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Gunmen refuse to free Britons
10.02AM BST, 24 Oct 2002
The Chechen gunmen who are holding hundreds of people
hostage in a Moscow theatre have refused to free their foreign hostages as
they agreed to do earlier today.
A Russian spokesman at the scene said the guerrillas went
back on their promise because Western diplomats summoned to the scene
arrived too late.
"We had an arrangement that the foreigners would be
released after embassy representatives got involved. All the conditions
had been met," said Alexander Machevsky.
"The representatives arrived at the operations centre but
unfortunately they didn't get there on time and the agreement was
broken."
Three Britons, three Germans, one Austrian and one Dutch
citizen are believed to be among the more than 600 hostages.
A British Embassy official said the three Britons inside
were able to make mobile phone calls shortly after the start of the
incident.
"We have had consular officials outside the theatre since
yesterday evening, working with Russian authorities to secure the release
of British nationals," the official said.
Earlier today, journalists near the theatre said they heard
a loud blast coming from the scene.
The reporters are being kept back from the theatre, and the
origin of the blast was not clear.
The gunmen are threatening to shoot the audience and blow
up the building if Russian security forces try to free the hostages.
The Chechens stormed into the building last night in the
middle of a musical performance, in what police have called an audacious
and extremely well-planned attack.
The attackers fired automatic weapons and demanded Russia
end the war in Chechnya.
They want a ceasefire in Russia's three-year-old war with
Chechnya, and the withdrawal of Russian troops in the region.
A pro-rebel website said the Russians had seven days to
begin the withdrawal or the theatre and hostages would be blown up.
The gunmen are armed with automatic weapons, grenades,
explosives belts, mines and petrol canisters.
There is little water and food available for the panicky
hostages.
Dozens of Interior Ministry troops in full combat gear are
patrolling the area, and several armoured personnel carriers are parked
near the theatre.
The dramatic event is a blow to Russian President Vladimir
Putin, who has repeatedly said that Russia has the situation in the mainly
Muslim region under control.
Several hostages, speaking by mobile phone to Russian TV
stations and news agencies, pleaded with Russian authorities not to use
force to resolve the situation.
Previous attempts by Russian authorities to resolve similar
large-scale hostage incidents involving Chechens ended in bloodshed.
"There are women, children, foreigners in here,"
cardiologist Maria Shkolnikova told REN TV. "We don't want the building to
be stormed."
She said the hostage takers, who said their family members
had perished in the war and that they had nothing to lose, were very
determined.
The hostage takers have already released more than 100
women and children, among them two pregnant women. September 27: Briton
killed in Chechen clashes
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