| Rebel Chechen leader, Shamil Basayev, was the mastermind behind the school siege in the North Ossetian town of Beslan, ITAR-TASS news agency reported quoting spokesmen of the Southern Federal District secret service. The operation was organized by Bassayev's subordinate, Magomet Yevloyev. He is also suspected of having organized the attack in Ingushetia in June. Another infamous Chechen rebel, Doku Umarov, was among the rebels who attacked the school. He was the only one not to wear a mask, with hostages subsequently recognizing him, the NTV television channel reported. The operations headquarters in Beslan stressed that the group that seized the school was multinational. Most of the killed gunmen were born in Arab countries. The suicide bombers were trained by the al-Qaeda specialists, the agency quoted the secret service as saying. |