By Lisa Donovan, The Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun Times
Indian Attacks: Full News Report 

CHICAGO — Some think the terrorist attacks were a statement about the upcoming mayoral election in Mumbai.

Others suspect that the violence is a response to officials getting ready to unmask those involved in a bombing in the region months ago.

But many along the mile-plus stretch of Devon Avenue known as Little India are like Sajjad Khan, owner of Hyderabad House Family Dining: He doubts that the terrorists solely targeted Westerners, despite news reports that focused on that early on.

"This has nothing to do with tourists or foreigners, it's all inside India," said Khan, whose hometown in India is some 500 miles from the violence. He's inclined to believe that next year's mayoral elections, which he says involve nepotism and a party that is demanding residents of Mumbai speak a single language -- or leave -- may be the root of the violence.

He was among many gathered in front of televisions at businesses watching news of the bloody attacks on Aaj Tak channel, India's version of CNN.

Ahmed Sujat, who lives in Chicago but is from a city hundreds of miles from Mumbai, says: "It's sad to everybody, as a common people, we don't want to see the violence, to see anybody get killed."

Copyright 2008 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.