Russian TV has shown pictures of a man who is believed to have been one of the hostage-takers at the school in the southern town of Beslan. Channel One state television showed the man being dragged into a room by two masked commandoes. His hands cuffed and locked behind his back, he makes a plea to the camera. It is the very first evidence provided by the Russian authorities to back up their claim to have captured three of the hostage-takers alive. In the footage, shown on Sunday evening, the man, whose accent strongly suggests he is from the region and not a foreigner, makes a plea to the camera. "I really didn't go there to die and I still don't want to die. I swear, I swear to Allah the almighty, that I want to live," he says.
| Grovel, you cowardly rat bastard! |
The presenter says the alleged hostage-taker was trying to escape when the special forces caught him. He had apparently shaved off his beard and was trying to flee with the liberated hostages. The report was highly triumphalist and ended with images of the corpses of the dead hostage-takers crawling with flies.
| That's the image I'd want to see if I was a Russer. Matter of fact, I'd find it comforting regardless... |
The reports may go some way to reassuring ordinary Russians, many of whom are confused by the contradictory messages about casualty figures and exactly what happened in Beslan. The incident has been a massive embarrassment for the Kremlin, but the message from state television tonight is that everything is now under control.
| I don't know why it's an "embarrassment" to the Kremlin. I'd more call it a clear-eyed look at who the enemy is. Hopefully the Russian people will be behind an impending campaign to exterminate them. But I'll wager when it comes, the Russians won't target the Islamsists' children. |
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