM.

THIS WAS THE CHANCE
TO RESIST THEM AT LAST.

I SAID, "SORRY.
I CAN'T TAKE YOU.
MY WIFE WON'T LET YOU IN."

I SAID NO
IN TURKISH, GERMAN,

IN ALL LANGUAGES.

AND THEY LEFT.

Narrator:
A FEW MINUTES LATER,

SEYFI AND MELTEM MUEZZINOGLU
REALIZED WHY THE GUNMEN
HAD COME BACK TO THE ROOM.

Meltem: AND HE SAW THEY LEFT
THEIR... ONE OF THEIR BACKPACKS
IN THE ROOM,

THE DUMMIES.

THEY LEFT ONE
OF THE BACKPACKS,

AND THEY CAME AGAIN
TO GET THE BACKPACK

BECAUSE IT... THERE WAS BOMBS

AND, YOU KNOW, GRENADE
AND THEIR FOOD.

Narrator: EARLY THAT MORNING,
DAY TWO OF THE SIEGE,

THE INDIAN COMMANDOS WHO HAD
FLOWN IN FROM DELHI STORMED
THE HOTELS.

IN THE TAJ, THE MOST INTENSE
FIGHTING WAS CONCENTRATED
AROUND THE CHAMBERS.

MICHAEL POLLACK'S FRIENDS
IN NEW YORK HAD CONNECTED HIM
BY CELL PHONE TO THE FBI.

THE LINK WAS A VITAL ONE.

AT 7:00, THE FIRING STOPPED.

Anjali: AND WE'RE ALL SORT OF
HOLDING OUR BREATHS,

AND THEN SUDDENLY,
THE DOORS SWING OPEN

AND A COMMANDO WALKS IN.

AND IF I SAY TO YOU THAT
HE LOOKED AS GOOD AS BRAD PITT,

I'M NOT EXAGGERATING.

AND HE SAID, "I'M GOING
TO TAKE ALL OF YOU OUT OF HERE.

FORM A SINGLE FILE
AND FOLLOW ME."

I SAID, "I HAVE
AN AMERICAN HUSBAND."
I SAID, "HE'S..."

"WHITE AND PRETTY MUCH BLOND,
AND HE'S HIDING."

AND I SAW HIM COMING, YOU KNOW.

AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
THERE HE IS. THAT'S HIM.

Michael: THEN I TOOK A PICTURE,
AND THEN SHE SHOUTED AT ME
FOR TAKING A PICTURE.

HE WAS MOST INTERESTED
IN TAKING A PICTURE
FROM HIS BLACKBERRY,

SAYING THAT, "OH, MY GOD!
WE'VE MADE IT! WE'RE OUT!"

AND I WAS LIKE, "WE HAVEN'T
MADE IT. WE'RE NOT OUT YET."

THERE WAS A LARGE BUS,
AND THEY WERE EVACUATING PEOPLE.

AND SO I WENT
TO GO GET ON THE BUS,

AND RIGHT AS WE WERE ABOUT
TO GET ON THE BUS,
THEY STARTED SHOOTING AGAIN.

AND SO I PUSHED ANJALI
ON THE BUS AND I DUCKED
BEHIND A BARRICADE.

AND THEN I TURN AROUND.
THERE'S LITERALLY
HUNDREDS OF REPORTERS.

WHEN I LOOK AT THAT PICTURE
OF MYSELF AT THAT POINT IN TIME

AND I LOOK AT THE LOOK
ON MY FACE, IT'S THIS...

WEIRD REMINDER
THAT I WAS ACTUALLY THERE.

IT'S NOT A DREAM.

Narrator:
AT NARIMAN HOUSE,

SANDRA SAMUEL WAS STILL
TRAPPED IN THE PANTRY.

SHE'D BEEN IN THERE
FOR 12 HOURS, LISTENING TO
THE GUNFIRE AND GRENADES,

LISTENING TO 6 PEOPLE
BEING MURDERED.

SOMETIMES THERE WERE
LONG SILENCES; THE GUNMEN STILL
DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS THERE.

THEN, JUST BEFORE NOON,
SANDRA HEARD CRYING.

IT WAS TWO-YEAR-OLD MOSHE.

THE NANNY DECIDED
IT WAS TIME TO ACT.

