Terror From Hell: The Children of Beslan Tell Their Stories (1 of 6)

In Russia, Sept. 1 is the Day of Knowledge, a joyous annual event marking the start of the new school year. But Knowledge Day 2004 was different at School No. 1 in Beslan: A group of heavily armed rebel extremists stormed the school, holding more than a thousand children and adults hostage in a sweltering gymnasium for three days. The harrowing siege ended Sept. 3 in a series of explosions and hail of gunfire that killed some 350 people - half of them children.

Featuring heartbreaking interviews with more than a dozen young survivors, as well as chilling footage shot by the hostage-takers themselves, Children of Beslan explores the devastating impact of violent conflict on children. Through the words of those left orphaned and bereft of family and friends, details of the 57-hour siege emerge, from the confusing first moments, when pupils heard noises they thought were balloons popping, to the numbing hours and days in the overheated gymnasium, to the devastating final hours, when bombs taped to walls and suspended from ceilings went off, and hundreds of panicked hostages, bullets flying around them, began scrambling over the bodies of victims in search of safety. Ranging in age from six to 12, the kids recount the events that robbed them of their family, friends and innocence - describing experiences that are chillingly familiar.

The Beslan siege ultimately killed more adults and children than the tragic 2002 Moscow theater siege by Chechen extremists (chronicled in the 2003 HBO documentary Terror in Moscow). Most surviving children now study at another school in town, with some fearful parents still accompanying them to school. The children's scars, visible and hidden, remain. "I have fewer friends than I used to," says Carat. "The ones who survived - we're not the same funny kids we used to be, we're serious now. We're already grownups. We don't fight any more... Even little boys became adults. Kids understand everything."

Children of Beslan exposes the impact of violent conflict on those who are rarely heard from, but are often the most deeply affected by its aftermath: children. In the tradition of HBO's acclaimed 2003 documentary Through A Child's Eyes: September 11, 2001, , Children of Beslan brings a unique child's perspective to a tragedy.

Children Of Beslan was produced and directed by Ewa Ewart and Leslie Woodhead; executive producers for the BBC, Alan Hayling and Fiona Stourton. For HBO: supervising producer, Lisa Heller; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

Tags: islam jihad allah murder rape torture Beslan Беслан Russia Russian Chechnya Chechen Slaughter massacre terror terrorism school civilians civilian innocent children child mutilation war crimes human rights islamic evil hell satan mujahideen massacre siege hostage crisis documentary tribute 2004 tragedy

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• islam
• jihad
• allah
• murder
• rape
• torture
• Beslan
• Беслан
• Russia
• Russian
• Chechnya
• Chechen
• Slaughter
• massacre
• terror
• terrorism
• school
• civilians
• civilian
• innocent
• children
• child
• mutilation
• war
• crimes
• human
• rights
• islamic
• evil
• hell
• satan
• mujahideen
• siege
• hostage
• crisis
• documentary
• tribute
• 2004
• tragedy

[herzog380]

"At the end of the Soviet era, ethnic Russians comprised about 23% of the population (269,000 in 1989) (Wikipedia)". Thanks to an epidemic and endless jihad of rape, murder, torture, mutilation, extortion, theft, human slave trade to middle east (predominantly girls) etc from muslim chechens, there are today only 3.7% Russians/Cossacks in Chechnya (Wikipedia). Still muslim you bigots and liars call this Russian "occupation" and "oppression". Well, who are the REAL oppressors and occupiers?

[MujahidLoverofDeath]

listen u FUCKIN BASTARDS!!! NO ENMY OF ISLAM IS INNOSENT!!!! CHILDREN R LIKE THEM!!! SO FUCK U SWINE EATHERS!!! ISLAM WILL REPLAYSE MANMADE LAW WITH DIVINE SHARIAAH AND ESTABELISH PEACE!!! INSHA'ALLAH!!! EVRY NATION WHO RESIST ISLAM MUSLIMS WILL FIGHT AND DESTROY!!!

AAAALLAAHHH HHHUUUUU AAAAKKBBBAAAAAAARR!!!!

[GermaniasChannel]

@Death4ALLAH

I HOPE THE POLICE WILL CATCH YOU!!!

YOU ARE A TERRORIST!!! YOUR NAME SAYS DEATH FOR ALLAH!!! GO DIE!!! GO DIE AND LET US LIVE!!! I SWEAR THE WESTERN CIVILIZATION WILL NUKE ALL YOUR COUNTRIES VERY SOON!!! MARCH 2012!!!

[Death4ALLAH]

@GermaniasChannel SHUT THE FUCK UP U FUCKING KAFIR BITCH!!! GO SUCK UR FATHERS DICK CROSSWHORSHIPPER!!!

[GermaniasChannel]

NUCLEAR WEAPONS AGAINST ISLAM!!!!

NOW!!!!

THE TERRORISTS KILL YOUR LITTLE CHILDREN, THEN DROP NUCLEAR WEAPONS OVER THEIR MUSLIM COUNTRIES!!!! I PROMISE THEY WILL NOT DARE TO TERRORISE YOU FOR 1000 YEARS!!!

[Dollymayfrosty]

I don't care who you are, I don't care where you live, I don't care about your religion. There is absoloutly no excuse to hurt children.

[SithSereyPheap1]

You didnt even give these children a chance to convert to Islam.What if they wish to convert to Islam someday ? you took away their chance to meet Allah and deprived them of paradise.Let them grow,give them a chance to decide their own faith..

[SithSereyPheap1]

The children live in their own world completely innocent of war and politics.They look up to any adults for guidance and leadership regardless of your race and religion.Spare the kids my friend,especially the very young.They dont even know what a Muslim is..

[SithSereyPheap1]

I used to tutor kindergartners for extra credit in school because my grades are low.What started out as a punishment turned out to be a great experience for me,i felt like a father to all the kids.I help fed them,help them take their naps,help put their toys away,i read stories to them during stories hours,make sure they dont fight during play time.I was their leader,they came running to me to solve their problems,this is back when i was in grade 6.Their full time instructor is very pretty also.

[TDOTEMPIRE]

wow as a north american i feel so dumb! i didnt know this happened, yet its 3 years after 9/11? we never learn about these events, biased fcking media.