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MOSCOW (Oct. 23) - Armed men entered a crowded Moscow theater Wednesday and took the audience captive, the Federal Security Service said. Gunshots rang out during the rare hostage-taking in the Russian capital, and police and security forces went on high alert.

ITAR-Tass reported the attackers inside the theater were laying mines. That report was based on a spectator who called police, but it could not be confirmed.

In an interview with The Echo of Moscow radio station, a boy who was freed said the armed men were from the Caucasus region, spoke in one of the languages of southern Russia and demanded an end to Russia's war against Chechnya. The boy did not give his name.

The theater, a former Soviet-era House of Culture that belonged to a ball-bearing plant, was staging a performance of the musical ''Nord-Ost,'' one of Moscow's most popular productions.

The Interfax news agency said one of its reporters was inside the theater at the time of the raid. She told Interfax by telephone that the armed men fired into the air and would not let the audience leave.

Interfax said its reporter believed there were about 20 men in the group, and quoted unidentified law enforcement sources as saying the same. Interfax said some children had been allowed to leave the theater as well as Muslims. The reports could not be verified.

Russia media reported about 700 people were inside the theater. The report could not be immediately confirmed. An Associated Press reporter saw two ambulances, but it was unclear what connection they had with events in the theater.

Police units and an Alpha special forces unit went to the scene and sealed off the area in the freezing, wet weather. The Federal Security Service, the successor to the Soviet KGB, and the Interior Ministry put plan ''Thunderstorm'' into effect, which required all officers to report to their units.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was immediately told of the hostage taking, Interfax reported. Mosow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov went to the theater.

Located in southeastern Moscow in a working class neighborhood, the musical is based on Veniamin Kaverin's novel ''Two Captains.'' The romantic novel recounts the story of two students and their different destinies during the Soviet times. The theater's producer, Alexander Tsekalo, said on Russian television that the theater could hold 1,163 people.

According to the theater's Web site, more than 350,000 people have seen the production since it opened.

AP-NY-10-23-02 1520EDT

Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.  All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

... in response to Men Take Moscow Audience Hostage, posted by JR on Oct 23, 2002

Hi, I just returned from 2 weeks in Moscow. I have a trip report but don't want to post under my name, and this system refuses my alias from posting.
Anyway, I saw this a week ago Sunday, it was a great time, my RW and I sat thru the play for 3 hours, I never had a woman caress my hand like this ever, and I have been in simular circumstances 100+ times with aw's.
We ICQ after hearing about the hostages, and both can't believe how close we came to being involved. I can't imagine the terror of the situation.
However this was only 1 of 4 close calls I have experinced in the past 10 days

sniper kills woman in my mall I use weekly for grocery shopping, 10 days
ago

bomb Mcdonalds moscow 5 days ago, I left day before

aeroflot plane at JFk radiation alarm , evacuation of plane today,
I took same flight 5 days ago

theatre I saw 10 days ago get ambushed by chechen
rebels,  today everyone held hostage
(this is the worst situation by far, and the closet I
really came to danger, this is gonna end bad.

I was thinking when I was there, I am the only
american here.

Actually I met another AM who was there with his RW a couple days later in a bar.
 
and halloween coming up this weekend.
yikes

Last year I ws in my apartment when the plane hit Pentagon, I ran to my balcony and saw the mushroom cloud form 1 mile from where I live,
I was also there in Atlanta 96 Olympics when the bomb went off

... in response to I was at this same  musical event 10 day..., posted by petem on Oct 24, 2002

n/t

... in response to Men Take Moscow Audience Hostage, posted by JR on Oct 23, 2002

May God see that these hostages are released and may He also put an end to the war in Chechnya soon!  Last night I wrote my fiancee saying that I did not want her to go through Moscow when she travels to come to me soon.  I was looking at ways to get her from Bishkek to SFO through other cities like Istanbul, Warsaw, Frankfurt, or London.  Then today after considering that the only possibility to avoid Moscow was to go through Istanbul at twice the rate and twice the travel time, I purchased her ticket for Aeroflot through Moscow.  So what's the first news I hear about?  Trouble in Moscow.  Just great.  Now this on top of the tensions over the U.N. Security Council veto from Russia over Iraq and the political games between our two countries.  May my fiancee get here quickly while she still can.

... in response to Re: Men Take Moscow Audience Hostage, posted by Ramblin on Oct 23, 2002

Where possibly hundreds will lose there lives, according to reports there are 30 or so Chechyan widows who are strapped with explosives.

This is clearly Russia's: 11Sept

The Washington Post has reported there are German & Canadian citizens who have not been releaseds, no telling about Americans.

It's hard to be optimistic with so much TNT in such a building with so many people.  I will say, if they do level the building, I dare say the Muslims in Chechyia will be a real minority or rarity in the world.

