Explosion, Gunfire Heard From Moscow Theater Where 600 Hostages Being Held by Chechen Rebels

abcnews.com ^ | October 25, 2002 | AP

[Destro]

October 25, 2002

Explosion, Gunfire Heard From Moscow Theater Where 600 Hostages Being Held by Chechen Rebels

The Associated Press

M O S C O W, Oct. 25 — Chechen rebels threatened to begin killing their 600 hostages in a Moscow theater at dawn Saturday, but later promised to free the captives if Russian President Vladimir Putin declared an end to the war in Chechnya and began withdrawing troops.

A few hours after the demands became known, an explosion and gunshots were heard from the theater early Saturday but an AP photographer with a view of the building's entrance saw no signs of a blast. There was no official comment, and earlier most journalists were moved away from the theater.

[MarMema]

Yeah, I liked those veils hanging loose too. :-)

[seeker41]

I just found an old interview Saturday 01 July 2000 Exclusive Interview with Commander of Mujahideen Forces in Chechnya, Shamil Basayev. It's too long to post, but I'm reading it.

snip

We do not target women and children because our religion forbids it.” “Khattab and myself spent half a year consulting scholars to make sure that our Jihad is following the guidelines of Shariah.”

[BrooklynGOP]

Pervomaisk is a village where they took overa hospital and held over a 1,000 people hostage.

[MarMema]

Moscow Times -

"The Nord-Ost musical will continue its performances at the building of the music hall in spite of everything, general producer of the musical Alexander Tsekalo reported to journalists."

[MarMema]

Oh, right, Dagestan. I thought it was called something else..but that was the guy they already have sent to prison. Rudayev or something..

[BrooklynGOP]

Yep.

[MarMema]

I think Basayev was probably more honorable about women and children than these newer replacement scummers.

The older set of chechen terrorists used to almost honor the Russian moms who would go to chechnya looking for their sons. This newer set is more like the palis or something.

[MarMema]

So do you think Udugov is in Turkey and they won't let Russia have him, or do you think Turkey doesn't know he is there, or he isn't there?

[seeker41]

Thought we should have a pic of Movladi Udugov. Keep an eye out for him in FLorida.hehe

[Hank Kerchief]

Beet salad is my number one food of all time. My kids love pelmeni. In a few days I will be stuffing myself with cabbage piroshki.....my husband makes a mean cabbage roll too, actually.

Do you have recipes or links to them?

Hank

[sneakypete]

Never thought I would be rooting for Russia's Alpha and Spetsnaz forces.

The world is sometimes a crazy place,ain't it?

[sneakypete]

Good. I hope the Russians dispatch these animals after getting the needed information.

If they get lucky they will be executed. If not,they will be sentenced to life in a Russian jail. Not even a nice place for the average Russian petty criminal who gets sentenced there,it would be a living nightmare for a Muslim political prisoner.

[Hank Kerchief]

I see they used my solution, suggested on 10/23/2002.

We know why it worked.

Hank

[csvset]

Brooklyn: Cool video, I don't speak Russian, but I understand that the special forces got the drop on most of the Islam-o-bombers.

Squantos: Any comments on the bombs? Plastic explosives?

Travis: It looks as though the woman terrorists were taken out before they had a chance to move. Any thoughts on how they were terminated. Perhaps it's their black clothes, but the pics don't readily show any trauma.

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

Another report from Sergei Roy:

subject
end of hostage crisis in Moscow
Author
"Sergei Roy"
Date
26.10.2002 15:26
15:00

The hostage crisis in Moscow is over. More than 750 hostages have been saved, 67 killed
by the terrorists prior to and during the assault on the theater mounted by a Spetsnaz
special task state security force. 34 terrorists were killed during the Spetsnaz operation, 2
apprehended. 30 of the terrorists' accomplices in Moscow have also been caught.

Sequence of events. At about two in the morning, Saturday, shots were fired inside the
building and two bodies were dragged out of the building by paramedics. The terrorists had
threatened to start shooting the hostages at 6:00 am but apparently changed their mind
and started shooting them earlier than that. Two other hostages were said to be badly
wounded at the time.

