North West MEP: I saw 12 people shot dead in front of me

11:47am Friday 28th November 2008

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By Chris Hopper »

North West Euro MP Sajjad Karim has told how he survived the terrorist attack on a hotel – and his horror at seeing 12 people shot dead.

The Conservative MEP, who lives in Simonstone in the Ribble Valley, was just feet from a machine gun-wielding terrorist as he opened fire “indiscrimin-ately” inside the prestigious Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai.

Former Pendle councillor Mr Karim, who grew up in Brierfield, was part of an EU trade delegation when gunmen opened fire late on Wednesday, killing at least 100 people.

Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph from India, Mr Karim revealed how:

• He watched as 12 people were shot dead in front of him by a terrorist.

• He fled as the gunman fired towards him, barri-cading himself inside a restaurant.

• He kept in contact with his family back home in Lancashire via text messages while under siege in the hotel.

Mr Karim, who has served as a North West MEP since 2004, arrived in Mumbai late on Wednesday after travelling with EU counterparts from Delhi.

After checking in, he was wandering at the front of the hotel when he heard gunfire and came back inside as other guests fled from the street.

He said: “Suddenly, we could hear gunshots again, only this time much louder and we knew the gunmen were in the foyer.

“Everybody was running for the rear exit and I started to run too.

"I was with other people and as we got to the rear exit a man appeared at the door with a huge machine gun and he pointed at us and started shooting.

“People in front of me started to fall. I saw around 12 killed.

"He was shooting at anybody. His main aim was to kill as many people as he could and get into the hotel.

“Me and four others were lucky enough to escape. I could not go forward because he was there but I could not go back because I knew there were more gunmen.

“I noticed there was a third corridor to one side and I ran down that. I thought he would land one in my back but he didn’t.

“I got round the corner and he did not come after me.”

Mr Karim ended up in the hotel restaurant with staff and around 50 other guests from around the world.

Together, he said they used everything to hand, including a piano, to barri-cade themselves in from the terrorists before army soldiers arrived to rescue them six hours later.

He added: “We could hear all the gunshots from the restaurant and people shouting and screaming outside. It was horrible.

“We had to keep as quiet as possible and just hope that they did not come in.

"I was in contact with my family. I was texting them to let them know we were okay.”

Soldiers took guests to another hotel before Mr Karim was transferred to “secure facility”, believed to be an EU consulate in Mumbai.

He said there were times during the ordeal when he wondered if he would ever see his family again but said bravery had played no part in his escape.

“It all happened so quickly that I don’t remember feeling panic or fear, I just ran,” he said.

“It was not bravery or cowardice because there was nothing I could have done to save those people in front of me.

“It was desperate and the only thing I could do was to preserve myself.

“The shock hit me much later during the six hours in the restaurant.

"That was when I had chance to reflect on it all."

• North West MEP Sajjad Karim safe after fleeing Mumbai gunmen