British link to Mumbai attacks

Some of the terrorists who killed at least 120 people in Mumbai may have been British, according to sources in India. News channel NDTV reported that "British citizens of Pakistani origin" were among the attackers.

Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee has publicly blamed elements in Pakistan for the atrocities across the city. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other government ministers played down reports of the involvement of Britons.

Meanwhile, Indian troops are attempting to re-take a Jewish centre in Mumbai from terrorists. Gunmen remain holed-up in locations around the city including two hotels and the Jewish centre where they have taken hostages.

Masked commandos abseiled from a helicopter onto the roof of the Nariman House centre at dawn, in co-ordination with attacks from ground troops. The centre houses ultra-orthadox Jewish outreach group Chad Lubavitch and, earlier, a woman and child were seen leaving the building. The child was identified as the two-year-old son of Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holzberg.

Security forces who yesterday released captives from the Taj Mahal Palace hotel now say they have freed 93 people from the Oberoi hotel, but are still exchanging fire with terrorists at both locations. An army commander said the security operation would be "wrapped up in a few hours".

Meanwhile, the Indian navy has taken control of two Pakistani merchant navy ships and is questioning their crews after it was reported that the gunmen had come ashore in small speedboats, before fanning out across the southern part of the city to hit targets including a backpacker pub, hospitals and a railway station, Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus, where 10 people were shot dead.

The British government played down reports of its citizens being involved in the attacks. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was too early to tell whether Britons were involved and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said UK authorities had "no knowledge" of any British links with the massacre.