Public organization "Nord-Ost" blames Doctor Leonid Roshal for telling lies

We call your attention to the open latter addressed by the Regional Public Organization "Nord-Ost" to Doctor Leonid Roshal:

"Dear Doctor Roshal,

The statement "of an eye-witness" you made yesterday that the terrorists [in the Theatre Center] on Dubrovka provoked a storm of the theatre and the use of homicidal gas is comparable in its shamelessness with President Putin's statement that "the gas was innocuous". You can not know in principle what was happening in the hall before the storm. You were not there. But there is no need to tell us what happened since some of us were there.

The facts are that the storm of the building began without any provocation from the rebels. They did not start shooting hostages down and did not threaten with doing it. They did not activate explosive assemblies after the storm had begun, even though they could have done it easily. The doze of fentanyl which was used supposes up to 20% of fatal outcomes under such conditions. There is a lot of medical literature about it, and being a doctor, you know it perfectly. What for have you joined in the campaign of misinformation carried out by the power about the events on Dubrovka? You ought to be ashamed!

We repeat that the decision to use the gas was made when the terrorists were ready to negotiate the release of hostages. They were going to do it with the only purpose of preventing the situation from the "Budyonnovsk scenario". President Putin, who gave the order knowing that there would be no explosion, shares the responsibility for the death of our near relations and close friends with Shamil Basayev, who had sent the rebels to Moscow.

We are grateful to candidates Khakamada, Kharitonov and Rybkin for their promises to inquire into the events on Dubrovka. We call upon the voters to second them during the election. And we appeal to those of our nationals who treat "with understanding" the President's decision to sacrifice people in order to save face. Do imagine yourselves and your children as being in the hall of "Nord Ost" or in a compartment of the "Kursk" submarine and think for what they need the power and for what it needs them."

On behalf of the Coordinating Board of the Regional Public Organization "Nord-Ost"

Tatyana Karpova

15 January 2004

Editors note: See also the articles "Leonid Roshal: gas used to set hostages on Dubrovka free was not homicidal", "Irina Khakamada makes appeal to victims of State terrorism".