Men Hold Moscow Audience Hostage [Reports of 1000 Hostages]

AP News ^ | OCTOBER 23, 14:03 ET

[McGruff]

MOSCOW (AP) — Armed men entered a Moscow theater Wednesday and took the audience hostage, the Federal Security Service said.

The theater was holding a performance of the musical Nord-Ost, one of the Russian capital's most popular productions.

The Interfax news agency said one of its reporters was inside the theater at the time of the raid. She told them in a telephone call that the men had fired into the air and were preventing the audience from leaving, the agency said.

Police units were on their way to the scene.

[McGruff]

Doesn't sound good.

[mitchbert]

Beat me to it, McGruff. I've asked for my post to be deleted. News breaking on BBC website. No further details yet.

[Wordsmith]

Must be domestic nutcases. Russian NRA members. < /sarcasm >

[SamAdams76]

I wonder how long it will take Russia to come around to our side of the War on Terrorism.

[caa26]

Early specualtion would be Chechnya terrorists. This doesn't seem good at all. This is right out of the Al Qaeda playbook.

[McGruff]

from Reuters

Armed Men Seize Moscow Theater

Last Updated: October 23, 2002 02:11 PM ET

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A group of armed gunmen seized a Moscow theater staging a musical late Wednesday, firing shots in the air and holding a number of people hostage, police in the capital said.

Interfax news agency, one of whose reporters was in the theater at the time, said the gunmen had allowed members of the audience to make phone calls and children to be released.

Muslim members of the audience attending the production of "North-East" were also allowed to leave, Interfax said.

Police teams rushed to the scene but there were no initial reports of casualties. Police said it was not immediately clear how many people were involved in the incident or how many people were attending the show.

[Mixer]

I wonder how long it will take Russia to come around to our side of the War on Terrorism

I am not going to hold my breath waiting that is for sure. Look at the French. They had an oil tanker rammed by terrorists, they know it is terrorists yet they still have not switched to our sides. I imagine Russia will come over sooner then Franch though.

[FourtySeven]

It sounds series.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

Muslim members of the audience attending the production of "North-East" were also allowed to leave, Interfax said.

It's as if the terrorists are egging on the countries who don't want to go along with the U.S. and begging them to change their minds.

[Wordsmith]

Must be domestic nutcases. Russian NRA members. < /sarcasm >

[Squantos]

FYI......Stay Safe !

[texson66]

Muslim members of the audience attending the production of "North-East" were also allowed to leave, Interfax said.


What? Do the moose-limbs carry secret ids just in case of
a hostage situation??

[caa26]

The wolrd-wide muslim jihad is picking up steam everyday. Wonder what it will take for the liberal & socialists of Europe to recognize?

[Wordsmith]

Sorry for the double post.

Sorry for the double post.

Sorry, bit of humor to lighten a dark situation. Prayers for our fellow Russian innocent targets.

[Snake65]

It's civilization versus barbarism. I'm a cultural (not political!) Slavophile...I'm sure Mother Russia will side with civilization sooner or later.

[Dog]

FYI!

[John_11_25]

Interfax news agency, one of whose reporters was in the theater at the time, said the gunmen had allowed members of the audience to make phone calls and children to be released.

Sounds like what they did just before flying the planes into the WTC. (Except for the children).

Once they have the "World Media's" Attention, I think this will turn out very bad.

[txhurl]

So how did that work? 'Any muslims here before we get started?' 'Oh, me! Me!' 'OK, lessee ya prove it.'

Do muslims have a tattoo or something?

[b4its2late]

Doesn't sound good.

Especially when the secret police get a hold of them. Say bye-bye. There's no Gitmo in Moscow.

[caa26]

Latest from BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2354753.stm

About 20 gunmen have entered a Moscow theatre, firing into the air and holding the audience hostage.
The theatre was holding a performance of the most popular Russian musical Nord-Ost.

Chechen separatists said they were behind the operation and had planted bombs in the theatre.

Children and Muslim members of the audience are understood to have been released.

Police units were reported to be on their way to the scene, as well as a special forces unit.

[McGruff]

BREAKING: France Surrenders!

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

So how did that work? 'Any muslims here before we get started?' 'Oh, me! Me!' 'OK, lessee ya prove it.'

I was wondering the same thing. I could probably be a Muslim for a minute just to get myself out of there, lol.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

I'm sure Mother Russia will side with civilization sooner or later.

There's something about that statement that is both humourous and ironic...I can't put my finger on it.

[OXENinFLA]

Is there any mention of how many people there are in the theater?

About what is the local time over there right now?

[McGavin999]

Prayers for those who are trapped in that audience. What a terrifying nightmare they must be going through.

