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.

Berlin, Nov. 28 : Counter-terrorism officials and experts said the scale, sophistication and targets involved in the Mumbai attacks were markedly different from previous terrorist plots in India and suggested the gunmen had received training from outside the country.

The Washington Post quotes officials in India, Europe and the United States as saying the likely culprits included Islamist networks based in Pakistan that have received support in the past from Pakistan''s intelligence agencies.

New Delhi, Nov 28 : The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Friday requested his Pakistan counterpart Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to send Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha to India to share information about the Mumbai terror attacks.

Dr. Singh’s request was made during a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Gilani. Gilani had called to express his grief over the loss of lives in Mumbai.

He denounced the act of terrorism in Mumbai and assured Dr. Singh of his full cooperation.

Tel Aviv, Nov. 28: Israel defence officials have criticised the way Indian security forces have handled the terror attacks in Mumbai.

The Jerusalem Post quoted officials of Israel''s security forces as saying that the operation to rescue hostages and counter-attack the terrorists was premature and badly planned.

"In hostage situations, the first thing the forces are supposed to do is assemble at the scene and begin collecting intelligence," The Times quoted a former official in Shin Bet, the Israel Security Agency, as saying.

"In this case, it appears that the forces showed up at the scene and immediately began exchanging fire with the terrorists instead of first taking control of the area," he said.

Mumbai, Nov. 28 : A former Australian judge and three-time Olympic rower has said that it was a bloody nightmare to be cornered at gunpoint inside the Taj Hotel in Mumbai.

Reliving the moment, former Family Court Justice Paul Guest said he was left reeling after being confronted at gunpoint at the height of the drama on Wednesday.

A special forces soldier dressed in black burst into his room, soon after Mr Guest heard gunfire and grenade explosions outside his door.

Mumbai, Nov. 28 : Twenty four more dead bodies have been recovered from the terror struck Trident-Oberoi hotel.

Two terrorists, who were holed up inside the hotel, have been killed by security forces here, said Mumbai Police Commissioner Hassan Gafoor at about 3.00 p. m.

"One terrorists has being caught alive while a total of nine terrorists have been killed so far," said Gafoor.

In all, 30 bodies have been retrieved from the hotel. On Wednesday, six bodies were recovered.