Russia's Putin Orders Crackdown After School Siege

ABC News / Reuters ^ | Sept. 4, 2004 | Richard Ayton and Oliver Bullough

[Walkin Man]

Russia's Putin Orders Crackdown After School Siege

Sept. 4, 2004 — By Richard Ayton and Oliver Bullough

BESLAN, Russia (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin ordered a crackdown in southern Russia after a school siege killed at least 250, and warned Chechen sympathizers on Saturday they would be seen as "accomplices of terrorism."

The Kremlin leader paid a lightning early morning visit to the traumatized North Ossetia region close to Chechnya where the two-day hostage drama at the school ended on Friday in bloody mayhem with Russian forces battling Chechen militants.

"One of the tasks pursued by the terrorists was to stoke ethnic hatred, blow up the whole of our North Caucasus," Putin told local security officials.

"Anyone who will feels sympathetic toward such provocations will be viewed as accomplices of terrorists and terrorism."

The hard words suggested Putin had no intention of backing down from his tough policies of crushing Chechnya's separatist rebellion to keep the mainly Muslim region within Russia, using tactics long criticized by human rights activists.

The storming of the school by Russian forces plunged the small town of Beslan into pandemonium. Troops and armed civilians advanced on the red brick building after explosions inside. Pupils, parents and teachers, many drenched in blood, were carried out on stretchers or in the arms of local men.

No definitive figure for the number of those killed -- many of whom were children -- was available on Saturday.

Interfax news agency quoted local health officials as saying at least 250 people were killed from what might turn out to be 1,200 or so children, parents and teachers taken hostage. Hundreds remained in hospital, 92 in serious condition.

Interfax quoted the regional interior ministry as saying most of the hostages held in the school gym died because of the explosions and the roof collapsing.

"There are still dozens of explosive devices there which prevent us removing the remaining dead bodies," a ministry spokesman said.

RIA Novosti quoted health authorities as saying 60 more bodies were pulled from the school's ruins on Saturday, 36 of them children.

Officials said 27 hostage-takers were killed and three taken alive.

"I saw about 25 corpses in the schoolyard, which were not there yesterday," a Reuters witness said. "About 18 were in body bags lying in two rows. Six or seven were just outside a school window without body bags, all men without shirts."

The bloody denouement at Middle School No. 1 in Beslan made the siege one of the world's worst such episodes.

Four out of the dozen or so mass hostage sieges in the past 30 years have been in Russia. All four have been linked to the Chechnya war and all ended in huge loss of life.

Putin brusquely slapped down officials who, during his visit to Beslan, sought to commend the security forces.

"As far as the special forces are concerned, this is a separate story. We will talk about it later. There are unfortunately many losses," he said, clearly angered by the bloody outcome that came after he went on national television and promised to do everything to keep hostages from harm.

Explosives and arms used by the gunmen were smuggled into the building well in advance, during summer building work on the school, Interfax quoted an unnamed regional security source as saying on Saturday.

BORDERS CLOSED

"I have ordered Beslan to be sealed off, Ossetia's borders to be closed and checks to be carried out to find all people linked to the terrorist act," Putin said in Beslan.

Some reports said a few of the gunmen may have escaped.

Western governments offered sympathy to Putin. But the European Union said in a statement it wanted an explanation from Russia "how this tragedy could have happened."

Freed hostages described the mayhem on Friday afternoon. "Bombs were strung all over the gym," one teenage girl told state television. "Tape came unstuck on one and it blew up."

"There were two big explosions," said a women in her forties. "We started pushing all the children out of the windows ... Everyone who was there started pushing them out."

Authorities said they had been forced to launch a rescue operation when the gunmen opened fire on fleeing children.

North Ossetia is the only predominantly Orthodox province in the otherwise mostly Muslim North Caucasus. But the whole region is a tinderbox of small national groups and any crackdown carries a risk of disrupting further a delicate ethnic balance.

Putin, easily re-elected to a second term in March, must now reassure Russians they are safe from the threat of separatists.

The near-simultaneous crash of two airplanes last week, in which 90 people died, was blamed on Chechen suicide bombers as was an explosion by a Moscow metro station which killed nine. (Additional reporting by Oleg Shchedrov)

[datura]

Russia doesn't need any of our air assets. What they do need, however, is for the State Department to reassure them that we won't say a word in diplomatic circles no matter what it is they decide to do to these animals. We could offer to do some joint patrolling with them using Special Forces along with their FSB - to begin further integrating of our forces. Just showing them that there is solidarity with them in their anger and grief would go a long way in easing relations.

