European Court Of Human Rights: Russia Failed To Protect Beslan Victims

The Guardian: Russia could have done more to prevent Beslan school siege, court finds

European court of human rights says security at school was not increased despite prior warning of attack

Russian authorities failed to take sufficient steps to stop the 2004 Beslan school siege in North Ossetia in which more than 330 people were killed, the European court of human rights has ruled.

The court said Russian authorities had received information that a terror attack was being planned and security at the school was not increased sufficiently.

Chechen militants stormed the school on 1 September 2004, beginning a three-day hostage crisis involving more than 1,100 hostages. The death toll included 184 children.

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WNU Editor: This was regarded at the time as Russia's 9/11 .... and what made it more horrible was that the majority of the victims were young school children. Did a special trip to visit the site a few years after the massacre .... words cannot describe the emotions that one goes through when one walks through the school. As for the ECHR's report .... yes .... Russia botched the rescue mission .... but I understand why .... the authorities were not prepared because no one in his or her right mind would believe that a group of armed men would seize a school and massacre its children. Today .... that innocence and naive thinking is gone.

More News On The European Court Of Human Rights report on the Beslan Massacre

Beslan ruling: Moscow slams ECHR’s claim that more lives could have been saved -- RT
Kremlin castigates ECHR conclusions in Beslan terror case as unacceptable -- TASS
Beslan school siege: Russia 'failed' in 2004 massacre -- BBC
European Court Rules Russia Mishandled Beslan School Siege -- Reuters
Russia failed to protect 330 in 2004 Beslan school siege, court rules -- UPI
'Serious failings' by Russia over Beslan massacre: European court -- AFP
Court: Serious failings in Russian response to Beslan hostage crisis -- CNN
Beslan school siege: European court condemns Russia for role in 2004 massacre -- The Independent
Russia failed to protect 330 in 2004 Beslan school siege, court rules -- UPI
European Court Says Russia Failed To Protect Beslan Victims -- RFE
European Court Faults Russia’s Handling of 2004 Beslan School Siege -- NYT
European court: Russia mishandled Beslan school siege -- Al Jazeera
'Serious Failings' By Russia In Deadly Beslan School Siege, European Court Says -- NPR

Beslan School Massacre -- 5 Years Later

Beslan: 5 Years Later (Special from RT Television)

Survivors Remember Russia's Beslan Massacre -- AFP

BESLAN, Russia — Five years on, Russian authorities have not learnt from the Beslan hostage siege, survivors of one of Russia's worst massacres in recent memory said Tuesday as they marked its grim anniversary.

Several hundred relatives and survivors gathered at the crumbling ruins of School Number One in this southern town to commemorate the hostage disaster that took the lives of over 330 people, including 186 children.

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More News On The Beslan Massacre

Russians mark 5 years since Beslan school tragedy -- AP
Beslan mourns deadly school siege -- BBC
Five years on, survivors remember Beslan slaughter -- AFP
Russians mark 5 years since Beslan school tragedy -- NPR
FEATURE-Wounds from Beslan school siege still not healed -- Reuters
The children of Beslan five years on -- BBC
Beslan: 5 Years Later and the Jihad Still Growing in Russia -- Java Report
Russia Now - Five years after the school siege in Beslan -- The Telegraph
The Beslan attack: 5 years later -- Michelle Malkin
Remembering the Massacre at Beslan-- 5 Years Ago Today -- Gateway Pundit
The Faces Of Beslan -- Radio Free Europe
In Pictures: 'Beslan Commemoration in Russia' -- M&C

My Comment: My mother called and asked me this morning if I had forgotten what today is (she checks this blog every morning) .... I (of course) knew the answer .... the anniversary of the start of World War II .... and Beslan. My nieces and nephews are the same age as the children who were brutalized in Beslan .... going to the same type of schools that dot much of what was once the Soviet Union. Beslan will be a mark on the Russian psyche for a very long time .... and in my life time it will never be forgotten.

As I explain to my American friends .... Beslan is Russia's 9/11 ..... but worse because the target and the victims were children.