Obama to stay at Mumbai attack target Taj Hotel

NEW DELHI: With the clear aim of sending a message to terrorists, US President Barack Obama is expected to stay overnight at Taj Hotel in Mumbai and tour other 26/11 targets when he undertakes a visit to India next month.

Sources said Obama is expected to arrive in India on November 5 on a five-day visit, his first since assuming office in January last year.

He is likely to begin his visit from Mumbai where he is expected to have an overnight stay in Taj Hotel, which was targeted by Pakistani terrorists of Lashkar-e Taiba outfit from November 26 to 28 in 2008.

Obama is also expected to visit other spots where the 10 Pakistani terrorists had struck in Mumbai, leaving 166 people dead.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had on her first visit to India in July last year after taking charge stayed at the Tower Wing of the Taj Hotel.

The sources said External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had been one of those who strongly recommended that the US President visit Mumbai during his trip here.

Obama's decision to stay at Taj Hotel is clearly aimed at sending a message to the terrorists that the democracies would not be cowed by terror attacks.

The US President is also expected to visit Golden Temple in Amritsar besides Delhi where he will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.