You guys going over should always think... Your fair game, just like these men, women and some children over there.

We can only look on in sheer disbelief.

... in response to Re: This will probably be a long drawn o..., posted by wsbill on Oct 24, 2002

[This message has been edited by BarryM]

apartment block was bombed killing 300. That's plus the terrorist raids on Dagestan is when Putin decided to take care of the Chechen problem.

Few people realize that a lot of this war actually started in Yugoslavia. During the 80's, Albania was in such poor shape that people were starving. Illegal Albanian immigrants rushed into Yugoslavia in large numbers for the available low paying jobs when Yugoslavia was having an economic boom. These Albanians were mostly Muslims and wealthy Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia funded aid and education for these Albanian Muslims.

Serbian radical nationalism is what caused the breakup of Yugoslavia, but radical Islam is what caused a lot of the violence. A few weeks ago, I spoke to this Serbian guy who is now living here. He told me briefly his tragic experience. His Muslim neighbor, whom he had known and trusted for years, killed his wife and children, looted his house, and then burned it down. All because he was an infidel and now the enemy. Our country bombed those people and I don't think it was for any good reason. What can you say to someone who has been through that? There is a lot to look at and consider about this war going on and some of those things are pretty ugly.

-blm

... in response to Russia's Sept. 11 was when the..., posted by BarryM on Oct 24, 2002

Yeah, everything I hear about Serbia or Afghanistan sounds very hellish.  I did meet a beautiful young lady working in a fast food place from Slavakia though.  Maybe her family came here by political asylum, I don't know.  I agree with you, there is not much you can say to a man that has went through such a terrible tragedy.  How awful!

... in response to Russia's Sept. 11 was when the..., posted by BarryM on Oct 24, 2002

in the break-up of Yugoslavia. Would your goverment tolerated old Slobadan on your doorstep?

... in response to German money also helped, posted by Pordzhik on Oct 24, 2002

Yugoslavia was not a military threat to Germany or the rest of Europe. That was pretty obvious. The EU propaganda machine did a good job in creating enough fear to allow for the attack on Serbia. Sure, Slobo was a Marxist Socialist in the Stalinist style, but he wasn't a military threat to Europe in any way. Just a nuisance.

-blm

... in response to Re: German money also helped, posted by BarryM on Oct 24, 2002


"Yugoslavia was not a military threat to Germany or the rest of Europe"? and after the collapse of the Soviet Union it didn't stand a chance, the Germans decided they didn't want to take that risk and took advantage of the ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religous devides.

After living with a nightmare on the eastern border for so long, they was not about to allow another threat to develope in the Balkans.

The EU "propaganda machine" (whatever that is, as it speaks with so many voices)actually did a great job of arousing compassion for the plight of the Kosovo Albanians, that warranted the attack on Serbia.

The German money went into Slovenia and Croatia long before the Nato attack on Serbia, The Germans only became brave enough to do this (and then not openly) after the break-up of the Soviet Union.

BTW This troubled corner of Europe should become a great Slavic-wife hunting territory now things are calming down a bit.

... in response to Russia's Sept. 11 was when the..., posted by BarryM on Oct 24, 2002

fighting over there. ya know.

They gotta do their civil war thing before they can purge all these idealists and nationalists.

My guess is that we have to pick a side that is getting slaughter and draw a line in the sand to create a end point.

These DC sniper shootings are quite interesting as I once saw on TV a lady that was shot in the head, he brains were blown out the side of her head all over the place.

Clearly was at the wrong place at the time.

There is so much going on in this world that most american haven't the faintest idea of what is going on.  They are well insulated from the worldly woes.

... in response to Re: It's kinda like the North and the So..., posted by wsbill on Oct 24, 2002

[This message has been edited by Lynn]

"fighting over there. ya know.

They gotta do their civil war thing before they can purge all these idealists and nationalists."

And you are comparing what happened in the 1860's here to what is going on over there? Come on. Just because a stronger better equipped force overpowers it's enemy and occupies their lands doesn't mean that there is any purge of idealists, nationalists, republicians, democratics or those that cling to the God given right of individual sovereignty. Why do you think that so many people in the South support "State's Rights"? Because that is one of the principals of this supposed "Republic" that we live in and it's "Constitution". If said "civil war" were able to purge such nasty undesireables, why do you suppose after all those years of occupation that there is such a resurgence of nationalism, native tongue and identity in Ukraine???

What gives us the right to be the world's policemen. Or benefactor for that matter?

Who are we to say what is right and what is wrong in another country? It all comes back to the buck doesn't it? Do you really believe that the media gives all sides of the story, do you think it would make a difference in the way you feel if they did?

A natural person always desires to be free.

Slavery is free, Liberty costs.

... in response to Re: Re: It's kinda like the North and th..., posted by Lynn on Oct 24, 2002

Was vastly different to what is going on over there.

