Read the story please! This just happened.

Group threatens to kill children
Wednesday, September 1, 2004 Posted: 9:46 PM


A girl runs from the school, holding a soldier's hand.

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- A tense standoff between Russian authorities and attackers who seized at least 100 hostages -- possibly as many as 400 -- at a school in southern Russia continued Thursday with little progress reported.

Four people were killed in the initial attack.

Hundreds of armed troops have surrounded the school in the town of Beslan, near the troubled Russian republic of Chechnya where rebels and Russian forces have battled each other for a decade.

Negotiators were reportedly in touch with the hostage-takers but have yet to reach a deal on getting food and water to those inside, who include children, parents and teachers.

The attackers, armed with guns and suicide-bomb belts, seized the school in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, the first day of the Russian school year.

The hostage-takers have threatened to kill the children -- who range in age from 7 to 17 -- if an assault is launched.

While authorities have been tight-lipped about those behind the attack, the gunmen have reportedly demanded the release of Chechen prisoners captured during a June raid, and the Russian withdrawal of all forces from Chechnya.

Russian troops have battled separatist guerrillas in Chechnya since 1994.

The hostage-takers have also reportedly passed on a note containing the names of people they are prepared to hold talks with, including the leaders of Ossetia and Ingushetia as well as a doctor who was involved in negotiations with Chechens who seized a Moscow theater in 2002.

Interfax said the doctor was on his way to Beslan.

Time magazine reporter Paul Quinn-Judge reported early Thursday that several hundred relatives of the hostages have gathered at the town's main community hall.

"The mood here is very subdued, very quiet. Hardly anybody is speaking, except in a low murmur," he said.

Quinn-Judge said the widespread assumption in the community was that they are rebels with links to Islamic radicals in Chechnya.

Russian authorities said many of the attackers were women, armed with explosives belts.

Interfax reported at least 100 people inside the school with the hostage takers; Russian state television said the number was as high as 300. Other reports put the number at 400.

Quoting emergency officials, Interfax reported that half of the hostages were children.

Interfax said the hostage-takers had threatened to kill 50 children for each of their number killed by Russian forces and 20 for each wounded.
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What can be done when something like this happens? What would you do if you were the authorities of Russia?
Remember it's children we are talking about.

For more info go to:
http://www3.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/09/01/russia.school/

How sad this issue needs to be adressed becuase it happens all over the world.

quote:

Originally posted by horsefreakella:

this issue is a sad one

It would be a nice idea to make sure not to bump ancient topics like this one. Check the dates before you post.

this issue is a sad one

Ther are mixed feelings for him right now.

No, he isn't doing enough to combat terrorists. I'd take more drastic measures. Like the only thing being done in schools now is that we hvae officers/soliders in the schools in the cities, we have to walk around with an ID, and parents can't come inside schools anymore.

I don't know if he believes in negotiating with terrorists, but I believe not, because if he did, a lot would have changed in Chechenya.

dp ppl in gegneral approve of putin this incident aside??? is he doing enough to combat terrorism ?? is it true that he does not bleive in negotiating with terrorists??

THis is all a lie. There is soooo much hidden info here... Putin has to leave...

Yes.... death reeks....

any more updates celtic that only the russians know aabout??

oh please, everyone here knows who did it, the black widows

..How awful.
If I were an authority in Russia I would get cracking on who the hell did that.

the last i heard they caught one terrorist did they catch any of the others or the women who escaped???

Oh my. Really? I'm so sorry to hear that. How you doing?

yeah and one of those people i knew

335 people died in this incident. Many of this were children. I'm just so sad.
For more information go to:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/09/07/russia.school/index.html

Read my post about it in Just pOst ANything here, I have a weird urge right now... I'm so lucky, i'm in Moscow, the city with terorrists! *sarcasm*

I agree. It was simply awful. Horrible.

i can't imagine that about 1500 people've been in that skul last 3 days and 15 terrorists've escaped.
The terrorist were really cruel not letting the children drink even the water in toilet X(
They r not human, immoral!!!

im startting to hate Putin for not doing anything great about this.....

That is really good, maybe theyll all be free