MOSCOW. Sept 8 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov has informed President Vladimir Putin about the course of the investigation into the hostage crisis in the North Ossetian town of Beslan.
"I would like to report on the materials that are available to us now," Ustinov said at a meeting with Putin. "In particular, they are based on eye-witness testimony, the testimony given by detainee Kulayev, and examination results," he said, adding that some of the examinations have already been completed and more examinations are still in progress.
"We are getting the following picture: shortly before attacking the school, the gang met in the forest near one of the villages. According to Kulayev's estimates, there were about 30 people, including two women," the prosecutor general said.
"They got into three vehicles - a GAZ-66, UAZ and VAZ-2110 - and headed for Beslan where they arrived early in the morning. In particular, prior to their arrival, they came across a district police officer. We have already reported about this, and there have been reports to this effect in the media. They arrived in Beslan, entered the school yard, left their cars following a command from their leader who they called Colonel, and surrounded all the students and adults there," Ustinov said.