Horrible. Sickened. Update from Stan who is translating original Russian sources: "ex hostages are saying that terrorists began killing hostages before the storm." Now we see why the Russians had to go in. Reuters:

Russian troops stormed a school Friday in a chaotic battle to free hundreds of parents, teachers and children who had been held hostage for two days by Chechen separatists.

Naked and screaming children ran for safety amid machinegun fire and explosions while attack helicopters clattered overhead. The Tass and Interfax news agencies spoke of over 300 wounded, mostly children. Rebels fled with soldiers in pursuit.

Witnesses at the scene in Beslan, in the North Ossetia region near Chechnya, saw several bodies on stretchers and Russian news agencies said at least seven people had been dead on arrival at hospital.

Half- or fully naked children gulped from bottles of water after two days without drink in a stiflingly hot and crowded school. Some lay on stretchers.

Jeff Quinton has been updating frequently and as always is the best resource for following the blogosphere reaction. Michelle Malkin and The Belmont Club, too. The Command Post and Allah are keeping up as well.

Stan at Logic and Sanity should be awake in a few and (he's back) has been liveblogging this for days. He speaks fluent Russian and is translating the news out of Russia.

The Laughing Wolf also speaks Russian and is taking up the slack for Stan. Very good resource.

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Steve the Llama Butcher is at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in Chicago. Tomorrow he will be live-blogging one of the panels entitled The Power and Politics of Blogs at around 4:15 CDT. On the panel sits none other than Andrew "I'm kinda-sorta thinking about voting for Bush if it wasn't for that whole he's a Nazi thing" Sullivan and Anna-Marie "**Wonkette Exclusive** **Must Cite Wonkette**" Cox. The panel is hosted by Daniel Drezner, who seems to be the only non-gadfly blogger that I know of on the panel.

In true Llama Butcher fashion, Steve proposes ambushing Wonkette with some curve-ball questions and is taking requests here. What would you ask Wonkette? As a bonus, he's also bringing his digital cam along with him. I asked him to get a non-faux-lesbo pic but I have a few non-Jessica Cutler related questions as well. I'm thinking of a few zingers for AS too, none of which are related to Madonna's newest CD or the off-Broadway revival of Cats.

I am a card-carrying member of the esteemed APSA and I can't believe I'm missing this year! Yips to the Llama Butchers!!!

Super Secret Encoded PS-Steve, ixneh on the alkingteh to anybodyeh about Rustyeh's issertationeh!!!!

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Bin Laden captured in Pakistan. It's true. No, not really. But I did read it on the internet, which, according to my students, must make it true. I read this earlier today and took a pass. Now that Kevin Aylward is on it I figured I'd just throw it out there for the gullible and/or conspiracy minded.

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Reuters:

Islamic militants in Iraq have handed over two French hostages to another guerrilla group opposed to their kidnap and murder, the editor of one of the reporters held captive says.

As hopes rose that Georges Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot could be released as soon as Friday, the Muslim day of prayer, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier told reporters he understood the pair were "alive and getting good treatment".

Le Figaro editor Jean de Belot said on France Info radio on Thursday: "The latest information is that Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot have been handed over by the Islamic Army in Iraq to an Iraqi Sunni guerrilla group... an opposition that we know for a few days now has been in favour of the release of the hostages."

What????!!!!??? Are you fu**ing kidding me? 31 other hostages are dead! 31!!!! And two fu**ing frog journalists are threatened with death and the whole fu**ing Islamic world rises up to their defense? Just last night three Turkish hostages were murdered. Three...yesterday!!! The day before that TWELVE!!! You sons of whores in the Islamic world. You bastards. Where were you when Kim Sun-Il begged for his life? When Enzo Baldoni was awaiting his certain death sentence, why were you not out protesting for his release? For a month 12 Nepalese hostages plead for their lives, where were you? You bastards. You bloody bastards. Damn you for this. Damn you to hell.

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Russia goes into post-9/11 mode.

From Radio Free Europe:

Among the many dramatic statements made over the last week in the heat of the unfolding events, perhaps the strongest came from Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov on 1 September. "War has been declared, a war in which the enemy is invisible and there is no front line," Ivanov said in a statement that was repeatedly broadcast on the national television channels. He said that the 31 August suicide bombing outside a Moscow subway station "was not the first and not the last terrorist" act that Russia will see in this now-open war.

State Duma Speaker and former Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov echoed Ivanov's statements in remarks the same day. "It is time for all those who tried to romanticize acts of madness, who try to present acts of terrorism as a lonely struggle for independence and justice, to come to the only proper conclusion: this is war," Gryzlov said, according to "Vremya novostei" on 2 September. He added that the war is being waged by well-financed and well-organized groups with international ties. "We are obliged to undertake measures commensurate with this situation," Gryzlov added. He said that the front line in this war "passes through the entire country" and the new situation "demands particular vigilance from everyone."

