"They can go on and on," says a security person outside the Taj Mahal Hotel [Images] in South Mumbai, talking about the amount of ammunition the terrorists are carrying on them.
Sources told rediff.com that terrorists have a huge consignment of arms, including AK-47 rifles, magazines, grenades and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) or plastic bombs.
The plastic bomb, according to experts, is a powerful explosive device that can be used to blast walls and doors. Metal detectors cannot detect such a bomb and it can also be detonated using a remote-controlled device.
Security officials say that the terrorists have come to first kill and then die. The National Security Guards too are taking a long time to complete the operation as they have been advised to be careful and not use excessive force as it might lead to hostages being killed.
The terrorists have planned the attacks perfectly and seem to know the layout of each hotel better than the security forces fighting them. The NSG has been taking the help of hotel employees to better understand the layout of the hotel, but the terrorists seem to be moving inside the hotel with ease. This is only an indication of the level of preparedness of the attackers.
Recovery: Investigating agencies, who have a terrorist in their custody, have recovered 400 rounds of live ammunition, 7 magazines and several grenades. They have also recovered a Mauritian national's identity card from the ruck-sack of a terrorist.
Security agencies say that the grenades recovered indicate they were made in China. International credit cards, $1,200 in US currency, and Rs 6,000 have also been recovered.
Most of these terrorists are sporting a red-and-yellow band, similar to a band sold at the Ajmer Dargah.