Thousands of Orthodox Jewish mourners prayed and wept yesterday before the shrouded bodies of Israeli victims of the Mumbai carnage.

Thousands of Orthodox Jewish mourners prayed and wept yesterday before the shrouded bodies of Israeli victims of the Mumbai carnage.

The ceremony was broadcast on TV and attended by Israeli leaders, as the country buried the six Jews killed in the assault on a Jewish centre in the Indian city on Wednesday last week.

A crowd gathered at Kfar Chabad, the movement's Israel headquarters, to mourn Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, 29, and his 28-year-old wife, Rivka. The couple left a two-year-old son, Moshe, who was rescued by his Indian nanny.

The other victims buried were Leibish Teitelbaum, 38, Norma Shvarzblat Rabinovich, 50, of Mexico, Yocheved Orpaz, 60, and Bentzion Chroman, 28.

The crowd of thousands at their funeral included Israel's President, Shimon Peres and other top government officials. Defence Minister Ehud Barak, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's two chief rabbis were among the thousands who attended.