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Show Thursday. September 1 2004 Russia . DAILY HERALD A7 Convention haO Continued from Al Continued from Al us anything. Tts awful, it's frightening." The hostage-takin- g came less than 24 hours after a suicide bombing outside a Moscow subway station that killed at least nine people, and just over a week after near simultaneous explosions blamed on terrorism caused two Russian planes to crash, killing all 90 people on board. The recent bloodshed is a blow to President Vladimir Putin, who pledged five years ago to crush Chechnya's rebels but instead has seen the insurgents increasingly strike civilian targets beyond the republic's borders. "In essence, war has been declared on us, where the enemy is unseen and there is no front," Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told reporters before the opponent as the president campaigned his way into the convention drycollecting the endorsement of the union representing New York's 8,600 firefighters, some of whom risked their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. His eyes misted as he stood among them and held a black fire helmet labeled "Commander in Chief." "Four more years," they shouted echoing the chants that floated up from the convention floor several miles away as delegates acclaimed the ticket for another term. The speeches by Cheney and Miller were the main events of the evening, but the convention seemed to move 20 years back in time at one point as delegates took in a tribute to the late Ronald Reagan. They cheered at video clips of the late president at his most forceful, then again when they saw former President George H.W. Bush eulogizing him in June. Madison Square Garden bloomed with thousands of blue placards that read "Win One for The Gipper." Cheney performed the traditional vice president's role in his turn at the podium, praising the man at the top of the ticket while denigrating the leader of the political opposition. "Time and again he has made the wrong call on national security," the vice president said of Kerry. "On Iraq, Sea Kerry has disagreed with many of his fellow Democrats," Cheney said in a delivery as understated as Miller's was not. "But Sen. Kerry's liveliest disagreement is with himself . His back and forth reflects a habit of in- decision, and sends a message of confusion." "In this hour of danger our president has had the courage to stand up. And this Democrat is proud to stand up with him," the Georgia lawmaker -- (U Bush-Chene- y VADIM hostage-takin- Putin for the second time in a week interrupted his working holiday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi and returned to Moscow to deal with the unfolding crisis. President Bush called Putin and "condemned the taking of hostages and the other terrorists attacks in Russia," White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan said. Bush offered "assistance" to Russia in dealing with the crisis if requested, but that no request had been made so far, the White House said. At the United Nations, Russia called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council, which scheduled consultations for later Wednesday on the school seizure and other issues. From inside the school, the militants sent out a list of demands and threatened that if police intervened, they would kill 50 children for every killed and 20 chihostage-take- r ldren for every hostagetaker injured, Kazbek Dzantiyev, head of the North Ossetia region's Interior Ministry, was quoted as telling the ITAR-Tas- s news agency. Sporadic gunfire and explosions could be heard through- - . out the standoff . One girl lay wounded on the school grounds, but emergency workers could not approach because the area was coming under fire, said regional Emergency Situa- -' tions Minister Boris Dzgoyev. TOKHSYROVReuters Interior Ministry APC near the school seized by unidentified gunmen as they wait for news of the situation in the Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia, on Wednesday. Local youth sit atop a Russian There were conflicting alty reports. ITAR-Tas- s, casu- citing local hospi- tals, said one person died at the scene and seven in hospitals. Dzgoyev put the death toll at four, and the Federal Security Service chief for North Ossetia, Valery Andreyev, later said two civilians were killed inand cluding a school parent two wounded. Emergency off kaals and doctors said 11 people were wounded, and a doctor toldlMTV television that two of them were in grave condition. Two bodies were visible outside the school, and there were reports that one attacker was killed. The crisis began after a ceremony marking the first day of Russia's school year, when students often accompanied by parents arrive with flowers for their new teachers. The school covers grades but Dzgoyev said that most of the children taken hostage were under 14 years old. Shortly after 9 a.m., the attackers drove up in a covered truck similar to those used for military transport. Gunfire broke out, and at least three teachers and two police were wounded, said Alexei Polyan-ska police spokesman for southern Russia. 