5 suspects in Beslan siege gunned down

Russian security forces have killed five suspects of tragic Beslan school siege, in the North Caucasus region of North Ossetia, near Chechnya last September.

Russian Deputy Prosecutor General Nikolai Shepel told reporters here today that in addition to five suspects killed, four were detained as part of the investigation into the Beslan school siege, in which over 330 people were killed, nearly half of them children.

‘‘The investigation of the September 1-3, 2004 terrorist act in Beslan is continuing. In the process, four suspected collaborators with the terrorists at the stage of preparing the crime and attacking Ingushetia in June 2004 have been arrested. Five more were eliminated when they offered resistance,’’ Shepel said. He did not disclose as when and where the operation was conducted.