India's rescue efforts badly planned, says Israel

Israel has slammed the rescue efforts being undertaken by Indian security forces, to combat terrorists in Mumbai, terming them 'premature and badly planned'.

Israel had offered to help India to resolve the hostage situation in two luxury hotels and a building inhabited by Israelis, but their offer had been turned down, reports The Times.

Israel defence official believe that the security forces had failed to gather sufficient information about the situation before storming the three places under siege, states the report.

It added that the commandos, in their haste, had probably risked the lives of the hostages.

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

Israel Defence Minister Ehud Barak has also conveyed his concerns about the safety of Israelis trapped at the Jewish Centre in Nariman House, to the Indian government.

The operation at Nariman House continues with gunshots and explosions being heard at regular intervals. The number of terrorists or hostages inside the building is not known.

The report added that Barak had also offered assistance to National Security Advisor M K Kelath Narayanan.