I would just like to make the point that although any situation involving hostages automattically induces the word terrorists they were not terrorists. The reason, they were members of the Chechen rebel force which is currently in a state of civil war with Russia. This means that although their actions were of terror, they were not terrorists and although the news used the word terrorest every third sylible they should not be classed as that.
That's like saying 'even though he murdered someone, he's not a murderer.'. Completely wrong. They are EXACTLY that - murderers and terrorists. They have brought their fued beyond the reasonable grounds of fighting Russian armed forces, to capturing and murdering civilians. The Chechens are NOT Russians, they are not in a CIVIL war with Russia. They're their own people, who want Russia out of their turf, and if they can kill as many of the Russian Christian infidels along the way - goody. They are in close ties with the Arab\Muslim world outside, including Al Qaueda, by the way, they live by the laws of Islam, follow the doctrine of the Muslim Ummah (i.e, Islamic world domination)... sorry, but this is exactly like what's going on in other parts of the world.

Those people are TERRORISTS, MURDERERS, and denying that is like burying your head in the sand.