[Mixer]

.....BREAKING: France Surrenders!.....

Interesting thing is that headline could stay in breaking news all the time and always be relevant :-)

[Tired of Taxes]

Hey there. We've spoken before. Love the beautiful photos! Our three boys are currently 6, 5, and 16 months-old, and we're homeschooling, too. Just wanted to say "hello" again. =)

[agrandis]

Interfax news agency, one of whose reporters was in the theater at the time, said the gunmen had allowed members of the audience to make phone calls and children to be released.

Muslim members of the audience attending the production of "North-East" were also allowed to leave, Interfax said.

My gosh! Sounds like they plan to kill them all.

[McGavin999]

This is NOT going to end until all these creeps are totally exterminated. They can't be rehabilitated, they have to be destroyed. They are defective humanbeings, damaged beyond repair.

[PoisedWoman]

I could probably be a Muslim for a minute just to get myself out of there, lol.

Praise Allah and carry an ugly headscarf.

Seriously, this is so blatantly an alQ or related terrorist attack, Russki public opinion is going to sway very rapidly toward helping us rid the world of Islamofascists. One would think.

[BrooklynGOP]

According to Lenta.ru (russian news site), witnesses are reporting dozens of attackers. They appear to be chechens. They allowed the hostages to use their cell phones to contact their loved ones. Actors of the shows are locked in their dressing rooms. The hostage takers has allowed the children and muslims to leave. No demands have been made so far.

Looks bad :(

[da_toolman]

I just hope that the Russians exhaust all peaceful means towards a resolution, and that they refrain from using force on these peaceful folks.

/sarcasm

[SerpentDove]

concerned BUMP!

[BrooklynGOP]

Keep in mind that they blew up a car bomb next to a mcdonalds just a few days ago.

[laconic]

Your comment, France Surrenders? relates to what? There is not a damned thing that is funny about this. It has been in the AlQaeda playbook to seize public forums and kill all the hostages; they may pull the same stunt here. The Russians have been very cooperative with the US on the Afghan/AlQaeda campaign and the average Russian sides with us 100 percent. I have never heard one good thing about the Chechens or their cause from any expatriates in Russia and that includes a lot of liberals.

[Mo1]

Fox is also reporting a Plane at JFK Airport involving a plane ..

[Lucas1]

CNN- JFK Airport...FBI has interest in an airline from Russia. Breaking on CNN - CNN is saying that information from Moscow is that the FBI should investigate several people on board (the FBI was contacted by officials in Moscow)

[Wordsmith]

Hello again! I'm just starting to have the time to post on FR again after moving to New Hampshire. Our priest and his family, as well as several other parishoners at our church, are Russian immigrants. The Russians have had it very hard recently, I pray this doesn't end in catastrophe, but I am not hopeful.

[Lucas1]

Russian Plane lands at JFK Airport in NYC.

Officials in Moscow have contacted the FBI and instructed them to interview one of the passengers. via CNN

[The KG9 Kid]

Nine or ten hours ahead. Late evening.

[Wordsmith]

What the ... ?!?

[Lucas1]

Not a huge number of police or FBI agents on the scene...looking at video here.

[OldFriend]

More like how long will it take for President Bush to see that Russia has the right to eliminate the Chechnyan terrorists that have been plagueing Russia for several years now. I just don't get it!

[PoisedWoman]

BBC update: "Chechen separatists who contacted the BBC said they were behind the operation and had planted bombs in the theatre. "

The Muslim Chechens are working the press, just as the D.C. sniper is doing.

[BrooklynGOP]

Ok, this should be in BREAKING news. More details as reported by NTV: 1) Hostage tackers fired at the ceiling as they were taking over. 2) They are armed with assault rifles. 3) russian SWAT (Group ALPHA) is on location. 4) Total number of hostages is 700 5) Number of hostage takers - around 20 6) They arrived in SUV's. Again, the hostage tackers are supposedly chechen, they let out children and muslims.

[txhurl]

Doesn't sound good.

Especially when the secret police get a hold of them. Say bye-bye. There's no Gitmo in Moscow.

Wicked, wicked. I love it.

[tarator]

So how did that work? 'Any muslims here before we get started?' 'Oh, me! Me!' 'OK, lessee ya prove it.'

Do muslims have a tattoo or something?

For males, circumcision is a very reliable method outside the US and Israel.

[monkeywrench]

Fox is reporting this, and leaving out the fact that muslems were allowed to leave. Only mentioned children.

[Eala]

Do muslims have a tattoo or something?

They will likely know Arabic. They are supposed to read the Koran in the original, not in translation.