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BBC World News journalist Nik Gowing has been reporting extensively from the Taj Mahal hotel. Gowing, who presents World News Today on the channel, and is also a Sunday MiD DAY columnist, flew down to cover the horrific attacks. He speaks exclusively to Sunday MiD DAY



As a global citizen first and a journalist later, what is your personal take on the events that have transpired in Mumbai over the past few days?
As we sit here and I see the Taj Mahal Palace and Hotel, I recall what has happened at the Oberoi hotel, Nariman House and at the train terminus and I think that I could have been there at any point myself. There are emotions that I've been through just after the seventh of July bombings in London, after the 9/11 incidence in America and there are often moments in these situations where you think to yourself, well, that could have been me.

One of the things that I've reflected on, having lived at the Taj Hotel myself just about a month ago, is what would I have done in that situation? These are difficult questions to answer because you'd never have expected it.

We all at the BBC get training about how to react in hostile environments and working out where there are threats. This requires an understanding of threat assessment and threat perception. Whenever I come to India or most other countries, you think, how dangerous is it, because this is a city where you had 187 people killed in commuter bombings in 2006. You have to have confidence that the authorities understand the threat.

However, that said, I also feel the same thing when I get onto the tube train in central London. I take a bottle of water to ensure that if things go badly wrong I've got a better or even chance of survival. And now when I go and stay in a hotel, I always look out for where the fire escape is. But in spite of all this, I still ask the question, what would I have done in that situation either if I'd been dining in the coffee shop, or in my room, or just seeing people in the bar, or walking through the corridor with all the shops, or being in the lobby. It's not an easy question and a much more difficult answer.

The areas chosen by the terrorists were frequented by foreign nationals. Is this, therefore, the new face of terrorism where citizens are targeted on foreign soil? Does this make developing countries soft targets for terror strikes and especially tourism hotspots?
I wouldn't say it's a new phenomenon. It's the latest stage in terrorism where this sort of activity is escalated. Choosing multiple targets is something that the al Qaeda specialise in. They're very good at planning; much effort goes into logistics and meticulously working out how the act must be done. It's good terrorism from their point of view since it is always about maximum surprise and maximum uncertainty. That's exactly what they've achieved on this occasion because it does appear that no one expected it.

Do reactions from Pakistani high-ranking officials you've spoken to in the past, make it easy for media and governments to point fingers their way when terrorism strikes the Indian subcontinent?
I don't think that's for the media to pass comment on at all. Governments, security and intelligence agencies should have a better idea than I do. I can understand that the Indian government, after what's happened here with at least 150 people confirmed dead, has to look for causes. There is evidence that insurgents or activists based on certain soil may be behind it. No government can control everything in every part of its country but I can understand the Indian external affairs minister and the coolness there has been over the last couple of days and especially with the Pakistan foreign affairs minister in Delhi.

Can we expect high-ranking officials or security agencies from the United Kingdom to visit India in the coming days?
I haven't asked the question but we have the British High Commissioner Sir Richard Stagg here. The British government also has a rapid deployment team. I came in on the same plane as the counter terrorism unit and Scotland Yard.

You don't need politicians to come here, they just get in the way. However I do see in the local papers here, a lot of debate about Indian politicians who are grandstanding and trying to make political points out of the situation which hasn't gone down very well with the Indian people.

World News Today is on BBC World News from Monday to Thursday at 9 pm