Men Hold Moscow Audience Hostage [Reports of 1000 Hostages]

AP News ^ | OCTOBER 23, 14:03 ET

[McGruff]

MOSCOW (AP) — Armed men entered a Moscow theater Wednesday and took the audience hostage, the Federal Security Service said.

The theater was holding a performance of the musical Nord-Ost, one of the Russian capital's most popular productions.

The Interfax news agency said one of its reporters was inside the theater at the time of the raid. She told them in a telephone call that the men had fired into the air and were preventing the audience from leaving, the agency said.

Police units were on their way to the scene.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

They said they want Russian troops out of Chechnya immediately.

Anybody care to speculate on whether the Russians comply with this demand? I don't know enough about the politics of the region to make any kind of guess. Does Russia have a history of negotiating with terrorists?

[Lucas1]

For every hostage taker that is injured they will kill 10 hostages - via CNN

[Nexus]

BBC now reporting up to 100 armed guerrillas, who consist of men wearing combat uniforms and women in veils.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2354753.stm

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I wonder if Putin is rethinking the war on terror right now?

IMO, Putin has been right with us in the "war on terror", vis a vis al-queda. He has balked on the Iraq situation for purely economic reasons, which I believe can be worked out.

[mitchbert]

BBC Update 20:00GMT

ARGHHHH! Feed lost as news started! Can't reconnect!

[steveegg]

That speech was before this broke (somewhere around 12:30 Central).

[aristeides]

Reporter from Moscow: People who managed to escape said there is much blood on the floor. ABC News: hostage-takers will kill 10 people for every day Russia delays in leaving Chechnya.

[Dog]

CNN...they are making demands ....the war in Chechnya must end...

10 hostages will die for every hostage taker wounded.....wow!

[WilliamWallace1999]

Get a grip dude. It is meant as sarcasm. France surrenders just because some other free democracy has been attacked. You must be new around here if you are not familiar with the FR disdain for all things French (except for the lovely cheeses).

Freepers have nothing but deep sympathy for the Russian victims and only hope this will spur them on to join the re-unification of the Holy Roman Empire as it rises up to crush the Arab hoards.

The big war, it's a coming......

[tracer]

I just heard a Russian newbabe report that the hostages were being bitten. Or maybe she meant "beaten"...

[ohioman]

What the hell does killing Islamic Terrorists have to do with the Holocaust? I am sure the Islamokazi's would love to continue Hitler's work.

[Eala]

About now I'd announce to the Chechins they have about an hour to evacuate their cities, towns and mosques.

"We start bombing in five minutes."

[Lucas1]

No. But I'm not willing to go to the level of the Nazis. There is a difference in fighting a war and doing what they did. Take a look at this one to see what I mean.

I know...I hear you...it is just frustrating. I would love to believe that we do not need to kill their women and children. It makes me wonder though...what the answer is.

[Dog]

This is could end very badly....

[SCR1]

Will the Russians call in Officer Moose to negotiate?

[McGruff]

Sound like things are going downhill fast!

Will Putin strike quickly or try to defuse the situation is the question?

[mil-vet]

Too bad Russia doesn't have CCW laws, or enough folks in the theater would be armed to take these sorry #$@%&'s out!

9mm CCW gives me enough cover to get back to where I have the artillery hidden!!

[js1138]

They don't need our help, and I don't think they'll ask our permission. if this theater is blown up with 700 people in it, Chechnia is glass.

[mvonfr]

Forgive the dumb question, what does that mean? Caucasian?

The Caucasus lie between the Black and Caspian Seas. I'm not certain what areas that covers...but I believe Georgia and Azerbaijan are two

"Caucasian" refers to a large number of smaller nations in the region. Most of them are moslem (Chechens, Azerbaijani, but not Georgians); many of "caucasians" in Moscow (and generally in Russia) are crime-connected.

Hopefully this helps.