Paris Terror Attacks a Chilling Reminder of 26/11 Mumbai Attacks

Similarities and dissimilarities between Paris and Mumbai terror attacks.

Stade de France Stadium after the Paris terror attack and the Taj Hotel after the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack. (Photo: AP/Reuters)

Security experts and the media have started drawing parallels between the Paris attacks of Friday night and 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Let’s take a quick look at the similarities and dissimilarities between the two attacks.

Similarities: Paris and Mumbai

• Both Paris and Mumbai were targets of terror attacks in the month of November.
  
• The Paris terror attack shows a level of sophistication and planning, not seen since the 26/11 Mumbai attack.
  
• Modus Operandi: A Mumbai-style attack with multiple teams simultaneously hitting different places in Paris.
  
• Soft targets like hotels, stadiums and café houses were attacked.
  
• Paris was attacked at night, as was Mumbai during 26/11.
  
• Trained gunmen with sophisticated weapons fired randomly at people.
  
• The AK-47 was the weapon of choice in both cases.
  
• Eyewitnesses in Paris reported that the perpetrators were young and not wearing masks, like the terrorists in the Mumbai attacks.
  

Dissimilarities: Paris and Mumbai

• Terrorists entered Mumbai through sea, but there is no clarity on how the terrorists entered Paris. According to some experts the Paris attackers could be from a sleeper cell.
  
• Though Fidayeens were used in both attacks, suicide bombers and gunmen attacked in Paris, while the Mumbai attack was only carried out by gunmen.
  
• Mumbai terror attacks continued for 3 days, with the death toll rising to 166. The Paris attacks were controlled in less than 12 hours.
  
• Mumbai attackers were briefed and guided on the phone by ISI commanders, with the Indian Intelligence Bureau intercepting these calls. No such calls were intercepted in Paris.
  
• Ten terrorists carried out the attacks in Mumbai, with Ajmal Kasab being the only one caught alive. In Paris, eight terrorist were killed, seven of whom blew themselves up in suicide bombings.
  
• Different terror organisations were involved in 26/11 Mumbai and 13/11 Paris terror attacks.