Posted on 09/02/2004 9:52:10 AM PDT by anonymoussierra
After a sleepless night, the panic is beginning to show among the parents and relatives waiting for news from the besieged school in Beslan.
In a nearby building, women who have spent the night crying wander red-eyed past doctors and psychologists, while the men sit clutching enormous cups of coffee.
Sudden bursts of gunfire and the occasional explosion send ripples of fear through the crowd.
The situation remains extremely tense and unpredictable, with the hostage-takers refusing to allow any food into the school, reports the BBC's Sarah Rainsford, who is at the scene.
"I think this firing is just a mind game," Rita Botsayeva told the Reuters news agency. "They are showing us they are alive and well."
Russian authorities have ruled out using force to free the hundreds of schoolchildren, parents and teachers being held hostage by suspected Chechen rebels.
They say the gunshots and blasts are all coming from the rebels, eager to demonstrate they are armed and dangerous.
'Too late for school'
Reports say life in the little town of Beslan has come to a halt, converging around the metal barriers the police are using to keep the public away from the school.
"Being together makes it easier to cope with fear," said a correspondent from a Russian TV station, NTV Mir, reporting on how relatives and friends of those being held in the school spent the night in the nearby Hall of Culture.
Angela Khugayeva, a 26-year-old woman, told Reuters, "We are all relatives. Brothers, cousins or uncles. The whole town feels this."
Those outside look back on how inconsequential events on Wednesday led to loved ones being spared - or ensnared - in the crisis.
"Can you imagine, I have a child who yesterday didn't eat anything and rushed to school, all dressed up. But my daughter was too late for school," a woman called Luda told Reuters, as she waited to hear of her son - a hostage inside the building.
While officials emerging from the police barricade are mobbed for the latest news, reports say the relatives are not talking to the soldiers and security teams poised outside the school - they are keen not to distract them.
Moscow comparisons
The people of Beslan are full of questions - why have they been targeted? By whom? They complain officials are not keeping them informed.
"No one tells us anything," a distraught relative said. "Some people say the terrorists are Chechens. Some people say they are Arabs. But we don't know."
Some of those waiting outside the school are looking back to an earlier hostage crisis in Moscow in 2002, which ended with the deaths of some 120 theatre-goers and rebels.
"We keep comparing this to the theatre siege," a lady told the BBC's Sarah Rainsford.
"But here they're not giving the hostages food. They're just not human," she said.
Russia's dealt with terrorism before, but parents and families can thank Spain for some of this latest outrage. Muslim terrorists were emboldened by Spain's reaction to the Madrid bombing. The lesson learned was that violence works, authorities and voters will give you what you want. Seizing a school full of children achieved worldwide publicity and since they're vicious thugs, they win no matter the outcome. If they die, they plan to take many with them. They're fanatics. Russia needs to protect herself, her citizens, her children, and it's no easy task. God speed and God bless, our prayers are with you for a safe outcome.
Do better research.
anonymoussierra was just Amen-ing someone else's post. She added only the one word. Sheesh!
Whatever works.
Chechnya has no reason to exist.
On this day day of nightmare we are all the Russians.
God bless the great Russian nation in their strugle with islamo-nazis.
RC - I think this is a good moment to leave all those Polish - Soviet - Russian arguments behind. We (I mean the Christians) are going to have a lot to do togehter.
Dzieki (Thank you).
Thank you.
I am bad now. World War Two.
Thank you
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I post the following photo as a symbol of our shared grief and rage at the Islamic monsters: Rescuers at the school are carrying out one of the victims, and one of the rescuers is wearing a T-shirt with an American flag.
I don't know how politics works in Russia, but the people should do all they can to try to force Putin to join with President Bush to defeat the Islamic monsters.
Brilliant work on your site, "Brooklyn." Thanks for the translations. The photos just tear my heart out.
You got to attack the source of the problem -- nuke Meccca and Medina...
God bless you and thank you for posting here. My prayers for these poor people and their children. May they soon claim victory over these inhuman savages and we would like to help.
No they won't.
Michael Savage on the radio this afternoon said the villagers killed three terrorists, hung one, beat one to death, and shot the other.
I wish there is that many to kill but only about 700,000 Chechins in Russia now..maybe 400,000 in Arab lands.
I will more then bury our axes. You stay Catholic, we stay Orthodox, and neither try convert the other. Wars of last generations, let them stay there...now we must move forward. I say this: write to presidents of NATO nations to demand invitation of Russia to NATO and to change that force to something to fight Islam.
That is sad...to quickly they killed them...I say stake them out in the nude and split their guts so the sun dries them to death....maybe throw ants there too.
Good idea!
But it's not up to me. And I don't suppose they'd listen to my letter.
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