Beslan, Russia – Differing sharply with prosecutors, a parliamentary commission declared Wednesday that last year’s school-hostage disaster might have been averted had police in Russia’s restive south followed orders to increase security on the first day of classes.
When terrorists did seize the school in the southern town of Beslan, the operation to free the hostages was “plagued by shortcomings,” with police unprepared to deal with the crisis, lawmaker Alexander Torshin said, summing up the results of the probe of the September 2004 assault, which left hundreds dead.
The parliamentary report critical of local police contrasted with conclusions from a separate investigation by prosecutors announced one day earlier.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that their probe did not reveal any mistakes by authorities in dealing with the siege.
But the new conclusions brought no comfort to residents.
“They will lie again and nobody will be held responsible for the dead children,” said Savkuz Dzhusov, who witnessed the events from his apartment.
More than half of the 331 people killed were children. Most died in the climactic conclusion to the siege, when explosions tore through the school and security forces stormed the building.
Valiko Margiyev, who was held hostage with his wife and 12-year-old daughter, was outraged to hear that 73 percent of the hostages had survived.
“The most horrible thing Torshin said is … that the operation was considered successful because only 27 percent of the hostages had been killed,” said Margiyev, whose daughter Elvira was killed.
In Moscow, Torshin did not characterize the operation as a success, but Margiyev’s interpretation reflected the emotional pain and disdain in Beslan for authorities since the attack.