1, y, Most of the hostages were herded into the school gym, but others primarily children were ordered to stand at the windows, he said. He said most of the militants were wearing suicide-bom- b belts. At least 12 children and one adult managed to escape after hiding in the building's boiler room during the raid, said Rus-la- n Ayamov, spokesman for North Ossetia's Interior Ministry. Media reports suggested that as many as 50 other children fled in the chaos as the attackers were the raiding the school "I was standing near the music was playing gates when I saw three armed people running with guns. At first I though it was a joke, when they fired in the air and we fled," a teenage witness, Zarubek Tsumartov, said on Russian televisioa Hours after the seizure, the militants sent out a blank videotape, a message saying "Wait" and a note with a cell phone number, Russian officials and media said. Andreyev, the federal security official, said "for a long time we could not make contact" with the attackers, but that authorities reached them by phone and that "negotiations are being held now." . Andreyev said there might 0 be captives, while an official at the Emergency Situations Ministry branch for southern Russia said authorities believed the number was 336. Earlier, officials had said up to 400 people were taken captive. "The main task is to free the children alive and everybody located there, but the most important thing is the children," he said. He said the hostage-taker-s had refused offers of food and water. Lev Dzugayev, an aide to North Ossetia's president, said brief contact with the captors indicated they were treating the children "more or less acceptably" and were holding them separately from the adults. Dzugayev said the attackers might be from Chechnya or another neighboring region, Ingushetia; relations between Ingush and Ossetians have been tense since an armed conflict in 1992. But in Washington, a US. official speaking on condition of anonymity said the hostage-taker- s were believed to be Chechen rebels. A representative of Asian Mashkhadov, a rebel leader elected president of Chechnya in 1997, denied involvement in a statement on a separatist Web 120-30- site. "Flip-flo- flip-flop- ," mo- tioned the delegates as they voiced their disdain for Bush's rival. With two months remaining in a close election, and the pool of undecided voters a small one, Republicans relished the onDortunirv to nlace a Democ- rat out front at their convert tion. They had their man in Miller, a conservative who minces no words and delivered a keynote address a dozen years ago in the same in service of Democrat Bill Clinton. said. Republicans took care to stipulate they weren't questioning the patriotism of Bush's rival, who won five military medals in the Vietnam War'. But their attack was unsparing as they dissected his record on war and taxes over a career in politics, from lieutenant governor in Massachusetts to four terms in the Senate. "During his 20 years in Washington, John Kerrynev-e- r met a tax increase he didn't like," said Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin "... This is one place where John Kerry never 35-ye- flip-flops-." "I'm proud to be from Mass--' achusetts, where John Kerry will be the junior senator until': 2008," said Gov. Mitt Romney." Cheney and Miller did the heavy lifting, though, on the' third night of a convention h carefully scripted to Bush's image as a commander in chief worthy of four more years while wounding his De- -' mocratic challenger. "In all that we do, we will -never lose sight of the great-es- t challenge of our time: Preserving the freedom and secu- -' rity of this nation against determined enemies," the vice president said. A dozen years ago, Miller stood before a national convention in the Garden and said, "I am a Democrat because we are the party of hope." ' That wasthen. This is now: "Time after time-iour history, in the face of ;, great danger, Democrats and " -Republicans worked together to ensure that freedom would not falter," Miller said in speech for GOP loyalists. "But " not today. Motivated more by partisan politics than by nation- al security, today's Democratic' leaders see America as an not a liberator." "Twenty years of votes can ' tell you much more about a man than twentv weeks of campaign rhetoric. Campaign ': talk tells people who you want them to think you are, he said. "How you vote tells peo-- " pie who you really are deep inspit-polis- - side." (T 070 U) off 1MT0BE ST1 MEN'S SPRING SUITS DRESS SLACKS SPORTCOATS It Final seasonal reductions on famous makers and Dillard's own fine brands. Lightweight pure worsted wool and comfortable wool blends. Many colors available, 38-5- 2 regular, 40-5- 2 long. merchandise not included. Nominal fee for Basic alterations on all sale merchandise. Selection varies by store. Limited to stock on hand. non-season- al worn W - In Provo, v 10-aH DWarfs locations. Shop Tuesday-Saturda- y Sunday 1M and Labor Day 9--9 In Salt Lake City at Fashion Place and South Town Center. In Ogden, at Newgate Matt. In Logan, at Cache Valley Mail In St George, We welcome youf Dillard's Creclt Card, Tha American Express Card, Diners Club International, Mastercard? 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