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New Video Questions Account of Beslan Massacre

update

A group of family members of those killed in the 2004 Beslan school massacre in southern Russia says a newly released videotape contradicts the official explanation of how the hostages died.

The Beslan Mothers Committee says the tape supports their theory that many of the 331 deaths were caused by Russian security forces firing on the buildings where terrorists held students and teachers.

The government's account says the hostages died when the terrorists set off explosives inside the building.

But an investigator can be heard on a film of the aftermath saying the explosions came from the outside.

Gunmen seized the Beslan school in September of 2004 demanding a pullout of Russian forces from Chechnya.

They held more than a thousand hostages for more than two days until a series of explosions and gunfire ended the standoff.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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