After that a group of hostages, deciding they had nothing to lose, tried to break out of the
building and came under intense fire from the terrorists. This was the signal for the Alpha
Spetsnaz force to start the rescue operation. Permission to start the rescue operation was
given by head of the Operative Headquarters Mr.Pronichev.

The rescue operation had been planned but not intended. The intention was to go on
negotiating with the terrorists. According to Moscow Mayor Luzhkov, it had been decided
at a conference with head of state Putin to appoint Mr. Kazantsev, the president's
plenipotentiary representative in the Southern Disrict of Russia, as his representative with
the proper mandate to negotiate with the terrorists and discuss the terms for a
compromise. Mr Kazantsev was expected to arrive in Moscow at 10 am, but by that time
the crisis was over.

The actual operation to free the hostages started at 5:15 am. Part of the back wall of the
theater was blown up, there was also a second explosion, and groups of Spetsnaz
troopers burst into the building. A gunfight ensued, in which Spetsnaz used what is
referred to as "special means." This appears to be sleeping gas, stun grenades, etc. The
operation was mostly over in 15 to 20 minutes.

As stated earlier, 34 of the terrorists were shot dead. That included the leader of the band
Movsar Barayev, who died with a bottle of cognac in his left hand. The officers who carried
out the operation said that most of the terrorists smelled of alcohol, there were numerous
empty bottles all over the place, as well as used syringes. This, combined with the
"special means," apparently explains why the masses of explosives, including suicide
bombers' body belts charged with plastic, ballbearings and nails for greater effect, did not
go off. According to Deputy Interior Minister Vladimir Vasilyev, there were enough
explosives in the theater to destroy the entire building with a possible loss of about 1,000
lives.
S.R.


Author
Date

end of hostage crisis in Moscow

Sergei Roy
26.10 15:26


éÚ‚ÂÚËÚ¸:

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

Not the "end", I fear. Nor even "the beginning of the end."

Death to the oillah-based economy!!!

[TomGuy]

After that a group of hostages, deciding they had nothing to lose, tried to break out of the building and came under intense fire from the terrorists. This was the signal for the Alpha Spetsnaz force to start the rescue operation.

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

Subject
end of hostage crisis in Moscow
Author
"Sergei Roy"
Date
26.10.2002 16:07
15:43

Followup on previous report.

Interior Ministry representative states that the terrorists were in contact with certain
individuals in Chechnya, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other unnamed countries, AS WELL
AS WITH CERTAIN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN MOSCOW. This last will be investigated
by Russian security officers in conjunction with those from the respective countries and RF
Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives.

Apart from the loss of life among the hostages and terrorists, some Alpha officers have
also been injured, but the exact nature of the injuries or loss of life among them is
undisclosed.

Most of the hostages who emerged from the building were in a state of shock and stupor
and could walk only with difficulty, some, especially the ladies, had to be carried. One
rescuer told a TV crew, with tears in his eyes, that a young woman whom he was carrying
came to in his arms and started kissing him. Natural reaction, I'd say.

Official report: no foreign nationals or children, in that order, have lost their lives in the
crisis. There were 67 foreigners among the audience.

Vice Mayor Shantsev, who had obviously been celebrating the success of the rescue
operation, said that he was proud to have shaken the hand of the Alpha colonel who had
shot dead the gang's leader Movsar Barayev (Suleymenov).

A sketch of Movsar Suleymenov's character. He is known to have been a real otmorozok,
R. slang for "frozen brain." Nephew of Arbi Barayev, the terrorist personally responsible for
countless murders, hostage takings and the beading of three Brits and one New
Zealander. The nephew eagerly followed in the footsteps of his role model and, after Arbi
Barayev was killed by federal troops, took his name. During the hostage taking he was
said by most of the people who were allowed into the building -- the deputies, doctors,etc.
-- to have been "resting," apparently in a manner that the Prophet would not have approved,
as the huge bottle of cognac he clutched in his left hand even in death shows.
S.R.


Author
Date

end of hostage crisis in Moscow

Sergei Roy
26.10 16:07

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

Again. All together now!

"Death to the oil-based economy"!!!

Let them buy their bullets and head-and-hand-chopping-off implements and congnac on their own damn dime....