Russians Rally for Siege Victims

Just outside the Kremlin in Moscow, tens of thousands of people attended a rally against terrorism on Tuesday, waving flags and holding banners with slogans reading "We won't give Russia to terrorists" and "The enemy will be crushed, victory will be ours."

"I have been crying for so many days, and I came here to feel that we are actually together," 57-year-old pensioner Vera Danilina told the Associated Press.

The demonstration, which was advertised on state-controlled television, was organized by a pro-government trade union and had the Kremlin's approval. President Vladimir Putin has called for unity across Russia's sprawling and multi-ethnic landscape. Before the demonstrations, Russian TV broadcast well-known actors calling on citizens to attend the demonstration and express their outrage at the siege.

There was some criticism of the Moscow gathering. The Gazeta.ru web site said participants were "expressing solidarity not with the victims of terrorist acts … but with President Vladimir Putin". Public anger has been rising over the authorities' handling of the siege, which has so far claimed some 335 lives. Some have accused Putin of using the rallies to deflect the public outcry.

In southern Russia, thousands of people took to the streets of Vladikavkaz, the North Ossetian regional capital about 18 miles to the north of Beslan. There, angry crowds gathered in the central square and called on local leaders to resign for failing to prevent the tragedy.

"Today we will bury our children and tomorrow we will come here and throw those devils out of their seats, from the lowest director up to ministers and the president," said one of the speakers, who refused to identify himself to reporters.

Putin responds

In an interview with foreign journalists late on Monday, Putin denied a link between the Beslan hostage crisis and Russia's policies in the southern region of Chechnya. He strongly rejected Western calls to enter into negotiations with representatives of Chechen rebels.

"Why don't you meet with Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House, engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace?" the British newspaper The Guardian quoted him as saying. "No one has a moral right to tell us to talk to child killers."

Putin also told reporters that the Chechen cause is aimed at destabilizing all of southern Russia and other predominately Muslim regions in the country. He said the fact that the hostage takers shot children in the back should put an end to foreigners' questions about Russia's policy in Chechnya.

At the same time, Putin announced that the Kremlin would hold an investigation, but it would be internal to prevent a "political show."

The siege in Beslan, which ended in explosions, a fire and a gun battle, took at least 335 lives. According to the regional health ministry, 156 of those killed were children.