Gryzlov also said that new legislative initiatives in keeping with the new, wartime situation are being drafted and will be presented to the Duma in short order. He added that many of these initiatives are being drafted by law-enforcement and security agencies themselves, including the Justice Ministry, the Federal Security Service (FSB), and the Interior Ministry.

Regardless of the possibility--and it is only a possibility--for abuse, the news that the Russians are going into post 9/11 mode is a good sign.

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TSG has learned that Paris Hilton™ has filed to trademark her name. Other copyrighted Paris Hilton names?

Slut®
Brat©
Bitch™

Unfortunately for Paris, Jessica Cutler had already beaten her to Ho© and Skank®. I hear that Trash and Mediawhore are still available to some entrepreneurial spirit who wishes to sit on the copyright until the Hilton family comes along and makes the right offer.

Speaking of whoring, this post linkwhored at the Traffic Jam

PS-Linkwhoring at its best.

PPS-As long as we're linkwhoring, might I suggest this post by blog-pimp Slithery D. (wink-wink, nudge-nudge--dude, that was some shameless self-promotion!)

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The terrorists have released 32 hostages. The names of 25 of them have been released in Russian. I have transliterated the names below. They seem to be mostly infants and their immediate caregivers. Stan at Logic and Sanity is updating constantly. more...

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Revoke PETA's tax exempt status. Sign the petition here.

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If he turns out to be a terrorist then hoooray for our side. If he turns out to be just a lunatic, shame on us for racial profiling. It's the classic error question. In the face of uncertainty which risk is greater if it turns out you're wrong: the risk of missing a terrorist or the risk of unecessarily offending a group? Hmm, that's a toughie.

Newsday:

Authorities say the unusual behavior of a New York truck driver who was pulled over for speeding and then shot during a confrontation with a state trooper has prompted them to investigate possible terrorist ties.
more...

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1 I think that hey did the right thing even if he isn;t a terrorists. If a man takes a gun away from a police officer then the police have no choice but to elimminate the threat to them.

Posted by: Stix at September 02, 2004 12:40 PM (ZN9Ku)

2 agreed.

Posted by: firstbrokenangel at September 02, 2004 01:12 PM (D39Vm)

3 I bet they did it because he's one of them... You know... New Yorkers.

Posted by: Brian B at September 02, 2004 02:56 PM (OnnW3)

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If Muslim advocacy groups are powerful enough to keep these guys alive, does the fact that 31 hostages died while they kept silent make them complicent in their murders? Isn't that, like, a crime.

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Proof? Here and here.

You can't prove it's not Krugman.

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Scroll down past updates for original post.

UPDATE 10/10: Video released of one Turkish hostage and his Iraqi translator murdered by beheading. Information, images, and links to video HERE.

For the latest information, links to video, and images on hostages in Iraq please check the main page by CLICKING HERE.

Here is a list of all the victims of Islamic Beheadings since late July this year.

10/10 Turkish and Iraqi hostage beheaded by Army of Ansar al Sunnah.10/08 British hostage Kenneth Bigley beheading video and images HERE.
10/02 Iraqi Victim Barie Nafie Dawoud Ibrahim Beheading Video and Images Here
9/22 American Hostage Jack Hensley Beheading Video and Images Here
9/20 American Hostage Eugene Armstrong Beheaded on Video Here
9/13 Turkish Hostage Beheaded on Video Here
9/08 Three Muslim 'Informants' Beheaded by the Religion of Irony
8/31 12 Nepalese Hostages Killed, 1 Beheaded Here
8/26 Italian Hostage Enzo Baldoni Murdered Here
8/25 Alleged CIA Agent Beheaded in Video Here
8/13 Another Alleged CIA Agent Beheaded on Video Here
8/11 CIA Agent Executed: Another Beheading Video
8/09 Another Bulgarian Beheading Video
8/02 Turkish Hostage Murdered
7/28 Bulgarian Beheading Video
7/27 Kashmir Rebels Bomb Hospital, Behead Three
7/27 Paul Johnson Beheading Video and Images Here
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Begin original post:

Bloomberg.com:

Kidnappers in Iraq said they killed three Turkish hostages, al-Jazeera television news reported, showing a video of the three men kneeling on the ground before their captors.

Qatar-based al-Jazeera said it received the video from the Tawhid wal Jihad group showing the execution. The station didn't broadcast the killing. Tawhid wal Jihad means Unity and Holy War in Arabic. Groups demanding the withdrawal of foreign troops and businesses have kidnapped several foreigners working in Iraq. Some of the hostages have been killed.

The slain bodies of two Turkish citizens and a third unidentified man were discovered in northern Iraq, police Maj. Sadoun Ahmed Matrud said Thursday.

It was not immediately clear when the three were killed, nor what they were doing in Iraq, he said. The bodies were found by a police patrol eight kilometres from the northern city of Samarra late Wednesday and were taken to a city hospital for an autopsy, Matrud said.

