Guest markham51 Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 See below...Updated with Larry King Video of my friend and his associate who was taken hostage: Well as I am sure most of you are aware there was a series of attacks in India this week. A Canadian friend of mine Jonathan Ehrlich(CEO of an internet company) was staying at the sister hotel to the Oberoi hotel in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). This sister hotel is right next door and connected to the Oberoi via a walkway. He was there on business and had a flight at 7am the next morning. He had dinner by himself in the Oberoi hotel and retired for the evening early becaue of his early flight the next day. Shortly after reaching his room he got a text message from a British friend Alex Chamberlain who was staying at the Oberoi asking him if he wanted to join him for a drink in the Oberoi lobby. He declined because of the early flight. About an hour later he was awakened by a knock on his door and door bell ring. He was tired and decided not to answer thinking it was turn down or some other hotel employee. 5 minutes later, a loud bang that shook the hotel. He jumped out of bed and saw a huge cloud of smoke outside. Bang! another one! He checks the hallway where there were some other guests already...one thought it was a bomb. He gathers his important stuff and runs quickly to the emergency exit and flies down 18 flights of stairs to the main floor lobby. When he gets to the lobby it is empty and he sees blood on the floor and glass everywhere. He finds an exit which leads to a back alley where he meets some staff who tell him to "run!" To make a long story short....he manages to get a taxi a short ways away and goes directly to the airport where he catches a flight which takes him the long way home....but home nonetheless. He got a text message while in the airport from his friend who had invited him to have a drink at the Oberoi lounge. His friend and another business companion had been taken hostage by the terrorists! The gunmen had burst into the lobby bar and killed a number of patrons. They remaining patrons were marched up the stairways towards the roof of the hotel. About half way up his friends ducked into an open doorway and hid. The person who invited him for a drink was able to escape but his friend was found and recaptured. The last he heard he was still a hostage on the roof. Oh yes, the knock on his door? Terrorists looking for foreigners! Life is short, cherish those things that are important. Thanks again to all of those who put themselves in harms way to defeat these vermin. Unbelievable Update: As I am writing this he is on CNN telling his story. My friend Jonathan's Larry King interview: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/28/s...k_n_147058.html His associate Alex who was taken hostage, his interview: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Mum...unmen_Open_Fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherri Leicht Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Getting bad when we (the Infidels according to them) are being hunted down now in foreign lands Happy your friend made it home safely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Wow, I'm watching this on the news now. Bastards !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambbo Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 This is one reason I'm proud to work with and support our fine men and woman in uniform!! I'm thankful your friend is all right!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svtkeith Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 So glad your friend got away....People are going to have to watch where they travel.....The world is gone crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY500SS Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 In one way or another, this touches us all. Glad to hear your friend made it home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUFDRAFT Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Bastards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kstrong Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 One of the reasons I stay in North America. :happy feet: What ever happened to "Give Peace a Chance? John Lennon must be rolling over in his grave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbaron08 Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Been watching this on the news all morning, what is the world coming to. Glad to hear your friend made it out ok! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRQuarto Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Friggen garbage...this is why we take the fight to them. I'm glad they haven't been able to pull something like this in the US since 9/11.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svtkeith Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Friggen garbage...this is why we take the fight to them. I'm glad they haven't been able to pull something like this in the US since 9/11.... I agree....But we cannot fall asleep again...Both our Countries Canada-U.S,A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilmor Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 It is ugly. Looks like the Indian military is taking care of it well. Bush kept if from our shores again - I hope the next President can do as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 So much for Peace on Earth Goodwill towards men. God willing, I'll be doing my part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SGT1977 Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Bastards. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustangman33 Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 It is ugly. Looks like the Indian military is taking care of it well. Bush kept if from our shores again - I hope the next President can do as well. Don't count on it!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraracing Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 I have always been grateful for being Canadian, being apart from the wars, destruction, lack of respect for human life that takes place in many parts of the world We are aghast by any crimes close to home, especially murders or invasions into our private worlds when this is more normal in many other contries the world over I am glad he is ok, a happy ending for one and horror for many others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFBLUE Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Many extremists don't make a distinction between being American or Canadian. Given a choice they would prefer to kill Americans, but they have no qualms even killing those that share their religious beliefs. We are all in this together...there is no "Switzerland" in this conflict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svtkeith Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Many extremists don't make a distinction between being American or Canadian. Given a choice they would prefer to kill Americans, but they have no qualms even killing those that share their religious beliefs. We are all in this together...there is no "Switzerland" in this conflict. Thats why I say BOTH our countries cannot let our guard down. Canada is a target for these Idiots....Anyone who thinks otherwise is just fooling themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hawkins Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Just read that they just killed the last Gunman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest markham51 Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Many extremists don't make a distinction between being American or Canadian. Given a choice they would prefer to kill Americans, but they have no qualms even killing those that share their religious beliefs. We are all in this together...there is no "Switzerland" in this conflict. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CobraCrazy Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 I'm just glad to hear your friend is OK, to say the least. As a student of history I'd like to think the world has become more civilized, but those whose hearts are consumed by hatred keeping taking us backward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500FLYBOY Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 It is ugly. Looks like the Indian military is taking care of it well. Bush kept if from our shores again - I hope the next President can do as well. Sorry - just can't let that one go. We need a little review here. First - Mark - great to hear your friends got out OK. Look - Bush didn't keep anything from our shores. They've simply been laying low - we're no more safe than the day after 9/11. And the fact that we've done nothing to improve security around chemical plants, tunnels, bridges, ports - we're just simply lucky. Bin Laden and his terrorists don't go where they've been - they go where they haven't and are least expected. Bush played right into the hands of Bin Laden - who said America only cares about oil and wants to establish a foothold in the region. Bin Laden gave Bush an excuse and invades Iraq - which had nothing to do with 9/11. Meanwhile forgetting about the real perpetrators of 9/11 and taking our eyes off of Afghanistan and Bin Laden in Pakistan - which just happens to be where the Mumbai terrorists came from. Bush invading Iraq has become the greatest recruiting call that Bin Laden could have wished for. What's interesting is - Bin Laden and these Islamic extremists are very afraid of the world that is encouraged by the election of Obama. It is easy for the extremists to hate America and the west and push their cause with Bush in the White House. They lose some of their argument with a President who campaigns to close Guantanamo, open dialog with the world - and has Hussein as a middle name. The Islamic fundamentalists may see this Mumbai attack as their last best chance to once again poke at America and the west and make us do something stupid before Obama gets into office. Though I don't see Bush making another mistake this time. Once in office, I don't see Obama playing so easily into the hands of Bin Laden - and that probably worries him. He wouldn't expect Obama to make the same ill-advised decisions of the Bush/Cheney administration. And an Obama foreign policy will be one to engage - and to not go it alone unilaterally. This will be important - to engage with the Muslim world - who we desperately need the help of - since it's their house that needs to be brought into order. Barack Hussein Obama will be able to make this case - ever so eloquently - and that worries Bin Laden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDT Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 +1 With all the undocumented people running freely across our southern border it sure makes me wonder??????????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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