Prayer meet to mark 26/11 anniversary

Christians will be part of an inter-faith prayer meet to mark the first anniversary of Mumbai's 26/11 terror attacks.

The spiritual gathering convened by US-based Jewish NGO Simon Wiesenthal Center and India's Art of Living Foundation, will pray and express solidarity with those killed and wounded in last year's brutal attacks.

"Religious leaders have a special obligation to publicly condemn terrorist attacks that are inspired and sanctioned by those who call themselves servants of God. We are gathering at the site of last year's attacks in solidarity with the people of India as they remember all the victims of 26/11, including the first-ever attack on Jews in India," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Wiesenthal Center.

Survivors of the terror attacks, local leaders and foreign dignitaries will be part of the multi-faith event joined by Hindus, Muslims and leaders of other religious communities.

Addressing a special memorial ceremony at the Hotel Trident-Oberoi in Mumbai on Tuesday evening, Cooper said it was necessary for people of faith to openly condemn the culture of death nurtured in the name of religion while standing beside Indian friends to promote the sanctity of life, tolerance and freedom.

"We are buoyed by the resilience of the world's largest democracy, her noble history of protecting minority peoples (Jews among them) and her commitment to our shared values," IANS quoted Rabbi Cooper saying.

Before the Tuesday's memorial ceremony, a candle light vigil was held at the Chabad House (earlier known as Nariman House) that was one of ten sites attacked in the 60-hour siege on the city.

The house - which was the Mumbai chapter of the Jewish Chabad-Lubavitch movement - was one of the city's well-known Jewish cultural and religious centers. The head of the Chabad House Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, his pregnant 28-year-old wife Rivka and four others were killed in the attack by a Pakistan-based militant organization.

It was during this attack that a Christian cook and nanny, Sandra Samuel, was hailed for her heroic act after she saved Rabbi Holtzberg's two-year-old son risking her own life amid the gun shots. Samuel subsequently was honored by Israel with the "Righteous Gentile" award for her brave and selfless act.

During the Nov. 26-29 attacks, over 166 died and more than 300 others injured as terrorists struck several sites across Mumbai, which includes two luxury hotels, a train station and a hospital.