Former hostages dispute about terrorism prevention centre opened in Beslan

The opening of a terrorism prevention centre at the Beslan School has sparked a mixed reaction among the victims. The school territory should have been preserved, says Emma Tagaeva. In his turn, Misikov believes that the centre is necessary in order to preserve the memory of the terror act.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on the 20th anniversary of the terror act, a cultural and patriotic terrorism prevention centre entitled "Beslan. School No. 1" was opened in Beslan. Twenty years later, authorities have still failed to answer how the terrorists managed to organize the 2004 school capture, where more than 300 people perished, journalists have noted.

Emma Tagaeva (Betrozova) and other activists of the "Voice of Beslan" did not take part in the official events on the anniversary of the terror act. She complained that the school appearance had changed greatly; and that important parts of the building destroyed during the assault had been lost during the reconstruction.

"The buildings were erected not next to the school, but instead of the part of the school building that bore traces of tank shots. Those who visit the school now have no question as before: who destroyed the buildings? Hundreds of millions of roubles were allocated for this cleanup of traces of the crime. And this cleanup was called the centre for countering terrorism," she has stated.

The "Beslan. School No. 1" Centre plans to hold roundtables, memorial meetings and other events intended to preserve the memory of the victims of terror and to form a rejection of terrorist ideology, Sergey Menyailo, the head of North Ossetia, has written in his Telegram channel.