Toll of Foreign Deaths Begins to Emerge - Download Free Phim, Nhac, Phan Mem, Karaoke

conmeo · #1 (**permalink**) 11-29-2008, 07:11 AM

Toll of Foreign Deaths Begins to Emerge

WASHINGTON — Although information about the scores of Indian victims of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai remained unavailable Friday night, the authorities had begun to confirm the deaths of Americans and other foreigners. Among them were a father and daughter from Virginia, who were visiting India as part of a spiritual pilgrimage, as well as the founder of a French lingerie line and her husband.

The Virginians, Alan Scherr, 58, a former art professor and astrologer, and his 13-year-old daughter, Naomi, were having dinner at a restaurant in the lobby of the Oberoi Hotel on Wednesday night when gunmen burst in and began firing. Two other Americans and two Canadians, also part of the pilgrimage, were wounded in the restaurant.

The pilgrimage had been organized by a small meditation foundation called Synchronicity, which has its headquarters in central Virginia. Mr. Scherr had “committed most of his adult life to meditation, spirituality and conscious living,” said Bobbie Garvey, a managing director of the foundation. She added: “He was committed to making a positive difference in the world and devoted himself to the community he lived in.”

Ms. Garvey described Naomi as “bright, lively and passionate, if not a little mischievous.” Ms. Garvey said Naomi was known for “colorful” hairstyles and “radiant energy,” and she said the girl wanted to travel to India to learn about Synchronicity’s roots so she could write about meditation as part of her application to boarding school.

Mr. Scherr’s wife, Kia, was in Florida when the attack occurred, Ms. Garvey said.

In a written statement, President Bush said, “Laura and I are deeply saddened that at least two Americans were killed and others injured in Wednesday’s horrific attack in Mumbai.”

The statement also said, “We also mourn the great loss of life suffered by so many people from several other countries, and we have the wounded in our thoughts and prayers.”

French authorities confirmed the deaths of Loumia Hiridjee, creator of the Princesse Tam Tam lingerie brand, and her husband, Mourad Amarsy. President Nicolas Sarkozy offered condolences to the families and said France would offer “its unflinching and total support to the Indian democracy in its struggle against terrorism and fanaticism.”

The leaders of Synchronicity were trying to deal with the shock of being thrust into the center of an international tragedy. In all, about 25 of the foundation’s members had traveled to India as part of the pilgrimage.

Others from the group who were injured in the restaurant included Rudrani Devi, of Nashville, who was shot in the leg and arm, and Linda Ragsdale, also of Nashville, who was shot once in the back. Michael Rudder, of Montreal, and Helen Connolly, of Toronto, were also wounded.

Most people on the pilgrimage had barricaded themselves in their rooms in the Oberoi throughout the ordeal and were rescued unharmed Friday morning. Ms. Garvey said she had been in touch with most of the people in the group during the two-day siege by cellphone.“According to the people holed up in their rooms, things didn’t change,” Ms. Garvey said. “There was constant gunfire and grenades. There was so much smoke, they broke their windows out so they could breathe. It was very intense, until it ended.”

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