Mark my words, there is going to be a major slaughter in that theater house.  Hundreds will die.

Who fault will it be ?  Russia gov't, no doubt have loose grip on their country, the mafia has more control or so it seems.

Remember, the mafia is all about money.

They could careless about people in that theater.

... in response to Re:  Of course not, what happened in the..., posted by wsbill on Oct 24, 2002

[This message has been edited by Lynn]

That was about slavery wasn't it??? Let me see, Not. Most people seem to think so. That's what they are told in school and by their racist leaders. The truth is much different. It "was" the begining of one of the biggest charades in the history of this country though. It did spawn a new class of citizen, totally dependant on the government. That is a documented fact that I can back up with Supreme Court decisions.

"Russia gov't, no doubt have loose grip on their country"

To play the devil's advocate;
We do not know what the Russian government may have done to them in the past. Were there not headlines a few years ago stating that Russia was having trouble maintaining control in one of it's "republics". Do a little investigation, didn't that have something to do with "oil"?

The media can make all the puppets dance to whatever tune it wants to play.

... in response to Re: Re:  Of course not, what happened in..., posted by Lynn on Oct 24, 2002

Lynn,

I sure enjoy reading your posts. I also agree with you about negative (or skewed) media influence.

There is another factor to consider - and it's playing out in the FSU right now. It seems the 'key' to a free society revolves around having a free press. While media sensationalists are often guilty of promoting issues that are not in society's mainstream - without a free press corruption is allowed to run rampant - just as in many FSU countries now. This corruption appears to be ever more destructive to society.

So I am not disagreeing with you. Only pondering the question of the lesser of two evils.

Cheers!

- Dan

... in response to Media Control . . ., posted by Dan on Oct 25, 2002

......I agree that without a free press it could and would be much worse. The point I was trying to make is that more often than not the reporting is "cooked" before serving it to the people or sheeple, which ever class one might find himself in. I do not have documentation to back it up in my hands, but as I understand it there are fewer than 30 independantly owned major newspapers in the US, down from in excess of 1,500 or so about 40 years ago. Some say that that is the results of the economy, maybe to a certain extent or is "crowd control", but if you pay attention to what they report----almost all are the same save for variations in presentation to circumvent obvious plagiarism, or is that the definition you would use when different divisions of one company say the same thing?

Do you think that C-span and CNN are not affected by a phone call from the powers that be not to cover or to suppress to a minimum coverage of certain topics? Several things come to mind for me, things that those in denial don't want to talk about or the government doesn't want exposed.

I can't help but think of what we were told as youths about Russia hating us as a people and they were told that we hated them. ???????????????????????

got to quit whistling Dixie all the time,

        Lynn

... in response to Re: Re: It's kinda like the North and th..., posted by Lynn on Oct 24, 2002

That could be interesting. A politician who can think rationally and doesn't believe that might is right! I don't want to get into politcs here, but my family understands a few things about US treaties. We remember places like Wounded Knee.

But what caught my eye was your talking about the resurgence of Ukranian nationalism. Here's what I've seen in the immigrant families that came to my area. There are a lot of Eastern European people around here. Most arrived in between World War 1 and 2. The Ukranians have really hung on to their culture. They're Canadian now, but they are still very much Ukranian. They are very proud of their heritage and they have a lot cultural events and celebrations.

The Russians on the other hand have just faded into the woodwork. They are here but other than their last names they aren't any different from the rest of us. Certain German groups that lived in Russia and Ukraine as settlers are the only other ones that I know of that have such a strong sense of their heritage and past. This is in my area. I do know that there are strong Russian enclaves in cities like Toronto. But those are mostly newcomers.

... in response to You're going into politics?, posted by Zink on Oct 24, 2002

......or in any dealings with the government. Keep this in mind. This is a excerpt from the Supreme Court decision FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE CORP. V. A.A. MERRILL, 332 U.S. 380 Note  that the Court held in that case that:

   "Anyone entering into a arrangement with the government takes a risk of having accurately ascertained that he who purports to act for the government stays within the bounds of his authority, even though the agent himself may be unaware of the limitations upon his authority"

Even though this decision came long after "Wounded Knee', I am sure the same mentality existed then and was used to allow the government to wield it's mighty sword and ride roughshod over those it dealt with no matter what the law says. We need to make them accountable.

You have got to respect any people who try to maintain their heritage.

... in response to Re: It's kinda like the North and the So..., posted by wsbill on Oct 24, 2002

At least that's how I see it.

... in response to More like Russia's "Palistine"..., posted by tfcrew on Oct 24, 2002

Do you ever wonder just how things got to be where they are now in that area? Ever hear of Benjamin Freedman's speach given in 1961? I found that to be interesting reading in regards to Palistine, although there has been some misuse of the piece by some fringe organizations. There are a few sites which present the text in a straightforward textual manner.