Terrorist Attacks on the U.S. Homeland

Two hijacked airliners crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Soon thereafter, the Pentagon was attacked by a third hijacked plane. It was suspected that1 a fourth hijacked plane, bound for2 a high-profile target in Washington, crashed into a field in southern Pennsylvania. More than 3,000 U.S. citizens and other nationals were killed as a result of the terrorist acts. President Bush and Cabinet officials indicated that Usama Bin Laden3 was the prime suspect and that they considered the United States to be in a state of war with international terrorism. In the aftermath of4 the attacks, the United States formed the Global Coalition Against Terrorism.

Moscow Hostage Taking

In October 2002, Chechen terrorists seized a theater in Moscow and held more than 800 persons hostage It is believed1 to be the largest incident of hostage taking The terrorists rigged the theater and themselves with explosives, and threatened to kill themselves and the hostages by blowing up the theater if their demands were not met. The Government of Russia refused to meet the terrorists' demands. Faced with2 an extremely difficult dilemma, Russian forces stormed the theater using a gas to immobilize the terrorists All the hostage takers were killed in the raid - and prevented from detonating their explosives. Unfortunately, 129 hostages died from the gas used during the rescue operation

Rush-hour Bombings in Madrid

Ten bombs exploded without warning on trains at three stations during the morning rush hour, killing 201 people and wounding more than 1,200. The main attack was at one of Madrid's major stations, Atocha, in the city centre Explosions hit a train as it was entering the huge station shortly after 06 30 GMT, while other blasts went off on a train as it was passing Tellez street just outside the terminal. Bombs also exploded at El Pozo and Santa Eugenia stations. Spanish antiterronst sources said the devices were set off by remote control. Three other devices were defused by police explosives experts. No group has admitted responsibility but Spain's government blames Basque separatist group Eta for the attacks which came ahead of Sunday's election But a political group close to Eta denied that it carried out the attacks A BBC correspondent says that, in the absence of an Eta claim of responsibility, there will inevitably be continuing speculation1 about other potential perpetrators. According to the Jihad Unspun website, a previously unknown Muslim group has claimed responsibility The bombings are being described as the most deadly terror attack in Europe since Pan-Am Flight 103 was blown up in the sky by a bomb above the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988, and the worst in Spanish history. Political and religious leaders across the world have condemned the attacks, with many describing them as an attack on democracy. They expressed their condolences to the Spanish Prime Minister and King Juan Carlos The Spanish government has declared Jhree days of mourning for the victims and called on Spaniards to stage Allies on Friday evening to condemn the attacks.

Russian School Seizure

A gang of armed men and women, some wearing suicide belts, seized a school in southern Russia Wednesday and took more than one thousand children and adults hostage. Reports say they arrived in a hijacked military truck and police car.

The attack came one day after a suicide bomber killed nine people at a metro station in Moscow and days after bombs went off on two Russian jets, killing 90 people. The terrorists mined the school and threatened to kill the hostages and blow up the school if Special Forces stormed the building. They also vowed to kill 50 children for each terrorist killed.

Russian authorities ruled out the use of force and said that the main aim was to save the lives of the hostages. Authorities established contact with the hostage takers who demanded a withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya and the release of militants jailed after a series of raids on Ingushetia.

Though the hostage takers refused to allow food and water supplies into the school on the third day they agreed to let emergency workers into the school to remove the bodies of dead hostages. Minutes later, explosions and gunfire were heard and a group of hostages of different ages managed to escape. Eyewitnesses said that one of the many bombs in the gym fell and exploded. This was followed by a second large explosion, after which the roof caved in and hostages started to run out of the building. The attackers fired at them as they fled, prompting the troops outside to shoot back.

Special Forces stormed the school. Russian authorities later said the decision to go in was unplanned and was taken after the attackers started Mooting at children.

As the troops moved in, half-naked and bloodied children began fanning out of the school. Others were carried out by adults. Later, hundreds of bodies, many of them those of children, were found in the debris of the school gym.

During the confusion after the storming of the school, some of the attackers managed to flee by mixing in with hostages and their relatives but later they were killed by Special Forces. One terrorist was reported to have been captured alive.

The full horror of what had taken place at the school became clearer the next day. Emergency workers discovered the remains of many of the hundreds of children and adults killed. At least 326 victims were identified, but that number could rise.

Foreign leaders expressed their concern over the hostage crisis. At Moscow's request the United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting and the U.N. Secretary-General "condemns in the strongest terms" the seizure.