Return to Transcripts main page

Breaking News

Most Hostage Deaths in Moscow Due to Gas Poisoning

Aired October 27, 2002 - 11:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We have some breaking news to move on to.
We've got Russian television talking about what happened in the hostage situation at the Moscow theater when Special Forces went in with the so-called nerve gas. Let's go ahead and listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): ... to work and after the snipers -- others came, who were bringing light grenades. So one group came through the main entrance. Another group came through the underground communications. And the third group entered through the wall, which was previously exploded.

There is no information about the gas that was used. But experts say that it was a suspension or an aerosol, which affects breathing and muscles. The chemical formula of that substance is unique, which was made by foreign recipes. In fact, we got them...

COLLINS: You saw Mike Hanna there standing by. I'm sure he's going to tell us a little bit more about what Russian television is revealing about the siege of the Moscow theater.

I can tell you that we're still trying to figure out what exactly that substance was that the Special Forces used and why there was death that resulted from that when they were certainly trying to save as many people as they could. Also, before we were able to take that sound, we had learned of a woman who was inside recounting those events saying that everyone had handkerchiefs put to their mouths and were trying to breath and quickly lost consciousness apparently after that. So of course, we will have more on that as soon as it becomes available.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 27, 2002 - 11:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We have some breaking news to move on to.
We've got Russian television talking about what happened in the hostage situation at the Moscow theater when Special Forces went in with the so-called nerve gas. Let's go ahead and listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): ... to work and after the snipers -- others came, who were bringing light grenades. So one group came through the main entrance. Another group came through the underground communications. And the third group entered through the wall, which was previously exploded.

There is no information about the gas that was used. But experts say that it was a suspension or an aerosol, which affects breathing and muscles. The chemical formula of that substance is unique, which was made by foreign recipes. In fact, we got them...

COLLINS: You saw Mike Hanna there standing by. I'm sure he's going to tell us a little bit more about what Russian television is revealing about the siege of the Moscow theater.

I can tell you that we're still trying to figure out what exactly that substance was that the Special Forces used and why there was death that resulted from that when they were certainly trying to save as many people as they could. Also, before we were able to take that sound, we had learned of a woman who was inside recounting those events saying that everyone had handkerchiefs put to their mouths and were trying to breath and quickly lost consciousness apparently after that. So of course, we will have more on that as soon as it becomes available.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com