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CNN Live Today
In Moscow, Chechen Rebels Release Eight Children
Aired October 25, 2002 - 11:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Moscow, Chechen rebels released eight children from the theater where hundreds have been held hostage since Wednesday, but almost 700 other people from 15 different nations are still being held, and the Chechens say that they're going to start killing people tomorrow. Now the rebels are demanding a withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya.
CNN's Mike Hanna has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The rain is pelting down here in Moscow, and certainly any hopes for a resolution to this ongoing hostage crisis has been dampened in the course of the day. Mediation efforts by, among others, the Red Cross, aimed at getting food and supplies to the hostages also aimed at negotiating the release of some of them.
A television camera was allowed inside the theater building in the course of the day from Russian television. The cameraman accompanying Jordanian doctor who has been treating the hostages over the past couple of days. The pictures show the hostages understandably dispirited. The group of hostage takers dressed in camouflage uniforms, wearing masks, identities still not revealed.
The situation inside, obviously, very, very difficult, indeed, for the hostages. There has been a number of releases in the course of the day, and negotiations by the Red Cross. The hostage takers allowed a number of children to emerge, a total of eight children, all under the age of 12.
In all, more than 40 people have come out of the theater building since the crisis began, and some of them managed to escape. Some of them, children, pregnant women, at least one person suffering with health problems, allowed out by those Chechen separatists who are holding the hostages inside there.
Now the question of mediation on the wider demand, and that is the demand of the Chechen separatists that Russian forces with draw from Chechnya, no indication whatsoever that any talk is being held on those lines, and no indication whatsoever that the Russian authorities are even contemplating such a step. The mediation as it has been has dealt with the condition of the hostages, trying to get them food, trying to get them water and trying to negotiate the release of a number of them.
So the situation still remains at stalemate. A spokesman for the Federal Security Services says that the Russian authorities may have to contemplate adequate measures to resolve this crisis, not clear exactly what he means by that. The Chechen rebels inside the building down the road here have made absolutely clear that they will detonate explosives in that building if Russian firsts attempt to take the building by force.
So, the hostage crisis unresolved. The situation remains delicate and dangerous for some 700 hostages inside the theater building.
Mike Hanna, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 25, 2002 - 11:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Moscow, Chechen rebels released eight children from the theater where hundreds have been held hostage since Wednesday, but almost 700 other people from 15 different nations are still being held, and the Chechens say that they're going to start killing people tomorrow. Now the rebels are demanding a withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya.
CNN's Mike Hanna has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The rain is pelting down here in Moscow, and certainly any hopes for a resolution to this ongoing hostage crisis has been dampened in the course of the day. Mediation efforts by, among others, the Red Cross, aimed at getting food and supplies to the hostages also aimed at negotiating the release of some of them.
A television camera was allowed inside the theater building in the course of the day from Russian television. The cameraman accompanying Jordanian doctor who has been treating the hostages over the past couple of days. The pictures show the hostages understandably dispirited. The group of hostage takers dressed in camouflage uniforms, wearing masks, identities still not revealed.
The situation inside, obviously, very, very difficult, indeed, for the hostages. There has been a number of releases in the course of the day, and negotiations by the Red Cross. The hostage takers allowed a number of children to emerge, a total of eight children, all under the age of 12.
In all, more than 40 people have come out of the theater building since the crisis began, and some of them managed to escape. Some of them, children, pregnant women, at least one person suffering with health problems, allowed out by those Chechen separatists who are holding the hostages inside there.
Now the question of mediation on the wider demand, and that is the demand of the Chechen separatists that Russian forces with draw from Chechnya, no indication whatsoever that any talk is being held on those lines, and no indication whatsoever that the Russian authorities are even contemplating such a step. The mediation as it has been has dealt with the condition of the hostages, trying to get them food, trying to get them water and trying to negotiate the release of a number of them.
So the situation still remains at stalemate. A spokesman for the Federal Security Services says that the Russian authorities may have to contemplate adequate measures to resolve this crisis, not clear exactly what he means by that. The Chechen rebels inside the building down the road here have made absolutely clear that they will detonate explosives in that building if Russian firsts attempt to take the building by force.
So, the hostage crisis unresolved. The situation remains delicate and dangerous for some 700 hostages inside the theater building.
Mike Hanna, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
