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.

[Congressman Billybob]

There is no indication that a "minority of Muslims" are our current enemies. ALL Muslims, in the US and around the world, need to be forced to fish or cut bait. The Imams who preach sermons about "death to the pigs" are our enemies, as well as the ones who carry guns and bombs.

For us or against us, in or out, live or dead. The choice has to be made so plain that all Muslims can understand it. Then the 82nd Airborne should conduct the "poll" on how these people REALLY feel on the subject of terrorism. Where there is doubt, the conclusion should be "shoot first and ask questions later."

Both the Japanese and the Germans were taught by their propaganda to hate and fear Americans. The survivors got alone just fine with the Americans, AFTER we had defeated them in war. Same equation applies here and now.

Congressman Billybob

This column is based on the fine work by FReepers in a thread on FR. Click for "Ballistics and Bullsh*t"

Click for "Til Death Do Us Part."

Click for "to Restore Trust in America"

[SerpentDove]

Don't know if this has been pointed out on this enourmous thread.

I gleaned this from the FOXNEWS.COM site:

The Interfax news organization was reporting that the gunmen were part of a Chechen rebel suicide unit under the command of Movsar Barayev, the nephew of field commander Arbi Barayev, who was killed in Chechnya.

Interfax quoted the Chechen separatists-operated Web site Kavkaz.org as their source. The rebel unit includes 40 widows of rebels killed in Chechnya. The site quotes Barayev's demands on the withdrawal of Russian federal units from Chechnya and says that bombs have been planted in the building.

The group is in Moscow "to die, not to survive," he said.

[Colorado Doug]

I repeat; your comments aren't funny or appropriate in the slightest. There are upwards of 1000 people who may be butchered by this garbage and I find nothing funny about it nor will I "Lighten up".

I have to agree with McGruff. Lighten up. While his humor will not help the hostages, your anger is equally of no benefit to them. For me, your poison pen is provocative, hostile and distracting-far worse than a little humor. I am sure that we all wish the best for the hostages, McGruff included. Please, be nice.

[mvonfr]

I heard on tv that Muslims, children and anyone holding a foreign passport was allowed to leave

All reports say that released were Georgians, not foreigners in general. No wonder that some discussions on Russian forums mention concentrate around the "Nuke Tbilisi" idea...

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Dear Russians,

You have our blessings to wipe out the remainder of your Chechen problem. AFTER you vote to let us get rid of our Sadamn problem. Otherwise, I think we should publicize the plight of the "poor Islamic minority" in that region as much as possible.

Your call you commie lying bastards.

Sincerely, W

[laconic]

I think they meant any Muslims and anyone from Georgia. Georgians are not Muslim but are Rus Orthodox; they are blood cousins to the Chechens, however.

[Smogger]

Emphasis is mine:

It is renovated by 24.10.2002 into 00:47:39
Version for the press/printing

Hostage:I entreat, do not begin the assault

The musician of orchestra Tatiana Solnyshkina telephoned into straight/direct ether/ester of television channel NTV. it it reported that the terrorists turn with the hostages correctly.Among the hostages are located the children - executors/performers of roles in myuzikle "northeast".Solnyshkina spoke on the telephone in the presence of terrorists. According to her, next to it are located the women, bound by explosive.

According to The the solnyshkinoy, the terrorists promised to shoot 10 hostages for each injury of one of them.Hostage requested special service on no account to begin the assault of building - according to her, "in the hall there is very much explosive".

Solnyshkina transmitted telephone to one of the terrorists; however, that did not want to speak in straight/direct ether/ester and replaced the receiver.

Let us recall that the previously terrorists stated that if the special services begin assault, building will be exploded.

According to her, next to it are located the women, bound by explosive...

[txhurl]

Yes, Rebel Unit #29, I believe. It's somewhere on this thread...

[GovernmentShrinker]

I do hope the term "request" is being accurately translated. Requests, rather than orders, are the ideal way for government to get citizens' help. Wouldn't it have been nice if the Maryland governor had requested people to refrain from shooting?

[BurbankKarl]

[Skooz]

Headline News is reporting on NSync's new video.

[mvonfr]

Update:

About 600 hostages; about 50 terrorists; most are indeed women (voina.ru).

Guess: I could not understand why so many terrorists are needed; 20 should have been enough. Perhaps, most of them have very little mil. experience.

[Delbert]

Thats appropriate , if NSYNC isn't terrorism, I dont know what is!

[laconic]

59 minutes into the Fox News and not one mention of this. All Snipernews, all the time.

[Mixer]

I listened to him all the way home and nada about this situation. He was busy trying to look for Frank Lautenburg.

[Skooz]

That is almost criminal.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Your post #398 is excellent!

[BrooklynGOP]

Georgians are not Muslim but are Rus Orthodox; they are blood cousins to the Chechens, however.

I don't know about blood cousins, but the reason why they let the Georgians out, is because Georgia aids chechen terrorists (or at least Russia accuses them of this).

[MineralMan]

Right now, Voina.ru is reporting negotiations between the terrorists and the military. 3:01 pst