VLADIKAVKAZ, North Ossetia. Oct 30 (Interfax-AVN) - The masked stranger carrying two hand grenades that broke through into a local children's health centre at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time (1200 GMT) on Tuesday has informed policemen about his demands, a spokesman for the North Ossetian law-enforcement agencies said.
The stranger said that he would blast a nine-floor house near the Alan market if he did not get USD5m by 5:00 p.m. Moscow time (1400 GMT), the spokesman told Interfax-Military News Agency.
At 4.22 p.m. Moscow time (1300 GMT) the stranger released all 18 hostages. He is still in the health centre which is blocked by policemen and agents of the Federal Security Service. The talks with the stranger are underway.