[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 763 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 763

   Condemning the terrorist attack at Middle School No. 1 in Beslan, 
             Russia, that occurred in early September 2004.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 2004

 Mr. Hastings of Florida submitted the following resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Condemning the terrorist attack at Middle School No. 1 in Beslan, 
             Russia, that occurred in early September 2004.

Whereas on September 1, 2004, terrorists seized Middle School No. 1 in Beslan, 
        Russia, and held more than 1,000 children, teachers, parents, and school 
        employees hostage for 53 hours;
Whereas Russian security forces stormed the school compound after the hostage-
        takers began firing on hostages who were attempting to flee and set off 
        explosions in the compound;
Whereas as of September 9, 2004, the official death toll stood at 394 
        individuals, including 30 terrorists, and 186 children are still 
        missing;
Whereas the health ministry for the North Ossetian region of Russia stated that 
        156 of the individuals killed in the attack were children;
Whereas more than 700 individuals needed medical assistance after the crisis;
Whereas the North Ossetian health ministry stated that 411 individuals remain 
        hospitalized, of which 214 are children;
Whereas Beslan's school hostage drama came shortly after at least 10 people died 
        in a suicide attack on a Moscow metro station and a week after 
        approximately 90 people were killed when 2 Russian airliners exploded in 
        mid-air;
Whereas the modus operandi of the Beslan hostage takers is similar to that used 
        by the hostage takers at a Moscow theater in October 2002;
Whereas it is the nature of terrorism that every time one thinks there is a 
        limit to the depths to which terrorists can sink, they contrive even 
        more inhumane atrocities; and
Whereas there is absolutely no justification for such terrorist acts, which do 
        not represent the will of the people of Chechnya, who want the carnage 
        in the Caucasus region to cease: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) offers its deepest sympathy to the relatives and loved 
        ones of the victims of the terrorist attack on Middle School 
        No. 1 in Beslan, Russia, in early September 2004;
            (2) mourns the innocent lives that have been lost in such 
        attack;
            (3) stands with the people of the Russian Federation and 
        offers its prayers in this terrible situation;
            (4) expresses its particular revulsion at the use of 
        children as hostages and the subsequent death of many of such 
        children;
            (5) condemns in the strongest terms this terrorist attack 
        and previous terrorist attacks against innocent citizens of the 
        Russian Federation; and
            (6) expresses its solidarity with the people and Government 
        of the Russian Federation in combating the forces of 
        international terrorism.
                                 <all>