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Russia reviews security over terrorism
TO combat terror in the crisis-prone North Caucasus region, Russian authorities have announced a new leadership structure for security services in the area.
Also, tension has continued to mount between Russia and the United States over the U.S. stance towards Chechen rebels. Under the shake-up, which is coming amid criticism of the security forces' handling of the three-day school siege and its outcome, new executive groups will co-ordinate the security forces' efforts against the threat of terror in the Northern Caucasus region.
The announcement came as three planes left Moscow for Beslan to pick up over 40 people wounded in the tragedy, which left 336 dead - not including the hostage-takers - and bring them back to the capital for treatment.
Security forces have come under harsh criticism for failing to prevent the seizing of 1,200 people at Beslan's School No 1 in the first place and also for their unplanned raid that ended the siege but` resulted in scenes of horrific carnage.
"In the Northern Caucasus region ... working executive groups have been created that will co-ordinate the activities of the security forces to avert the threat of terrorism and also prevent attacks by illegal armed groups," Interior Minister Rashid Nuraliyev said.
Nuraliyev told President Vladimir Putin at a meeting broadcast on national television that the anti-terror commissions would be staffed by senior officers from the Interior Ministry's troops and officials from other ministries.
So far, there has been no indication that Kremlin officials or ministers would bear the consequences for the Beslan hostage taking, the worst in the country's history.
On Wednesday, North Ossetian President Alexander Dzasokhov announced that he would fire his entire local government, but disappointed many demonstrators by failing to make it clear whether he himself would step down.
Meanwhile, tensions intensified between Russia and the U.S. and Britain over how to deal with Chechen separatist leaders following the Beslan incident, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accusing U.S. and Britain of "double standards".
Russia was incensed by U.S. comments earlier this week that it was still ready to receive certain elements from the Chechen resistance, which Russia blames for the hostage-taking siege.
"Of course, there are double standards," Lavrov told the daily Vremya Novostei.
"I do not want to accuse the heads of states of the leading nations of the G8 of adopting a system of double standards as part of their standard policy. But, as I have noted before, the inertia (for double standards) is there," he said.
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