Russian Authorities Fail to Establish Contact with Hostage Takers

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 24, 2002

Russian Authorities Fail to Establish Contact with Hostage Takers

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Officials in the headquarters handling the hostage crisis in Moscow have so far failed to reestablish contact with the hostage takers inside the theater center on Dubrovka St., a source in the law enforcement agencies said on Thursday morning.

The source also denied that talks about paying money to the "terrorists" have been underway.

Earlier, Interfax quoted a Moscow police official as saying that the terrorists' demands included payment of large amount of money to them.

Meanwhile, the Itar-Tass said on Thursday that another four women have been released. So far, a total of 180 hostages have been released including 24 children, but the hostage takers are still holding about 800 people.

The British Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed that three British citizens are among the hostages, while the German Foreign Ministry confirmed several Germans are also among the captives.

An Austrian woman is among the hostages too. The Austrian Ambassador to Russia has arrived at the operation headquarters forthe conduct of negotiations for her release.

The State Duma member representing Chechnya Aslanbek Aslakhanov's two attempts to enter into contact with the hostage takers virtually ended without result, Itar-Tass reported, quoting Vyacheslav Igrunov, another State Duma member, as saying.

Due to the hostage crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin hascanceled his talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder scheduled for Thursday in Berlin and also a working visit to Portugal on the same day, the Kremlin announced.

According to the original schedule, Putin is also due to leave Portugal for Mexico to hold talks with US president George W. Bushon the Iraq issue scheduled for Saturday.

The highest level of alarm has already been declared in Moscow,where security has been tightened.

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