Post by Motorcity on Sept 7, 2004 12:55:12 GMT -5
Thousands in Russia Rally Against Terror
By MARIA DANILOVA, Associated Press Writer
MOSCOW - Waving flags and banners, tens of thousands of Russians demonstrated against terrorism Tuesday, massing outside the Kremlin in response to calls for solidarity by President Vladimir Putin's government after a series of deadly attacks that have killed more than 400 people.
The growing crowd stood still for a moment of silence in memory of victims, starting the rally after a clock atop the Kremlin's Spassky Tower struck 5 p.m.
The demonstration, which was organized by a pro-government trade union and advertised on state-controlled television, came as residents of the southern city of Beslan held a third day of funerals for the at least 330 victims of a hostage-taking at a school, which officials have blamed on Chechens and other Islamic militants.
Putin has called for unity in vast, multi-ethnic Russia and sought to rally its people against enemies he says have aid from abroad. Ahead of the demonstration, prominent actors went on television urging citizens to turn out to say no to terror.
Demonstrators massed under intermittent rain on the cobblestones outside St. Basil's Cathedral brandishing banners with slogans such as "Russia against terror," "We won't give Russia to terrorists" and "The enemy will be crushed, victory will be ours."
"I have been crying for so many days and I came here to feel that we are actually together," said pensioner Vera Danilina, 57.
"We came here to show that we are not indifferent to the series of terrorist acts that have taken place," said Alexander, an 18-year-old student at a Moscow technical college who did not give his last name.
There was, however, criticism of the gathering. The Gazeta.ru Web site commented that there was "no doubt that its organizers, in the first place, will express solidarity not with the victims of terrorist acts ... but with President Vladimir Putin."
In an interview late Monday with a group of foreign journalists and academics visiting for a special conference, Putin vehemently denied a link between Russia's policies in Chechnya and last week's hostage-taking. He again rejected Western calls for negotiations with Chechen rebel representatives, Britain's Guardian and Independent newspapers reported.
"Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace?" the Guardian quoted Putin as saying sarcastically.
"You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child-killers?"
Putin said foreigners should have "no more questions about our policy in Chechnya" after the attackers shot children in the back, and said the Chechen cause was aimed at undermining all of southern Russia and majority-Muslim regions of the country.
"This is all about Russia's territorial integrity," Putin was quoted as saying.
He also said his government would conduct an internal investigation but not a public one _ warning that a parliamentary inquiry could turn into "a political show." Two opposition politicians had called Monday for an investigation, including into the questions of whether the authorities had prior information about planned terrorist attacks, and what the government was doing to stabilize the situation in Chechnya.
Beslan's streets were crowded with funeral processions Tuesday. At the muddy cemetery, where gravediggers have opened up two new tracts over the past three days, relatives opened the tiny coffin of 8-year-old Vasily Reshetnyak, touching his forehead and kissing him goodbye. One of his favorite toys, a red car, was placed alongside the body.
In Vladikavkaz, the North Ossetian capital about 18 miles south of Beslan, hundreds gathered on central Freedom Square to castigate local authorities for failing to prevent the tragedy.
"Today we will bury our children and tomorrow we will come here and throw these devils out of their seats, from the lowest director up to ministers and the president," said one of the speakers, who refused to identify himself to reporters.
Militants seized the school in Beslan on Sept. 1, a day after a suicide bombing in Moscow killed 10 people and just over a week after two Russian passenger planes exploded and crashed, killing all 90 people aboard _ two attacks authorities suspect were linked to Russia's war in Chechnya.
A prosecutor said the militants belonged to a group led by radical Chechen rebel Shamil Basayev. A man identified by authorities as a detained hostage-taker said on state TV that he was told Basayev and separatist former Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov were behind the attack.
A London-based rebel spokesman, Akhmad Zakayev, denied that Maskhadov had played any part, and alleged the detainee's televised statement had been extracted under torture.
"The claims of President Maskhadov's involvement in the terrorist act are part of a well thought-out disinformation campaign, which also includes officials' statements about the presence of Arab and African fighters and foreign mercenaries among the terrorists," he said in a statement faxed to media.
Mikhail Lapotnikov, a senior investigator in the North Caucasus prosecutors' office, said on Channel One television that investigators had established the assailants were "the core of Basayev's band" and had taken part in a June attack _ also blamed on Basayev _ targeting police and security officials in neighboring Ingushetia.
The official death toll of the three-day siege-which ended in explosion, fire and a gunbattle, stood at 335, plus 30 attackers; the regional health ministry said 326 of the dead had been hostages, and the Emergency Situations Ministry said 156 of the dead were children. Eleven special forces soldiers were killed, and some were being buried Tuesday in Moscow.
