Mumbai Terror: 11 Saudi hostages rescued

Eleven Saudi nationals, including three diplomats, taken hostage in Mumbai's Taj and Trident-Oberoi Hotels, have been safely evacuated while one man is still missing.

The diplomats rescued yesterday have been shifted to the Saudi Consulate in Mumbai while eight others, one of them a young boy, will be flown back to the country today, a Saudi Gazette report said.

"We are still looking for a Saudi citizen who has telephoned us (from the Trident) and asked for help," Saudi charge d'affaires Muhammad Barri told the newspaper from New Delhi.

Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal has instructed the the country's missions in India to assist Saudi nationals seeking refuge.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has denounced the terrorist attacks in India's financial hub and expressed its condolences to the Indian government and people.

Arab and Islamic organisations have also denounced the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) condemned the attacks, saying violence had no justification.

"These acts of violence contradict all human values and can be justified by nothing," an OIC spokesman said at the group's headquarters here.

In the UAE, expatriate Indians have been watching with bated breath as events in Mumbai unfolded. A UK national of Indian origin, who chose to remain anonymous, said her close family friend remained trapped inside the Oberoi and the family is on the edge waiting for information.

Meanwhile, most flights from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai remained unaffected.