Beslan case unlikely to be investigated — Beslan Voice

"Tomorrow, we will again file a petition for an interrogation of all high-ranking witnesses: General Alexander Tikhonov, chief of the Special Centre; General Vladimir Pronichev, Deputy Director of the Federal Security Service; and another deputy director, General Vladimir Anisimov," Ms Ella Kesayeva, leader of the public organisation Beslan Voice, told Caucasian Knot's correspondent earlier today.

"The prosecutors and the court expressed a wish to finish the trial soon without interrogating the very important witnesses, including Tikhonov who commanded the onslaught. But this evidence will never be given unless it is given now.

"The main Beslan case which the prosecutors refer to as the one for which they allegedly plan to interrogate those generals is unlikely to be investigated one day," she said.

Ms Kesayeva believes that the prosecutors and the court are trying to prevent the summons of high-ranking officials because they are afraid that they simply missed the information about the school seizure.

"The prosecutors give the following grounds for their denials: the terrorist act had not been prepared. Special agencies insist on the same: school No 1 was a random choice. It is clear why they are so persistent: if it comes to light that the terrorist act had been prepared, this would mean that special agencies are to blame," says Ella Kesayeva. "But we all understand that a terrorist act like that could not be unprepared. They destroyed all the proofs on 4 September, but, nonetheless, the cemetery is still there after all, and the children were burnt down."

• Witnesses fail to come