By MARIA DANILOVA, Associated Press Writer
MOSCOW - Waving flags and banners, tens of thousands of Russians demonstrated against terrorism Tuesday, massing outside the Kremlin in response to calls for solidarity by President Vladimir Putin's government after a series of deadly attacks that have killed more than 400 people.
The growing crowd stood still for a moment of silence in memory of victims, starting the rally after a clock atop the Kremlin's Spassky Tower struck 5 p.m.
The demonstration, which was organized by a pro-government trade union and advertised on state-controlled television, came as residents of the southern city of Beslan held a third day of funerals for the at least 330 victims of a hostage-taking at a school, which officials have blamed on Chechens and other Islamic militants.
Putin has called for unity in vast, multi-ethnic Russia and sought to rally its people against enemies he says have aid from abroad. Ahead of the demonstration, prominent actors went on television urging citizens to turn out to say no to terror.
Demonstrators massed under intermittent rain on the cobblestones outside St. Basil's Cathedral brandishing banners with slogans such as "Russia against terror," "We won't give Russia to terrorists" and "The enemy will be crushed, victory will be ours."
"I have been crying for so many days and I came here to feel that we are actually together," said pensioner Vera Danilina, 57.
"We came here to show that we are not indifferent to the series of terrorist acts that have taken place," said Alexander, an 18-year-old student at a Moscow technical college who did not give his last name.
There was, however, criticism of the gathering. The Gazeta.ru Web site commented that there was "no doubt that its organizers, in the first place, will express solidarity not with the victims of terrorist acts ... but with President Vladimir Putin."
In an interview late Monday with a group of foreign journalists and academics visiting for a special conference, Putin vehemently denied a link between Russia's policies in Chechnya and last week's hostage-taking. He again rejected Western calls for negotiations with Chechen rebel representatives, Britain's Guardian and Independent newspapers reported.
"Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace?" the Guardian quoted Putin as saying sarcastically.
"You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child-killers?"
Putin said foreigners should have "no more questions about our policy in Chechnya" after the attackers shot children in the back, and said the Chechen cause was aimed at undermining all of southern Russia and majority-Muslim regions of the country.
"This is all about Russia's territorial integrity," Putin was quoted as saying.
He also said his government would conduct an internal investigation but not a public one _ warning that a parliamentary inquiry could turn into "a political show." Two opposition politicians had called Monday for an investigation, including into the questions of whether the authorities had prior information about planned terrorist attacks, and what the government was doing to stabilize the situation in Chechnya.
Beslan's streets were crowded with funeral processions Tuesday. At the muddy cemetery, where gravediggers have opened up two new tracts over the past three days, relatives opened the tiny coffin of 8-year-old Vasily Reshetnyak, touching his forehead and kissing him goodbye. One of his favorite toys, a red car, was placed alongside the body.
In Vladikavkaz, the North Ossetian capital about 18 miles south of Beslan, hundreds gathered on central Freedom Square to castigate local authorities for failing to prevent the tragedy.
"Today we will bury our children and tomorrow we will come here and throw these devils out of their seats, from the lowest director up to ministers and the president," said one of the speakers, who refused to identify himself to reporters.
Militants seized the school in Beslan on Sept. 1, a day after a suicide bombing in Moscow killed 10 people and just over a week after two Russian passenger planes exploded and crashed, killing all 90 people aboard _ two attacks authorities suspect were linked to Russia's war in Chechnya.
A prosecutor said the militants belonged to a group led by radical Chechen rebel Shamil Basayev. A man identified by authorities as a detained hostage-taker said on state TV that he was told Basayev and separatist former Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov were behind the attack.
A London-based rebel spokesman, Akhmad Zakayev, denied that Maskhadov had played any part, and alleged the detainee's televised statement had been extracted under torture.
"The claims of President Maskhadov's involvement in the terrorist act are part of a well thought-out disinformation campaign, which also includes officials' statements about the presence of Arab and African fighters and foreign mercenaries among the terrorists," he said in a statement faxed to media.
Mikhail Lapotnikov, a senior investigator in the North Caucasus prosecutors' office, said on Channel One television that investigators had established the assailants were "the core of Basayev's band" and had taken part in a June attack _ also blamed on Basayev _ targeting police and security officials in neighboring Ingushetia.
The official death toll of the three-day siege-which ended in explosion, fire and a gunbattle, stood at 335, plus 30 attackers; the regional health ministry said 326 of the dead had been hostages, and the Emergency Situations Ministry said 156 of the dead were children. Eleven special forces soldiers were killed, and some were being buried Tuesday in Moscow.