GOTTA SEE THIS - Terrorists attack Russian School - Warning: Graphic images

AP News, Reuters, Yahoo News, UPI, russian TV | Sept 03, 2004 | The usual suspects

[OXENinFLA]

Just want to let you know the she lived.

One other thing, I think this could be a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo

Fri Sep 3, 1:04 PM ET

An injured schoolgirl who escaped from the seized Russian school holds a cross in her hand in a hospital 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. More than 100 children were wounded in the assault, some running from the building naked and covered in blood. (AP Photo/Musa Sadulayev)

[Wolfstar]

Thanks for the background info on "Return to School Day." It does explain a lot about the large number of hostages (up to 1200 in some reports) and wide range of their ages.

[luvbach1]

Russians did not mishandle this nearly impossible situation, despite extremist Muslim INTERNET sites that had the gall to blame the children's deaths on their rescuer's actions.I consider this account to be plausible: A booby trap was set off in the extremely crowded gymnasium, blowing up children near it, bringing down a roof, starting a fire, and triggering a panic of children who tried to flee the building. The terrorists were shooting them in the back when the Russian forces returned fire in an attempt to provide cover. It was logical to launch an invasion of the building at that point. This was not an overkill such as with the theater hostage situation and the use of over-powerful gas.

[PhilipFreneau]

>> permits to carry a conceiled weapon apps will go through the roof...

Huh? The 2nd Amendment is a permanent concealed carry permit for every citizen.

[kat1776]

i have a feeling that michale moore things the terrorists are justified.

i know that may sound crazy and far-fetched, but i really believe the man thinks they are freedom fighters

[Uncle Jaque]

Didn't Vladamir PUTIN use to be a KGB Agent?

I wonder if he has been tempted to pin on his old KGB badge one more time and personally take part in the "interrogation" of the surviving islammoscum who did this to his Country - and their children?

I, for one, would consider it a magnificent gesture of Leadership were he to do so. Even if it is mostly symbolic.

Ol' Komrade VP probably remembers a trick or two from his previous vocation, I'll betcha! And we can hope that the current interrogators have left a few "choice parts" for President (or is it "Prime Minister" now?) Vlad's special attention.

Is there anything they could do to these savages that would cause you to pity them? Don't think many Russians will, frankly.

Hope they send the bloody video of the full "interrogation" to AlJizeera when they're done with 'em, too.
Talk about "graphic content"!?

"Here, Arab Street; Check this out, you murdering bastards!"

See if they jump around the streets hollering "Lullullullu" and firing their AKs up in the air over that!

This seems to be about the only language that Islammonazis understand, and I have a feeling that Russia can speak it fluently when the need arises.

Don't you?

[gatorbait]

This seems to be about the only language that Islammonazis understand, and I have a feeling that Russia can speak it fluently when the need arises. Don't you?

I concur in total. Wonder at what point in the Cheka chat these Kerry supporters give up their mothers?

[B4Ranch]

TIMELINE Beyond Chechnya

Actions outside of Chechnya linked to the conflict.

June 14, 1995
Chechen gunmen take 2,000 hostages at a hospital in southern Russian town of Budyonnovsk, near Chechnya. After failed attempts at force, Russia negotiates the hostages' release in exchange for the gunmen's escape. More than 100 die.

Jan. 9, 1996
Chechen militants seize 3,000 hostages at a hospital in southern Russian town of Kizlyar. Rebels release most, then head for Chechnya with about 100 hostages. Rebels are stopped in a village and attacked by Russian troops. At least 78 die in weeklong fight.

Jan. 16, 1996
Six Turks and three Chechens hold 255 hostages on ferry in Black Sea, threatening to blow up ship if Russia doesn't halt battles in southern Russia. The rebels surrender after three days.

March 9, 1996
Turkish sympathizer hijacks jetliner flying out of Cyprus to draw attention to situation in Chechnya. The sympathizer surrenders after plane lands in Munich, Germany.

Sept. 4, 1999
Bomb destroys a building housing Russian military officers and families in Buinaksk in Russia's Dagestan region. Sixty-four die. Russian officials blame Chechen rebels, but never prove their involvement.

Sept. 9, 1999
Explosion wrecks a nine-story apartment building in southeast Moscow, killing almost 100. Authorities suspect a Chechen bomb, although no evidence is ever provided to support the claim.

Sept. 13, 1999
A bomb destroys an apartment building in southern Moscow, killing 70. Officials blame Chechens, but nobody is ever charged in the attack.

Sept. 16, 1999
Bombs shear off the front of a nine-story apartment building in Volgodonsk, 500 miles south of Moscow. Nearly 20 are killed. Authorities again blame Chechens rebels, but nobody is charged.

March 16, 2001
Three Chechens hijack a Russian airliner leaving Istanbul and divert it to Saudi Arabia. Saudi forces storm plane, killing one hijacker and two hostages.

April 22, 2001
Some 20 gunmen hold about 120 people for 12 hours at a hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, to protest Russian actions in Chechnya. The rebels later surrender to police and release the hostages.

May 4, 2002
Lone gunman holds 13 people hostage at a hotel in Istanbul to protest situation in Chechnya. The gunman surrenders after an hour.

Oct. 24, 2002
Chechen rebels seize 800 people in a Moscow theater. After a three-day standoff, Russian authorities launch a rescue attempt in which all 41 attackers are killed along with 127 hostages who succumb to a knockout gas used to incapacitate the assailants.

