Moscow Counter-Terrorist Raid (Novel tactic used).

CNN ^ | Saturday, October 26, 2002. | Avril Stephens

[anymouse]

How do you say, "Let's roll" in Russian?

D@mn reporters can't bear to admit that regular civilians are capable of defending themselves from evil preditors like these Chechen terrorists. They have to paint them as "panicked" and "desperate."

I say these brave Russian citizens deserve medals. I suspect Russian President Putin and the members of the
Duma will agree.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Lack of food and water for three days was not helpful and many people were going downhill before the gas. Then the gas was the final straw for some perhaps.

Lack of food and water may actually have been beneficial. You are less likely to aspirate your stomach contents into your lungs if there's nothing in your stomach. Such is why you don't eat before undergoing general anesthesia.

Interviews with the hostages should shed light on the nature, if not the specific identity, of the gas used. If it was just a paralyzing agent they'll have been conscious and will certainly remember the experience. If it was just a sedative they'll probably not remember anything until waking up. There were too many hostages, including non-Russians, to keep such hostage stories out of the press.

[MHGinTN]

If I were the Ruskie planners, I would pump a large volume of carbon dioxide into the theater and keep the level high, causing drowsiness. Then, I would pump a large volume of ____ ___ into the same air system and storm the place to kill the terrorists and save the hostages whose repiratory system had been severely compromised. There are several gas agents (non-nerve type) that will induce unconsciousness very quickly, especially if there is a high concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood gas mix.

[Destro]

The Chechens had gasmasks the gas worked so fast they had no time to put it on.

[fourdeuce82d]

a large volume of carbon dioxide into the theater and keep the level high, causing drowsiness

high CO2 levels would produce a feeling of suffocation, with attendant panic- when we hold our breath, it's the build up of CO2 in the blood that generates the urge to breathe.

On the other hand, a gas like nitrogen could be used to displace the oxygen in the air, leading to hypoxia and unconciousness without the subject's awareness. The problem there is if the subjects stop breating entirely, you would only have a few minutes before death/brain damage ensued.