This is an opportunity to put the cold war behind both nations, with an eye to the future. It would also be a good way to show Russia that we can be trusted - they are still quite suspicious of our intentions now that NATO is on their borders. The EU's arrogance has given us a way to show Russia that we aren't like the European elitists, we should not let it pass.

The world would be a much different place if we could become true allies with Russia.

[IslandJeff]

This is an opportunity to put the cold war behind both nations, with an eye to the future. It would also be a good way to show Russia that we can be trusted - they are still quite suspicious of our intentions now that NATO is on their borders. The EU's arrogance has given us a way to show Russia that we aren't like the European elitists, we should not let it pass. The world would be a much different place if we could become true allies with Russia.

Nicely stated: that's not a nation you wanna tick off. Neither of us owe Old Europe much of anything anymore.

[hershey]

Borders closed. Wow. Maybe we should take a closer look at that.

[SauronOfMordor]

Yeah, all those Russian "separtists" who are Arab from the middle east.

The pattern of al-Queda is to locate operations in Muslim-dominated areas of chaos. Sudan. Afghanistan. The tribal areas of Pakistan. Now Chechnya. They like to hide amid chaos

[HarryCaul]

But the European Union said in a statement it wanted an explanation from Russia "how this tragedy could have happened."

Wow. What denial the EU is capable of.

The UK should run, not walk, from that organization.

[bronxboy]

What the h_ll is the matter with the EU? Instead of offering prayers, assistance and condolences they offer condemnation. I am so blessed my parents left that pathetic excuse for a government. Thank you Dad and Mom. I can now see how Hitler took over. Have they not learned anything? Appeasement DOES NOT work. I realize that Western Europe (except Britain?) is in it's death spiral, but the have no shame. I truly believe that within the next two generations, that it will be the USA and China, as major players and Western Europe as, at best a second world economy. My only prayer is they see the error of their ways, before it is too late.

[HarryCaul]

I don't much care at this point if the EU sees the error of their ways. They've chosen, let them deal with the consequences.

[stlnative]

A man carries a boy who was injured in a school seized by Chechen separatists (ISLAMIC TERRORISTS) in the town of Beslan near Chechnya.
I bet the man on the right is that boys father!


A father holds his injured son who escaped from the seized school in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia, Friday, Sept. 3, 2004. Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia where hundreds of hostages had been held for three days, sending hostage-takers and their captives fleeing in a scene of chaos amid explosions and gunfire.


A mother embraces her injured son who escaped from a seized school in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia, Friday, Sept. 3, 2004. Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia where hundreds of hostages had been held for three days, sending hostage-takers and their captives fleeing in a scene of chaos amid explosions and gunfire.


A woman grieves over the body of her child killed when Russian troops stormed a school seized by gunmen in the town of Beslan, in the province of North Ossetia near Chechnya (news - web sites), September 3, 2004. Russian soldiers battled Chechen separatists on Friday to end a two-day-old school siege and more than 150 people have probably died, Interfax quoted a presidential adviser as saying. Some children are still captive, but more than 400 hostages have been freed, it said.

[Lurking2Long]

Dearest Lord Jesus, please come back now...

[MEG33]

Don't get too excited..They couldn't even close off the perimeter to the hostage site.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

I'm guessing that after Putin is done our Patriot Act is going to look awfully fair and balanced.

[laconic]

The EU's reaction is one of fear; they are terrified of their own growing Mohammedan population, which is very radical, and hope that by throwing some one else to them, it will buy them off (Not). What we have to realize here is that these lowlifes targeted the children of people like us: I have been to Russia numerous times and they are much closer to Americans in thought and lifestyle than the prissy Europeans. These are hardworking, decent people who don't have much money but who do place emphasis on the important things in life: children, family, schooling, religion. The first day of school in Russia is very important: children bring flowers for the teachers, who are highly respected and the parents generally accompany them to school. I am so angry with the dimwit talking heads (PBS had two last night) and the apologists on this site citing some "historical basis" for these outrageous mass murders of children. Its like saying Charles Manson was justified in his butchery because the owner of Sharon Tate's house wouldn't buy his records.

