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  "authors": [
    "Ashley J. Tellis"
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    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
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Source: Getty

In The Media

Origins of Mumbai Attacks

The objective of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group which carried out the Mumbai attacks, is global jihad. They are second only to al-Qaeda as a terrorist group of global reach.

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By Ashley J. Tellis
Published on Dec 4, 2008
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South Asia

The South Asia Program informs policy debates relating to the region’s security, economy, and political development. From strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific to India’s internal dynamics and U.S. engagement with the region, the program offers in-depth, rigorous research and analysis on South Asia’s most critical challenges.

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Investigations into the Mumbai attacks reveal that they were carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT), and the terrprists were trained in Pakistan. Founded in the 1980s, LeT initially focused its activities in Indian administered Kashmir, and has even attacked the Indian Parliament in 2001. It has since expanded in size and scale of operations. Ashley J. Tellis says that the group's objective is global jihad. Operating out of South Asia, they are second only to al-Qaeda as a terrorist organization of global reach.

About the Author

Ashley J. Tellis

Former Senior Fellow

Ashley J. Tellis was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

    Recent Work

  • Paper
    Multipolar Dreams, Bipolar Realities: India’s Great Power Future

      Ashley J. Tellis

  • Commentary
    India Sees Opportunity in Trump’s Global Turbulence. That Could Backfire.

      Ashley J. Tellis

Ashley J. Tellis
Former Senior Fellow
SecurityForeign PolicySouth AsiaIndiaPakistan

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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