OUTSIDE, SHE FOUND MOSHE
STANDING BETWEEN
HIS DEAD PARENTS.

SHE GATHERED HIM UP
AND RAN FOR THE STAIRS.

Narrator: SANDRA AND MOSHE
WERE THE ONLY SURVIVORS
AT NARIMAN HOUSE.

DREW DICKSON AND DEBRA BAYNE
SPENT ALL OF DAY TWO

HIDING IN DEBRA'S ROOM
ON THE 19th FLOOR OF THE OBEROI.

Female reporter:
SINCE THESE PEOPLE ARE
LOCATED ON THE 19th FLOOR,

THE PLAN FOR... LOOKS LIKE
THAT THE PLAN IS AMBUSHING THE
TERRORISTS ON THE 19th AS WELL.

IT LOOKS LIKE... YOU CAN HEAR
SERIES OF GUNSHOTS BEING FIRED,
AND I... I'LL JUST KEEP QUIET

FOR A MINUTE SO THAT
YOU CAN GET AN EXACT SENSE
OF WHAT IS GOING ON.

Debra: THEY HAD MORE AND MORE
SHOOTING, AND IT REALLY HAD
BECOME CONSTANT.

IT HAD GOT TO A POINT
WHERE THERE WAS NO BREAKS,
NO QUIET PERIODS.

WE HEARD A LOUD BANGING
ON THE DOOR,

AND WE BOTH KNEW THAT THAT
WAS THE TERRORISTS.

THERE WAS A RIFLE POINTED AT ME,

WITH A GUY DRESSED
IN BLACK STANDING OVER ME.

WHEN A RIFLE'S AT YOUR HEAD
AND SOMEONE SAYS, "COME OUT
WITH YOUR HANDS UP,"

YOU REALLY DO HAVE
TO COME OUT THEN.

IT WAS HEART-STOPPING.

THEN ONE OF THEM SAID TO ME,

"WHY DIDN'T YOU COME OUT?
WE'RE THE POLICE."

AND THERE WAS THAT ONE SECOND
WHERE I THOUGHT,

WELL, HE'S ALREADY GOT US.
IF HE'S NOT THE POLICE,

WHY WOULD HE STILL BE SAYING
HE IS THE POLICE?

AND I LOOKED AT HIM AND I SAID,
"YOU'RE REALLY THE POLICE?"

AND HE SAID, "YEAH,
WE'RE THE POLICE."

AND I JUST HUGGED HIM.

THEY SAID TO US,
"WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND
GET YOU TO A SAFE ROOM,

A ROOM ON THIS FLOOR
THAT WE HAVE SECURED."

THERE WAS ANOTHER COUPLE
IN THERE.

THE MAN HAD A SHIRT THAT WAS
DRENCHED IN DRIED BLOOD.

IT'S LIKE SEEING YOUR NEXT
OF KIN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU LOVE EVERYBODY
WHO COMES IN AT THAT MOMENT.

DEBRA CAME,
AND SHE WAS CRYING,

SHE WAS SHAKING, SHE WAS HAPPY.

AND THEN WE HUGGED
AND WE CRIED AND... ALL 4 OF US.

Narrator: THE 4 CAME OUT
OF THE OBEROI TOGETHER.

Meltem: AFTER THE BARRIERS,
THERE WERE PHOTOGRAPHERS,

SO OUR FIRST PICTURE
CAME OUT THERE.

Seyfi: WHEN I LOOK
AT THE PICTURES, MY OWN FACE...

IS A KIND OF ACCEPTANCE...

OF THE SITUATION. I HAVE...

LEARNED TO ACCEPT
THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIED
AND THAT WE HAVE LIVED,

AND IT'S NOT A HAPPY PICTURE.

Narrator: IT TOOK ANOTHER DAY
TO FIND AND KILL ALL THE GUNMEN

IN THE OBEROI HOTEL
AND NARIMAN HOUSE.

THE TAJ WAS FINALLY SECURED
THE NEXT MORNING.

THE LAST PERSON TO WALK FREE
WAS A HOTEL WAITER.

ALMOST 1,000 PEOPLE ESCAPED
OR WERE RESCUED.

AT LEAST 172 WERE KILLED,

DOZENS OF THEM STAFF MEMBERS
OF THE TWO HOTELS.

