There were security and intelligence failures in connection with the Mumbai terrorist attacks, India's federal Home Minister P Chidambaram said Friday.
Chidambaram, who took over the home portfolio after the resignation of Shivraj Patil following last week's terrorist attacks, was addressing the media in Mumbai, reported dpa.
"I agree that security and intelligence failed," Chidambaram said after visiting hospital patients who were injured at Mumbai's main railway station, one of the terrorists' first targets.
He also said there was ample evidence to link the attacks on India's financial hub last week to "organizations or entities" which had been responsible for terrorist strikes in the past.
Chidambaram, who previously held the finance portfolio, said that in the past every terrorist incident was viewed seriously. "But with the passage of time it becomes business as usual."
This had to change at every level, he added.
Chidambaram said the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States had changed attitudes in that country and similarly the Mumbai events had to be the trigger for changing attitudes in India.
Chidambaram said the government was considering a proposal to set up an intelligence agency at the national level similar to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A total of 171 people were killed and more than 300 injured as terrorists laid siege to Mumbai shortly after 9 pm on November 26. The attackers targeted the railway station, a hospital, a Jewish centre and the Taj and Oberoi-Trident luxury hotels.
The standoff between the security forces and terrorists ended almost 60 hours later, when commandos killed three militants inside the Taj hotel Saturday morning.
There have been several media reports since the event saying intelligence reports and warnings about terrorists targeting Mumbai and taking a sea route to the city had been ignored.
There were some lapses in security which needed to be rectified, Chidambaram said.
Intelligence and internal security are in the purview of the Home Ministry both at national and state level in India.
Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and home minister RR Patil both resigned after the attacks.
Chidamabaram was scheduled to visit the Taj and Trident-Oberoi hotels later Friday.