July 5, 2003
Double suicide bombing at a Moscow rock concert kills the female attackers and 15 other people.

July 10, 2003
A Russian security agent dies in Moscow while trying to defuse a bomb a woman had tried to carry into a cafe on central Moscow’s main street.

Aug. 1, 2003
50 people are killed in Mozdok, North Ossetia, when a truck bomb smashes through the gates of a hospital where Russian soldiers injured in Chechnya are treated.

Sept. 16, 2003
Two suicide bombers drive a truck laden with explosives into a government security services building near Chechnya, killing three people and injuring 25.

Dec. 5, 2003
Suicide bombing on commuter train in southern Russia kills 44 people. President Vladimir Putin condemns attack as bid to destabilize the country two days before parliamentary elections. Six people were killed in two blasts on the same railway line in September.

Dec. 9, 2003
Female suicide bomber blows herself up outside Moscow’s National Hotel, across from the Kremlin and Red Square, killing five bystanders.

Feb. 6, 2004
An explosion rips through a subway car in the Moscow metro during rush hour, killing 41 people.

June 21- 22, 2004
Chechen rebels kill at least 92 people, mostly law-enforcement officers and officials, while setting fire to police and government buildings around Nazran, the main city of the neighboring republic of Ingushetia.

Aug. 25, 2004
Chechen suicide bombers blamed for explosions that kill 90 people on board two Russian planes.

[dokmad]

"How about some firm denunciations from Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Saudia Arabia, oh, nevermind"

I hope you are not holding your breath!

[JesseHousman]

Putin has ordered Russia's borders sealed. Too bad we don't follow the example.

[bd476]

Julie Dolan of the Satellite Sisters will be on air 6:00 AM PST to 9:00 AM PST on 790 KABC Talk Radio Los Angeles.

Julie Dolan lives in Moscow, Russia and was interviewed live earlier in the week about the terrorist strike in Russia. She will probably have a lot to say about it today. 790 KABC Los Angeles Live Broadcast Online Link

[TaxRelief]

They've gone to far this time, Russia will be changing it's coalition tune.

[TaxRelief]

BESLAN, Russia (Sept. 4) - More than 340 people, including 155 children, were killed in the violence that ended a hostage standoff with militants at a southern Russian school, a prosecutor said Saturday. President Vladimir Putin accused the attackers of trying to spark an ethnic conflict that would engulf Russia's troubled Caucasus Mountains region.

Russian Deputy Prosecutor Sergei Fridinsky told reporters that 322 victims were killed, as well as all 26 militants involved in the seizure of the school. That raised the death toll well beyond the 250 officials had previously cited.

Medical officials said more than 542 people including 336 children were hospitalized after the eruption of violence that ended the 62-hour hostage drama on Friday. The hostage-takers - who had been demanding independence for nearby Chechnya - held the more than 1,000 hostages in the school's sweltering gymnasium, refusing to let in food or water.

(more, AOL subscribers only)... http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20040903051609990003

also from article:

"Fathers will bury their children, and after 40 days (the Orthodox Christian mourning period) ... they will take up weapons and seek revenge," said Alan Kargiyev, a 20-year-old university student in the regional capital Vladikavkaz.

Question: Was this a Russian Orthodox Christian school?

[Wolfstar]

Russia is such a huge country that they can't possibly guard every mile of their borders. What they can do is seal known entry/egress points and do their best to police their borders elsewhere. I can understand and even agree with sealing their borders given what's been going on. The flip side of that, however, is the potential for tyranny. The balance between security and tyranny is very delicate.

[Wolfstar]

"Fathers will bury their children, and after 40 days (the Orthodox Christian mourning period) ... they will take up weapons and seek revenge..."

It was reported yesterday that when news of shooting at the school spread, many of the towns men got their own guns and raced to the scene. There definitely will be more bloodshed over this horrible incident. It's the kind of thing that sparks generations of warfare in that part of the world.

[Tailgunner Joe]

[Humidston]

>>In fact, there are no words strong enough to describe such evil.<<

How about we call them followers of Satan? After all, he probably LOVES what they did to those innocents...

[DoughtyOne]

I agree with your assessment. As for the gas situation, it did turn out bad. While I disagree with the thought of using gas there, it's a heck of a lot easier for me to arm-chair quarterback on this, than to make the real life or death decision.

When terrorists take over, the blame for bad outcomes is on them, unless the government involved makes a very poor judgement.

The gas plan was a good try, but it does seem the pros and cons weren't studied enough in preparation. Still, what sovereign nations do within reason, is an internal affair. The gas plan certainly fell within those parameters as far as I am concerned. Perhaps another gas could have had a better outcome.

[TaxRelief]

Less people died when they gassed the theatre, but there were more children in this setting.

[DoughtyOne]

Part of the problem using gas, is that it settles to low points. In the theater, the front seats may have been considerably lower than the back seats. I have no idea what the actually layout was, or where the hostages were held, but the gas can be more concentrated in some areas vs others. They gymnasium may have been a better setting for gas, since it was likely more level. Still, as you say, there were children. Children tollerate gas much less.

I was surprised to hear that there were very young children in this latest event. Some as young as 4-6 months old. Perhaps those kids attended not so much for daycare, as just the wards of mothers attending first day ceremonies.

When infants are involved, it's almost impossible to use gas without mortal results in the infant age set.

Thanks for the comments.