VLADIKAVKAZ, NORTH OSSETIA, September 3 (RIA Novosti) - Notorious Chechen warlords Shamil Basayev and Aslan Maskhadov masterminded the heinous school hostage taking in Beslan. There were Chechens, Ingush, and Arab and Turkish mercenaries in the gang, a North Osset police spokesman said to Novosti.
Magomed Yevloyev, radio call sign Magas, is presumed to have led the bandit operation. It is not known for sure whether he was with the gang. Our interviewee does not think he was-"chieftains seldom go to battle, they prefer to send their subordinates to certain death."
As far as our informant knows, Yevloyev also led a sanguinary attack on Ingushetia in the night of June 21 and June 22 small hours.
The officer does not rule out the school terror act coordinated by Doku Umarov. Prominent among Chechen warlords, he may have arranged it. At any rate, North Ossetia is his responsibility zone with paramilitary chiefs.
