Hostage Crisis in Moscow Could Have Happened Earlier

Today, February 7, the first (after the hostage crisis last autumn) performance of the popular Russian musical Nord Ost is to take place in Moscow for journalists and special guests. And the musical is planned to be performed every day starting with Saturday. A forced interval in Nord Ost performances made up 107 days.

Unprecedented emergency measures are taken in the building of the theatre center in Dubrovka: before spectators come, the building is examined by sappers; metal detectors are established at the entry of the building and video cameras are fixed everywhere in the lobby and in the hall. Besides, a brigade of doctors from the Sklifosovsky Institute for Emergency Medicine will be in constant attendance at every Nord Ost performance.

New sensational information concerning organization of the hostage crisis in Moscow was reported in TV program Man and The Law on Russia’s First TV Channel yesterday. As it turned out, the terrorists planned to take hostages in the theatre center on November 7, when the Day of Reconciliation and Accord is celebrated in Russia. However, as activities of the Russian special services became very active,  the terrorists decided to speed up realization of their malicious plans. This information was provided by deputy chief of the operative research subdivision in the Moscow Criminal Investigation Department, Yeugeny Taratorin.   

In his words, during the investigation of a car explosion near McDonald’s restaurant in Pokryshkin Street in Moscow on October 19, 2002, the Moscow law enforcement authorities exposed a terrorist network operating in Moscow and the Moscow region. Thanks to it, several acts of terrorism were prevented and accomplices of terrorists were detained. In particular, police found a silvery car stuffed with explosives parked near the road police post, close to the Chaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow. On October 24, the Moscow Criminal Investigation Department prevented an explosion of a car near the Pyramida cafe in the center of Moscow, and one more explosion at a metro station. After that, the hostage taking in the theatre center followed.

Radio intercept of conversations held by one of the terrorist leader, Abubakar also helped unmask terrorists, NEWSRu.com informs. Soon after that, two Chechens were detained. They helped purchase cars for terrorists from groups headed by Barayev and Abubakar.

What is more, as the investigation revealed, weapons and explosives were delivered to Moscow from the republic of Ingushetia, then they were stored in garages in Moscow’s Leningradsky Prospect (Leningrad Avenue) and Ogorodny Street.

It is highly likely more details about the hostage drama that the country experienced last autumn may soon to come.

Sergey Yugov
PRAVDA.Ru