Israeli consulate's Mumbai security chief arrested en route to Chabad House rescue

Foreign Ministry tells 'Post' Israel had no complaints with Indian security personnel over incident.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Indian commando takes aim 248.88 (photo credit: AP)
Indian commando takes aim 248.88
(photo credit: AP)
The security officer at the Israeli consulate in Mumbai was arrested by Indian police as he raced toward the Chabad House last Wednesday after Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg telephoned to say it was under attack. The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem on Sunday confirmed that the officer had been intercepted en route to what he had hoped would be a rescue mission, but stressed that Israel had no complaints with Indian security personnel over the incident. "An armed foreigner was running toward them at a terrorist scene," said a ministry official. "Of course they arrested him. What would you expect them to do?" Indeed, The Jerusalem Post has been told that an individual jumped out of a window at the Chabad House early in the unfolding terror attack and ran toward the security guard, and he, too, was arrested by Indian police. The Israeli consulate is located just a few streets away from the Chabad House. The last known word from Chabad emissary Holtzberg, who was found dead in the building 60 hours later along with his wife Rivka and other victims, came in the phone call to the consulate in which he reported the attack. The call was cut off in mid-conversation. The security officer immediately raced to the Chabad House to try to help, but was stopped close to the building. He was not carrying identification papers, the Post was told - perhaps, it is speculated, in case he himself fell into the hands of the terrorists. However, one Indian security official recognized him, the Post was told. The security officer was released from jail a few hours after he was detained.