He said police found identification on two of the bodies that showed they were Turks, but nothing was discovered on the third body.

Expect updates.

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John 11:35 "Jesus wept." Fox News:

Two large blasts went off Thursday near a school in southern Russia, where militants were holding hundreds of children and adults hostage.

The extremists were said to be heavily armed — some with bombs strapped to their bodies — as the standoff entered a second day. About 350 hostages were being held after terrorists stormed the school early Wednesday.

The explosions shook the area about 10 minutes apart, leaving a plume of black smoke in their wake. A soldier told FOX News that the terrorists fired on a car and that was the apparent source of the explosion.

The militants were also sporadically firing rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles from the school, FOX News has learned.

Update: Sigh of relief. Jeff pointed out that the Command Post is reporting that the terrorist scumbags blew up a car outside the building. A short reprieve, at the very least. Let's hope this situation turns out better than what I am expecting.

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In related news, Ted Kaczynski spotted with John Ashcroft splitting an orignal glazed down at Krispy Kreme. Yeah, our 'allies' really hate the terrorists. News.com.au:

ONE OF the main Bali bombers has been let out of prison to have coffee at a popular shopping mall in central Jakarta, it was reported today.

Ali Imron, the so-called repentant bomber sentenced to life imprisonment for his part in the attacks which claimed more than 200 lives, was spotted having coffee at Starbucks with the director of Indonesian narcotics and drugs Brigadier-General Gorries Mere.

When challenged by journalists the pair and a number of black-clad armed police guards fled to a waiting car and sped off, Detik.com news said tonight.

"I walk often with Pak (Mr) Gorries," Ali Imron said in response to questions.

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I am expecting a Full Professorial appointment any day now:

A Star Wars acedemy that teaches about the religion of the Jedi, use of the light sabre and speaking in Wookiee has opened its doors in Romania.

Adrian Pavel, who runs the country's Star Wars Club, decided to found the Jedi Academy after getting so many questions from fellow fans on how they can be more like their heroes in the Star Wars films.

He told local daily Libertatea: "We have meetings and lectures, and we dress like Jedis, but this is no longer enough. We'll soon learn how to handle the light sabres in academy classes.

"The academy is open to everybody. There is a quiz with 100 questions that will cover even the darkest aspects of the Star Wars phenomenon that needs to be done in 24 hours. Anyone who passes quiz will have a place in the Jedi Academy."

The academy is also offering special modules for true devotees, like cooking some of the dishes seen in the Star Wars films including Wookiee Cookies, Princess Leia Danish donughts, Sand Trooper sandwiches and Twin Sun toasts.

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Swedish Zionists blamed, Volvos boycotted.

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Irony isn't the proper word, but I think ironical pretty much nails it:

Yeah, well it is a battle between good and evil, isn't it? Clearly, Bush is evil.
-------------------
What was the quote from Margaret Cho the other day?

"Bush is not like Hitler."

Pause.

"He could be if he applied himself, but he's just too lazy." more...

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Why shouldn't the Nepalese hostages have been killed? Because they were 'simple people', said Iraq's leading Sunni scholar. Also, group executions aren't all that great, either. It's better to ice them one by one:

"We are against killing hostages, particularly if it has been a group execution. Those 12 Nepalese hostages are simple people. They might have been deceived to serve the occupation forces," he said.

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The good news:

Seven truck drivers from Egypt, Kenya and India held by militants in Iraq since July 21 have been released, Dubai-based al-Arabiya TV reported Wednesday.

Three Kenyans, three Indians and an Egyptian appeared in interviews with the al-Arabiya channel, looking in good mood and healthy. The seven hostages were kidnapped on July 21 by a group calling itself "Holders of the Black Banners" affiliated to a group called "Secret Islamic Army".

A £280,000 ransom payment today gained freedom for seven truck drivers held hostage in Iraq since July.

The men arrived at KuwaitÂ’s international airport after their company paid Iraqi militants the cash to secure their release.

The freed hostages – three Kenyans, three Indians and an Egyptian – were hugged and presented with flowers by executives and employees of the company they worked for, Kuwait Gulf Link Transport.

KGL chief executive officer, Said Dashti, said the men were freed after a team of company employees drove under armed guard to an unspecified location in Iraq where the drivers were being held to pay the ransom.

“The kidnappers were not trying to make a political statement, they were purely extortionists,” Dashti said.

Dashti said the kidnappers’ initial demands included a £4 million ransom, the release of prisoners held in the US military prison in Guantanamo and compensation for victims of coalition attacks in the western Iraqi city of Fallujah.

But the kidnappers lowered their demands as their negotiations with tribal and religious leaders and parties close to the company continued, Dashti added.

Asked if he thought paying ransom money will encourage more kidnappings and terrorism, Dashti said: “Yes, but I had no other choice, the drivers are human beings and were trying to save their lives.”

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Courtesy of John Donovan

Wictory Wednesday post below more...

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