| Submit your comments on this article |
| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Beslan awaits trial of lone survivor from the attack |
| 2005-05-17 |
| For 12-year-old Zaur Dzarasov, a survivor of last year's blood-drenched school seizure, there's only one punishment suitable for the only suspect to go on trial for the raid. "I want them to cut his head off and throw it to the dogs," Zaur said Monday, bursting into tears and burying his sobs in his mother Emilia's arms outside the charred ruins of School No. 1, where his brother and hundreds of others died. More than eight months after the standoff ended in a maelstrom of naked, bloodied children fleeing explosions and gunfire, residents and survivors are bracing for the anguish that will be dredged up when Nur-Pashi Kulayev goes on trial Tuesday on charges including terrorism and murder. Kulayev, believed to be the only survivor of more than 30 militants who attacked the school in Beslan, was shown in television footage last year confessing to taking part in the raid. But he insisted he personally killed no one in the assault. Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev has claimed responsibility for organizing the seizure of the school. How the attackers were able to mount their well-coordinated assault undetected is a major issue among Beslan's residents. Susanna Dudiyeva, head of the Beslan Mothers' Committee, which has criticized regional and federal authorities for failing to protect the school and in investigating the attack, said Kulayev's trial will be only a "spectacle," a distraction from bigger issues. "We are more interested in who else will be charged. Who participated in the planning? Who was incompetent? Someone let them in the school. Someone helped them. Someone else did something very wrong," said Dudiyeva, 44, whose son died in the school. "Who answers for the security of this country? The answer is out there in our cemetery," said another committee member, Rita Sydakova. The prosecutor's office declined to comment ahead of the trial. Kulayev's lawyer, Umar Sikoyev, could not be reached. For many Beslan residents, anger and raw emotion trump any talk of justice or presumption of innocence for Kulayev. Some fear the trial will reopen deep wounds. Many resent that Kulayev, if convicted, would receive a sentence of no more than life in prison. Russia has had moratorium on the death penalty since 1996 as a condition of joining the Council of Europe. "I wouldn't put him on trial. I'd just take him out and shoot him," said Zhanna Bigayeva, 45, whose 14-year-old son survived the takeover. "We don't need this trial. We're already living on nerves." Still others said it was unlikely Kulayev would live for long in a Russian prison. "The women of Beslan want him for themselves. We'll take him in our own hands and show him proper punishment," said Sydakova, wringing her hands and tearing at the air. "We'll give him what he deserves." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #3 The relatives were so vociferous and (understandably) angry, they shouted down the judge today and caused a delay in the trial. |
| Posted by: Dar 2005-05-17 14:59 |
| #2 wow i dont think any punishment is painfull enough for that scum |
| Posted by: its me 2005-05-17 14:28 |
| #1 "I want them to cut his head off and throw it to the dogs" Thats actually pretty appropriate given the culture of the attackers. Excepting maybe feed it to pigs, not dogs. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2005-05-17 10:40 |