Moscow: Heavily armed Chechen rebels holding nearly 800 people hostage in a theatre
shot dead a woman captive on October 24 night even as negotiations continued to end
the siege, condemned as a "major terrorist act" by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Itar Tass news agency said that the gunmen shot dead a woman hostage and have
refused to release more hostages till their demands of a complete halt on military
operations in Chechnya and total pull out of Russian troops were met.
"This is the largest hostage taking not only in Russia but also abroad," said Putin,
who cancelled his foreign trips to deal with the situation.
About 40 rebels, including women, armed with automatic weapons, grenades, belts with
explosives attached, mines and canisters with gasoline, stormed the theatre during a
popular musical show on October 23 night taking the audience, including 62
foreigners hostage. There were no Indians among the audience. Among the hostages
were Americans, Britons, Dutch and Germans.
A pro-rebel website said that the guerrillas had given a seven-day deadline to
Russia to fulfil their demands failing, which they would blow up the building.
The rebels overnight released 180 hostages, including 24 children and two pregnant
women. Five more were released on October 24 afternoon shortly after four mediators
holding white flags entered the building and began talks to end the stand-off.
Meanwhile, US President George W Bush telephoned Russian President
Vladimir Putin early on October 24 to express support for Russia amid a
hostage crisis by Chechen rebels in a Moscow theatre.
"The President expressed his thoughts and prayers and solidarity with
the Russian people," a senior administration official told reporters
travelling with Bush as he campaigned for fellow Republicans ahead of
the November 5 elections.
Bush said that the hostage taking, in which the armed insurgents have
sequestered more than 700 people in a Moscow theatre and are refusing to
release any more captives, amounted to terrorism, the official said.
Agencies
