The renowned children's doctor came as negotiator after a terror gang seized a Beslan school, September 1, to take hostage more than a thousand on the premises.
Dr. Roshal is in France on a private visit. As he was perusing the local press, its coverage of the appalling tragedy moved him to convene the conference for precise firsthand details.
"To my mind, certain French-based media outlets were misrepresenting the affair. They said the storm was prepared any old how, and so many children and adults perished. Newsmen also alleged there were no talks [with terrorists] in Beslan. That's all wrong! You may think I am putting the matter too mildly-but then, I am a kid's doctor, and I can't use strong language."
The Russian top gave Dr. Roshal a plane, by which he reached the tragedy site, afternoon September 1. "Half an hour after I came, I was given a phone number by which I was dialling the terrorists. I talked to their spokesman, always one and the same, ten to fifteen times a day.
"The terrorists never ordered me to announce whatever demands of theirs-they merely insisted on the North Osset and Ingush presidents, and some other dignitaries, coming for negotiation. If they did, the terrorists would have either seized or killed them. That's what I think.
"What mattered most to me was to keep going the scanty contacts with the gang there were-the men said they would start killing off the hostages if their mobile phone were switched off.
"There was a terrible time when a thunderstorm put the phones out of order for forty minutes. I was afraid the terrorists might think the connection was off on purpose.
"Again and again, I implored the man I was talking to for food, water and medicines passed to the hostages-all in vain. The terrorists now said their captives were on hunger strike, now alleged our food and water were poisoned."
Further critical developments came in a thunderbolt. However, the talks offered a lull to prepare to attend to patients who were sure to appear, Dr. Roshal went on.
Long talks coaxed the gang, September 3, into allowing to remove the bodies of 21 men scattered in the school front yard. "Four Emergency Ministry men went to fetch the bodies. As they came close to the school, a terrorist strode out and ordered them to take inside a dead man of the gang, who was also in the yard. The rescuers did so. A blast and a storm of gunshots were heard in the school as soon as they came out.
"Smoke was rising in clouds. Children and adults used it as cover to get out of the shattered gym windows. Terrorists were shooting them like rabbits. The commandos had to go into battle-they had no choice.
"An Alpha officer I knew died in my arms in hospital. I saw it all with my own eyes. I know they had no bulletproof vests on them. A majority of commandos were shot in the back-they were covering with their own bodies the kids who darted for shelter.
"What we had in Beslan was clearly an international terror act. Whatever money pays such things comes from abroad. More than that, there certainly were aliens on the gang that seized the school.
"A black man was announced to be among the dead terrorists. The news soon proved a hoax-it was a white's body, sooty head to foot. However, I heard secret service men with my own ears as they were mentioning Arab names. Whatever I say is what I witnessed, and I answer for every word of it.
"What we have now is an undeclared World War III, which international terrorists are waging," said Dr. Roshal.
