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CNN Sunday Morning
More Details Emerge About Hostage Siege in Moscow
Aired October 27, 2002 - 11:54 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to take you now back to Moscow. We have Mike Hanna standing by for more information on some breaking developments there with the Chechen rebels and the siege of the Moscow theater.
Mike, what can you tell us? What are authorities saying now?
HANNA: Well, Heidi, more details are emerging of that Russian Special Forces operation that ended a siege of the Moscow theater where Chechen separatists were holding hundreds of people hostage in that theater. And pictures just received show the moments when that operation was taking place. We do know now that a gas was used to subdue the Chechen separatists who were holding the hostages, Chechen separatists who were armed with explosives that they threatened to detonate if Russian forces stormed the building.
But we've also heard within the last few hours of the results of this gas or chemical agent that was used with the intention of saving the hostages. That many of the hostages have died as a result of complications arising from gas poisoning. More than 600 people are still in hospital receiving treatment. Of these, 200 people are in intensive care. Forty-five are said to be in a critical condition. And the most disturbing figure, all but two of those who died in the operation or before the operation died as a result of complications arising out of the use of gas. These very disturbing figures that the very agent used as a tactic to save the lives of the hostage actually led directly to the deaths of well over 100 of them -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Mike, any idea exactly what this substance was? Has it been used before in situations even remotely similar to this? Are they talking about that at all or trying to get to the bottom of it?
HANNA: Well, the Russian government is refusing to divulge any details as to the chemical agent it used. It continues to do so. Foreign embassies, for example, have asked for details of whatever substance it was to treat some of their nationals who've been affected; Russian doctors have been angered that they do not know what it is. But no details whatsoever as to what this agent was.
COLLINS: All right, Mike Hanna in Moscow. We'll continue to watch this one. Thank you.
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 27, 2002 - 11:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to take you now back to Moscow. We have Mike Hanna standing by for more information on some breaking developments there with the Chechen rebels and the siege of the Moscow theater.
Mike, what can you tell us? What are authorities saying now?
HANNA: Well, Heidi, more details are emerging of that Russian Special Forces operation that ended a siege of the Moscow theater where Chechen separatists were holding hundreds of people hostage in that theater. And pictures just received show the moments when that operation was taking place. We do know now that a gas was used to subdue the Chechen separatists who were holding the hostages, Chechen separatists who were armed with explosives that they threatened to detonate if Russian forces stormed the building.
But we've also heard within the last few hours of the results of this gas or chemical agent that was used with the intention of saving the hostages. That many of the hostages have died as a result of complications arising from gas poisoning. More than 600 people are still in hospital receiving treatment. Of these, 200 people are in intensive care. Forty-five are said to be in a critical condition. And the most disturbing figure, all but two of those who died in the operation or before the operation died as a result of complications arising out of the use of gas. These very disturbing figures that the very agent used as a tactic to save the lives of the hostage actually led directly to the deaths of well over 100 of them -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Mike, any idea exactly what this substance was? Has it been used before in situations even remotely similar to this? Are they talking about that at all or trying to get to the bottom of it?
HANNA: Well, the Russian government is refusing to divulge any details as to the chemical agent it used. It continues to do so. Foreign embassies, for example, have asked for details of whatever substance it was to treat some of their nationals who've been affected; Russian doctors have been angered that they do not know what it is. But no details whatsoever as to what this agent was.
COLLINS: All right, Mike Hanna in Moscow. We'll continue to watch this one. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
