Posted on 10/26/2002 6:38:09 PM PDT by blam
Russians probe al-Qa'eda link as Moscow siege ends with 150 dead
By Christina Lamb and Ben Aris in Moscow
(Filed: 27/10/2002)
Russian security forces were last night investigating links between Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda organisation and Chechen rebels after special forces dramatically ended the Moscow theatre siege, leaving scores of hostages dead.
Most of the 50 Chechen terrorists - including 18 women - were killed when the Russian forces moved in a dawn raid after filling the theatre with sleeping gas through the ventilation system.
Russian emergency services bring hostages out of the theatre after the special forces assault
The rescue mission was launched after the rebels started carrying out their threat to execute some of the 800 theatregoers held hostage for three nights.
Health officials said that at least 90 hostages were killed during the assault. Many are believed to have died as a result of the gassing after choking on vomit. Three terrorists were said to have survived and were taken for interrogation.
None of the 30 children was killed, nor any of the 75 foreigners, including a British mother and son.
As the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, toured a hospital where survivors were being treated, his security chiefs were investigating the extent of links between al-Qa'eda and the Chechens.
The Telegraph has learned that a number of Arab fighters, believed to be of Saudi Arabian and Yemeni origin, were among the group that seized control of the theatre.
Russian Spetsnaz storm the theatre after shots were heard
"There were definitely Arab terrorists in the building with links to al-Qa'eda," said a senior Western diplomat. "The Russians will now want to know how much help the Chechens received from bin Laden's organisation."
Mr Putin had claimed that "foreign elements" were involved and suspicions about al-Qa'eda's connection deepened after the Chechens broadcast a pre-recorded message on the Qatar-based al-Jazeera television network, which is frequently used by bin Laden and his lieutenants.
The leader of the rebels was killed during the assault
Russian officials said that the hostage-takers had made several calls to the United Arab Emirates during the siege.
Last night thousands of angry relatives waited at hospital gates, denied access to sons and daughters, husbands and wives suffering the effects of the mystery fumes.
In an address to the nation Mr Putin apologised for failing to save all the hostages. "Please forgive us," he said. "We shall win this fight against international terrorism."
The decision to storm the building came at 5.30am. "When the rebels began shooting hostages the special plan was switched on," said Vladimir Vasilyev, the deputy interior minister.
"The danger was very high and we were afraid there might be a major explosion. We used special means to neutralise the terrorists."
I'd heard Madonna's new movie was boring...
Seems like in Khattab's absence, Basayev is making new friends in Turkey..
OOh, a little white=washing here....Lenta.ru says the terrorists called Turkey, specifically.
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Somebody on another thread commented that the "sleeping whores" in the picture looked just like the plague victims (the family) in the movie "Omega Man". If you've seen it, you have to agree
Yup. I don't think the female terrorists were able to explode any of the explosives. Could have been a major disaster.
Dear Editor:
In Michael Wines' article, "At Least 67 Captives and 50 Chechens Die in Moscow Siege" of October 27, 2002, he repeatedly called the terrorists "guerillas," except for one paragraph wherein he called them "a band of 50 Chechen guerrillas." The truth, however, is they were terrorists.
I find Mr. Wines' choice of words especially "interesting" because, when I read an article in The Telegraph today by Christina Lamb and Ben Aris, for example, they wrote that "a senior Western diplomat said, ‘There were definitely Arab terrorists in the building with links to al-Qa'eda.' According, also, to The Telegraph, "the Russians will now want to know how much help the Chechens received from bin Laden's organisation." It would be incredulous to believe that Mr. Wines overlooked this "little" piece of information.
My opinion: at least The Telegraph prints the truth, in all its ugliness.
Wonderful, thanks.
I saw a previous thread remarking that Russia has not learned a
lesson because they still support Iranian terrorists. The smugness
of Americans whose government continues to support Saudia
Arabia, the source of our own disaster, 9/11, is revolting.
I saw a previous thread remarking that Russia has not learned a
lesson because they still support Iranian terrorists. The smugness
of Americans whose government continues to support Saudia
Arabia, the source of our own disaster, 9/11, is revolting.
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