LATER, THE ONLY SURVIVING GUNMAN
TOLD POLICE HIS INSTRUCTIONS

KILL TO THE LAST BREATH.

Narrator: THE TERRORISTS
WERE INDISCRIMINATE
IN THEIR SLAUGHTER.

THEY KILLED INDIANS
AND FOREIGNERS,

MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS,
HINDUS, AND JEWS.

THE BODIES OF THE 9
DECEASED GUNMEN REMAIN
IN THE CITY'S MORGUE.

NOBODY HAS CLAIMED THEM,

AND THE INDIAN MUSLIM COUNCIL
HAS REFUSED TO GIVE THEM
AN ISLAMIC BURIAL.

FOR THE SURVIVORS,
HEALING HAS COME SLOWLY.

MANY HAVE TURNED TO EACH OTHER
FOR SOLACE AND SUPPORT.

THEY HAVE OFTEN FOUND
ONE ANOTHER ONLINE;

THEY'RE COMFORTED BY
THEIR COMMON REACTIONS TO
THE HORRORS THEY ENDURED.

Alison, voice-over:
I HAVE NO FEELING
OF GREAT ANIMOSITY,

STRANGELY,
TOWARDS THESE PEOPLE.

THEY TOOK MY HUSBAND'S LIFE
AND THEY TOOK THE LIVES
OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE.

BUT THESE GUYS
WERE YOUNG, VERY YOUNG,

AND THEY LIVE
IN A POOR AREA,

THEY ARE BRAINWASHED
FROM A YOUNG AGE,

THEY'RE INDOCTRINATED.
THEY'RE FIGHTING A WAR.

I STRUGGLE
TO FIND THE RIGHT WORD.
IT'S NOT COMPASSION.

IT'S CERTAINLY
NOT EMPATHY OR SYMPATHY,

BUT IT'S ALMOST MERCY,
IN THE SENSE THAT...

WHO THEY REALLY WERE
WERE JUST DOPED-UP KIDS
WHO WERE BRAINWASHED

AND MADE INTO...
DISPENSABLE ROBOTS.

THOSE, TOO, WERE LOST SOULS.

I MEAN, WE WERE SORRY
FOR THEM, AS THEY DEPARTED.

WE WERE REALLY SORRY
BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.

Alison:
I DON'T WANT TO FORGET. NO.

I'VE JUST GOT A FEW
SHRAPNEL WOUNDS I WANTED
TO HANG ON TO, STRANGELY,

ESPECIALLY ONE THAT STILL HAS
A LITTLE BIT OF SHRAPNEL IN IT,
ESPECIALLY HIGH UP ON MY ARM,

BECAUSE THROUGH THAT,
I FEEL THE CONNECTION TO DOUG.

Meltem, voice-over:
SINCE 30 YEARS,

WE WERE ALWAYS TOO MUCH
IN EACH OTHER ANYHOW.

NOW WE ARE MAYBE MORE.

Seyfi: IF I DON'T SEE HER
FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD,

I START CALLING
HER NAME.

"ARE YOU HERE?"
YEAH.

HERE STORY IS TERRIBLE,
BECAUSE EVEN IF I'M,
YOU KNOW,

FOR A FEW MINUTES
IN ANOTHER ROOM,

HE CRIES OUT MY NAME.

THAT'S THE NEW THING
AFTER THE INCIDENT.
HA HA HA!

IT WILL TAKE, UH...
SOME TIME.

NOT LONG, I THINK.
I HOPE.

HA HA HA!
I HOPE.

THAT'S A BIT TOO MUCH
SOMETIMES, BECAUSE...

IT IS GOOD TO BE
WITH SOMEBODY...

WHOM YOU CAN
RELY ON.

YES, THAT'S IMPORTANT,
ACTUALLY.

TO SURVIVE
TOGETHER IS...

SOMETHING ELSE.
NOBODY SHOULD
UNDERSTAND THAT, NO.

IT'S SOMETHING
VERY MUCH DIFFERENT.

TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM...
SOMETHING ELSE.
NOBODY SHOULD
UNDERSTAND THAT, NO.

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
FRIENDS OF NCI

THE "SECRETS OF THE DEAD"
INVESTIGATION CONTINUES ONLINE.

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