I watched a documentary on this sometime last year. It showed video footage as well as intercepted radio dialogue between the terrorists and those guiding them, urging them on to kill. At times they were reluctant to kill the people in the hotel but these lunatics, safe miles away were encouraging them on.

On couple had a narrow escape, they lived because he started to say an islamic prayer for someone who had been killed. Thinking he was a 'brother' they let him live.