Duma member discloses evidence on Beslan

Yuri Saveliev, a member of the Duma (Motherland faction) and the parliamentary commission for the investigation into the terrorist act in Beslan, claimed he had evidence disproving the official information about how tanks had been used on the school onslaught day, 3 September 2004. "There are eyewitnesses' accounts, and they are documented, more than twenty eyewitnesses who confirm that three tanks were shooting from about 1.30 pm, i.e. not one tank and not after 8.00 pm as officials say," Mr Saveliev said to inform his colleagues at a meeting of the Motherland faction about the process of the parliamentary investigation into the Beslan tragedy, according to Interfax.

Besides, the lawmaker emphasised, similar evidence, "i.e. that the tanks were actually shooting the windows where hostages were standing, was given by eyewitnesses in court; and this evidence is also documented." Mr Saveliev said he was going to introduce the commission to proofs he had himself collected concerning the use of heavy military materiel in the developments in Beslan last year. The parliamentarian expressed confidence that the report he was preparing would disprove the official point of view on this fact.

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