Today is five years from capture of "Nord-Ost" by militants

Today is the exactly 5 years from the day when on October 23, 2002, a group of terrorists seized spectators and actors of the musical "Nord-Ost" as hostages of at the Moscow Dubrovka Theatrical Centre.

On that day, 923 spectators and actors of the musical were taken hostages. For three days about 40 terrorists kept the people in the hall of the Theatrical Centre without food and water. At least 125 persons were lost and more than 700 persons were wounded.

All the 40 terrorists (21 man and 19 women) were killed as a result of a special rescue operation undertaken on October 26, 2002. Most of the hostages were released.

Explosion experts withdrew from the Dubrovka Theatrical Centre in total 30 explosive devices with the total trotyl equivalent of the order of 110-120 kg.

The criminal case on the fact of the Dubrovka terror act was initiated on October 23, 2002, under the Articles "an attempt of terrorism" and "capture of hostages". The investigation was repeatedly prolonged. Now, the criminal case is under the Investigatory Department of the Prosecutor's Office of Moscow.

The "Caucasian Knot" has already informed that on June 1, 2007, it became known that the investigation of the circumstances of the terror act in the Dubrovka Theatrical Centre was suspended. The reason was specified to be the impossibility to establish the whereabouts of the accused persons.