It is time for America to learn about Beslan: School safety discussions in the wake of the Chechen terrorist attack on Boston

by Chad D. Baus

Despite the fact that all the gun control laws in Connecticut (or New York or Colorado) and all the "no-guns" signs in schools and all the "security" measures being put into place to bring schools up to at least the level that Sandy Hook Elementary was when it was attacked will do nothing to stop the next attack on one of our schools, too many people who should know better are busy trying to convince themselves, and parents, that our kids are safe.

Now that America knows that two brothers from Chechnya, a region controlled by Muslims in the southern Russia, were behind the Boston Marathon bombing, and now that there are reports that the FBI is hunting a 12-strong terrorist "sleeper cell" linked to the Boston marathon bomb terrorists, it is high time that Americans learn about a terror attack that advocates for protecting our kids in schools have been talking about for some time: The Terror at Beslan.

In 2004, Chechen rebels staged an attack on a school in North Ossetia, Russia. After more than three days of rape and murder, more than 350 people died - half of them children.

Anyone who thinks this isn't already being planned to happen here is in denial.

From a review of a seminar sponsored by Buckeye Firearms Association in 2011, given by John Giduck, author of the book Terror at Beslan: A Russian Tragedy with Lessons for America's Schools:

Teams of mostly middle eastern men are here actively studying us. They are videotaping buses, schools, and neighborhoods. They never break laws, and do little to draw attention to themselves. Many of these men are already on the Terrorist Watch List. When approached they will claim that they are just checking out schools for family members overseas who may be immigrating with children.

Our schools present prized targets for terrorists. In 2002, video tapes were found in an Islamic militant area that contained video of terrorist training camps, training specifically to attack schools and barking out orders to students in English. (That is a big clue about where they are training to attack.) Al Qaeda trains to avoid armed resistance as well as men and older boys, as these are the members of the target population that offer the greatest threat of resistance and problems. Bin Laden himself said he would kill 2 million children and found several Islamic leaders that could justify the killing of children in the Koran.

Beslan

Chechnya is roughly the size of Connecticut and has been part of Russia since the 1600s. Ingushetia is next to Chechnya and is considered by Russians to be the same and another part of the problem. Both places practice Islam and Wahhabism. When Russia left Afghanistan, the Mujahideen fighters they had been in combat against were battle hardened and eager for more fighting. They went to Chechnya to continue the fight.

North Ossetia, next to Ingushetia, is composed of Russian Orthodox Christians. This is where the town of Beslan is located, with a population of 40,000 people and six schools, each having grades 1-11. Beslan middle school number 1 was the target on the 1st day of September, 2004. It was built in the 1800's and was a tactical nightmare for Russian

Special Forces

The hostage takeover in Beslan happened as the children, teachers, and parents were outside and had begun entering the school. This allowed the terrorists to control the entire group before they had separated and gone into their classrooms. The terrorists brutally murdered several hostages in front of everyone to gain absolute control through fear. The initial victims were men. This was strategic because these were the ones that could fight back or protect other victims. The terrorists made sure that they had gotten through the commission of the initial siege, and getting the hostages to submit to fear and their authority before the first members of the military or law enforcement arrived.

At key times in the siege, the terrorists offered hope to the hostages by telling them they would survive and even freeing some hostages. This also serves to stabilize the environment both inside for the terrorists and for the police outside because there will be no assault or siege when everyone thinks that the remaining hostages will survive. This leads to negotiations between law enforcement or the military and the terrorists. Terrorists excel at cycling between fear and hope to control the hostages.

Negotiation is beneficial to the terrorists because it allows them time to fortify their positions for the inevitable assault. It also serves to allow the police time to plan a successful assault operation. This is when access to the media becomes important as it will allow the terrorists to gain access to the four target audiences. When the terrorists' message is out, and they have fortified themselves, and are ready for the assault, they will execute hostages on a massive scale. When terrorists do not wear masks, as in the case of Beslan, they have committed the act with the full intention of dying.

Russian Response

Russia responded with various military and Special Forces units. However, neither of the special forces units were close to Beslan when the first bomb exploded. Various units did not train or work together. There was no coordination or information sharing. No one wanted to be in charge, or to accept responsibility. To make matters worse, 20,000 armed citizens had arrived at the school and the perimeter had gotten out of control. Men were firing weapons at the school and trading gunfire with terrorists. After 3 days, the terrorists knew that the assault would come. Hostages cannot hold out with any semblance of order much longer. For detailed information on the Russian response and the negotiations see the book "Terror at Beslan" by John Giduck.

Lessons from Beslan

• Support your local law enforcement
  Police must be able to identify potential targets in their area and train there. This means they should be training in the actual schools.
• Citizens must demand real and effective school security
• Keep an eye out for suspicious individuals around the schools and other gathering areas.
• Be ready for violent graphic scenes and images
• Tactical medics are crucial

Key points for law enforcement

• Dress for battle every day.
• Patrol units must have battle gear ready and with them at all times.
• Reserve S.W.A.T. members must have all their tactical gear with them at all times.
• A playbook of tactics is necessary. No single tactic covers all possible scenarios.
• Hand signals are critical as gunshots and explosions make verbal communication impossible.
• Evolved breaching tactics are needed to get into the building quickly. (Drive a car straight through the wall.)
• Integrate training with law enforcement and citizens.
• Access the most knowledgeable person about the building or place, such as the janitor
• Non-lethal artillery is needed as they will use human shields (fire hoses are great)

Terrorists fear failure. They fear armed citizens and the police because these elements make failure more likely. We must take steps to make the planning and execution of their mission as difficult as possible. We call on all attendees to take the lessons from today home to their districts and work to open the minds of legislators and school board members to taking needed steps to improve security.

It is time for Americans to wake up. It is time for those in charge of safety in our schools to wake up. Learn about Beslan. Tell others. Demand that your school implement comprehensive plans to quickly fight back against an armed attack.

Following is an excellent documentary on the horrors that were brought upon these school children in Russia.

Our enemy wants to bring the same horrors to American schools. It is not a question of if, but when.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman.