By P. Jayaram, India Correspondent

NEW DELHI: There were ample warnings from intelligence agencies, both foreign and domestic, about a terrorist attack on hotels and other targets in Mumbai, but inexplicably, they were either not acted upon or came too late in the day.

According to official sources, United States intelligence agencies had warned New Delhi in October of a terrorist attack on the island city, which could make its way through the sea and aim for specific targets, including the Taj Mahal Hotel.

They said the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's external intelligence agency, had also issued a series of warnings, the latest being on Nov 18, a week before the carnage, about an imminent attack on Mumbai by the sea wing of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant outfit that New Delhi blames for the attack. The Intelligence Bureau, the domestic intelligence agency, also said it issued alerts in late September, warning that Lashkar was preparing to attack waterfront targets in south Mumbai.

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