[G Larry]

>>the European Union said in a statement it wanted an explanation from Russia "how this tragedy could have happened."<<

Dear EU,
This is what happens when you appease and coddle terrorists, rather than destroy them.
This is what happens when countries like Germany, France, and Russia place greater importance on profiting from the countries that support terror, than on fighting terror.
Iraq, Syria, Iran, come to mind.

[laconic]

Don't be too dismissive. Russia's Alfa Group is easily the equivalent of our Delta Force, a fact well-recognized by our own military.

[johnb838]

any crackdown carries a risk of disrupting further a delicate ethnic balance.

Putin, easily re-elected to a second term in March, must now reassure Russians they are safe from the threat of separatists.

ABC/Rooters -- enemy mouthpiece. I think Putin needs to start boxing the Chechyns in. Internment. I don't know what else he can do if he can't identify the enemy.

[johnb838]

I like the part about Lincoln's suspension of Habeas Corpus and his putting congressmen in jail if they committed sedition.

[musicman]

Great post !! I agree !!!

GWB should be on the "Red Phone" ASAP with Putin, and ask him if he is NOW ready to join the "Coalition of the Willing" in the world wide fight against terrorism.

GWB should say "If you are, the US will back you 100% in the UN and against the EU , while you PERMANENTLY take care of your terrorist "problem" IF.....AND ONLY IF...

Russia will back theUS 100% in the UN and against the EU "bunch" while the US,(with 24hours notice so Putin can get his "workers" out) PERMANENTLY takes care of Iran's nuclear "program".

If such an agreement could be made, Russia wins BIG by making the Russian people and their country FINALLY free of their "main terrorist problems" and maybe more "investments"
will happen there because it would be a lot safer, making their economy and country worth taking a monetary "risk" with, making a VERY strong case for Russia and Putin to FINALLY become a part of the "team".

The US would greatly benifit, as the Iranians would be given the "signal" to shed themselves of their oppressive government,which would then no longer be able to keep Iraq in such an unstable state, making the "trifecta" complete a LOT sooner that it looks like it would be completed at present.

The Saudis would maybe FINALLY "get on board" and "clean house"......

...Syria would surely know that THEY ARE NEXT, and MAYBE
suddenly "discover"( like Hillary's "discovery" of those "lost" FBI files,) those WMD's that Saddam gave them for "safe keeping".

......Hamas AND Arafat,would REALLY be feeling "quite
lonely" monetarily, AND in the WMD department....

...and I would wager little Kimmey-Jong would probably be like a B.F.Skinner rat in whatever maze we decided he should be put in, as he would be the the LAST AXIS-OF-EVIL left, with hardly any "customers" with any REAL money, to buy any of his very disruptive "toys" that he NEEDS the financial benifits from to keep him in power....

...and then Pakistan could FINALLY be free enough at that point to "take care of their terorist "biz".

...and one other little plus... oil would no longer be able to be used as an "infidel blackmailing tool" by the Mecca and Medina "crowd, and "gasoline prices might PERMANENTLY become a stable and fairly priced world wide commodity,( quite a "positive" thing if it did.)


....and if this could be worked out RIGHT NOW while the pictures and news of the "school incident" are FRESH in the
minds of the world at large, and (in MY "perfect VRWC Freeper world") say before the end of September (which would spoil lil' kimmy jongs planned "October Surprise").....

..do you think the TRAIN LOAD OF DEMS on their way to the "funny farm" will still want to hear their 2004 presidential candidate, "Smith-Corona-Rambo", aka jf'n, how he woulnd have done ALL of the above "differently", in sort of a "Silver Star with a "V" for Valor kind of way ???

[MEG33]

I am not being dismissive..just facing the difficulties.

[BritishBulldog]

"These EU bureaucrats are as evil as can be for making such an idiotic statement. Thank GOD England refused to join the EU. Good for them! "

Sadly this is somewhat inaccurate. We are, in fact, members of the EU, we have the EU emblem on our passports and driving licences and (subject to ratification of the latest agreement) EU law takes precedence over our own. Essentially, we are screwed.

What we have (so far) not joined is the "Eurozone", that is the countries within the EU who have adopted the Euro as their currency. But our dear leader, Tony B. Liar and his sidekicks are toiling away trying to figure out how it can be forced upon us against our will (ie without a referendum)

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

"I hope and pray that this evil is not being set up here in the USA even as we speak..."

"I think we'd better get ready."

All of the Arab-speaking southern border crossers we all know have been coming in are not here to pick strawberries, lettuce and tomatoes.