Decision to use gas during storm of Moscow theater approved by hostages

Interfax, Russia ^ | October 27, 2002 | Interfax

[FairOpinion]

MOSCOW. Oct 27 (Interfax) - Former hostages agree that if the gas used before the storm of a Moscow theater had not been sufficiently strong, the terrorists would have had time to blast their explosives.

"When gas seeped into the theater after the terrorists killed the first hostages, I saw that one of the terrorists, who sat on the stage, jumped up and tried to put on a respirator. He made several convulsive moves, trying to pull the mask over his face, and fell," a former hostage, currently undergoing medical treatment at a Moscow hospital, told Interfax, recalling the first minutes of the storm.

He said the terrorists had expected the use of incapacitating agents and brought in respirators and gas masks. "If they had not been incapacitated so quickly, they would have had time to carry their plans through," he said.

He also said that a woman, obviously a teacher, who sat not far from him, sprinkled water on napkins and pressed them on her pupils' mouths.

"She kept the napkins that way until she lost consciousness, and she saved the children," he said.

Among the children, saved by the teacher, was Anna Laba, the 12 year-old daughter of an Interfax journalist.

[FairOpinion]

I agree. While the loss of life of hostages is regrettable, the Russian special forces had no other choice -- note the article mentions the terrorists had gas masks, so if they had time to put them on, they would have set off the explosives and killed everyone. I think it is a great success that they saved over 700 people (in some more recent reports they said there were over 800 hostages, not just 700). And if the terrorists had succeeded in blowing up the theater and the hostages, that would have been a victory for them, which we cannot allow. The Russians did the right thing, in my opinion.

[Vidalia]

Have Reno's phone records been checked...?

[oilfieldtrash]

bump

[LibWhacker]

200 people are in critical condition, 100 dead (naturally, I don't count the terrorists as "people") . . . Still, we should not second guess the Russians on this one. It had to be done, imo, or almost surely something just as bad, probably worse, would've happened.

[College Repub]

This is similar to what we would have done if we ordered a passenger plane shot down.

[Bobby777]

well as often in life, if you're a survivor, it was the right decision ... if you didn't survive then ??? ... usually these things don't end too well ... and while I'm glad the toll wasn't higher, it's a terrible shame that 118 people went to a theater to see a show and wound up like that ... tough situation ...

[Bobby777]

the shame of it is, it's always a win for terorists if they can kill off some innocent people ... I'm sure the Russians tried to do the best they could ... and I agree with them taking out the terrorists as soon as they got in ... no need to give them a second chance after that ...

[LibWhacker]

Prayers for the innocent dead . . . Curses for the islamofascists.

[Bobby777]

mega-ditto on that one ...

[Dante3]

The only way to deal with these Islamic vermin is to snuff them out completely. They must not be given a moments chance to react.

[Dante3]

Good analogy.

[Kay Soze]

The subsequent change in post 9-11 Senate leadership is in part why we are now faced with giving up so many of our freedoms rather than fighting for them.

We would rather be strip searched at O'Hare publicly rather than respond with our superior overwhelming force to the aggression from Saudi's and Muslims.

I have more respect for Putin than I do for any of our US leaders.

We have made the conscious decision to increase our governments incursion into our lives vis-à-vis homeland security,et al rather than dissuade future attacks through a war.

We deserve what we are left with: Long lines at airports, strip searches and having our underwear gone through in public.

Putin was more concerned with keeping his country in tact than the possibility of damaging his career.

God Bless him!

Perhaps some of his patriotism will rub off on Bush!

[Palladin]

This is a terrible tragedy, but, sadly, the Russian authorities had no choice. To storm the theater without neutralizing the bombers and shooters first would have meant the death of many hundreds, if not all, of the innocent people there.

Meanwhile, CNNNBCABCCBS continue to wring their hands over the death of 8 Democrats in a plane crash, while virtually ignoring the immense Russian tragedy.

[FreedomPoster]

>>100 dead (naturally, I don't count the terrorists as "people")

The local extremist Leftist fishwrap, the Atlanta Jounal-Constitution, had a headline that read "140 killed".

Whoa! I said - I thought the death count was at around 110 or 115 at the time. They were counting 35 terrorists. Really ticked me off to see that.

[Destro]

It is because some Americans, Russians, news media, etc do not understand we are at war. Was the Battle of Britain a failure because the Nazis carried out as many terror raids and killed thousands of civilians before they failed?

I am too young guys but a WW2 films buff.

There is this great WW2 spy movie were James Cagney plays a US operative dropped behind Nazi lines with a possible double agent. Cagney gets caught and is being tortured by the Nazi's. You can see it in his eyes he is about to break and then suddenly he hears it, the message he sent to London got through. The hidden Nazi location was made known to bomber command. Over head a fleet of bombers are comming to bring down a rain of death on the heads of the Nazi's and James Cagney who is handcuffed to a chair.

As the Germans look up and wonder "was das ist?" Cagney starts to laugh the greatest laugh as the room falls all around him.

Its Hollywood, but its also the mentality of a nation at war.

Any film buffs out there? Cagney got the Nazi rat because in a test to identify silluettes of German fighters the Nazi passed with flying colors after his lesson while the other students scored poorely as was expected. Really cool old B&W war movie.

[HennepinPrisoner]

Dam*...in the last couple of weeks.....Moscow? Bali? India? Washington D.C.?

I am beginning to doubt that Islam is as peaceful as George W. Bush and Tony Blair claim it is.

[Destro]

Regarding the mentality of a nation at war I wrote about:

This is from another post of mine (with cool pictures of dead terrorists-yes we must start thinking in this way):

[Putin] said he had spoken with one of the survivors in hospital, and had been told by the man: "I wasn't afraid. I was sure the terrorists would have no future."Putin added: "He was right. They have no future. But we do."

That says it all. That attitude wins wars.

[Amelia]

I have more respect for Putin than I do for any of our US leaders.....Perhaps some of his patriotism will rub off on Bush!

You obviously didn't see the quote from the Russian at the theater:

But one bystander, Igor Konstantinov, in his 60s, was in no doubt about what he thought. "Putin has only one choice. (U.S. President George W.) Bush showed the world what to do with these bastards after September 11. It's Putin's turn to liquidate them in Russia."

[secretagent]

The radio news here just said that doctors treating the survivors don't what gas poisoned the hostages, which hamstrings treatment.

[Diogenesis]

The media ignore the atrocity because it is Islamic terrorism.

The media love Islamic terrorists, some go to bed with them.