Beslan School Massacre - Russia’s 9/11

In the west when we think of the most devastating terrorist incidents in the 21st century, there are a few which come to mind. 9/11, London Underground bombings, the Madrid train bombings. However, in Russia, many people think of something completely different. On 1 September 2004, the first school day of the year, a group of armed islamic militants stormed and occupied school number one in the city of Beslan, in North Ossetia. The militants were sent by Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, who demanded that