- Title: GERMANY: GERMAN DOCTOR SUSPECTS ANAESTHETIC USED TO END MOSCOW THEATRE SIEGE.
- Date: 29th October 2002
- Summary: (EU) MUNICH, GERMANY (OCTOBER 28, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. CU/GV: EXTERIOR CLINIC; SIGN (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. GV/PAN: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH PAN ACROSS TO PROFESSOR THOMAS ZILKER, HEAD OF THE TOXICOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF MUNICH'S UNIVERSITY CLINIC 0.19 3. MCU: SOUNDBITE (German) PROFESSOR THOMAS ZILKER, HEAD OF THE TOXICOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF MUNICH'S UNIVERSITY CLINIC SAYING: "I thought of laughing gas at first, I'm not sure anymore, but laughing gas would cause a very lot of oxygen to be displaced. I can't imagine that other anaesthetic gases could be used in such concentrations so quickly. I can't imagine they would risk more toxic gases or carbon dioxide due to the risk of asphyxiation. It can't be ruled out that the Russians have developed a gas which is secret, but I think it is more likely to be an older anaesthetic, similar to chloroform, although it certainly wasn't chloroform. I wouldn't rule out laughing gas, but it remains a puzzle." 1.02 4. MV: JOURNALISTS 1.07 5. MCU: SOUNDBITE (German) PROFESSOR THOMAS ZILKER, HEAD OF THE TOXICOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF MUNICHS UNIVERSITY CLINIC SAYING: "I agree with you completely, I don't think the Russian authorities believed there would be no further casualties (if they used gas). They probably believed it was a better solution than blowing everything up." 1.25 6. GV: JOURNALISTS SEATED; WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (2 SHOTS) 1.34 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th November 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVAC5EZVCXZIAEL9CNYD6HOW7LHQ
- Story Text: A toxicologist in Germany who has treated two patients
in Munich involved in the Moscow hostage situation believes
the gas used may have been secretly developed by Russia and
was an anaesthetic, possibly a form of chloroform.
Professor Thomas Zilker, head of the toxicology
department of Munich's university clinic where the two
German's freed from the hostage taking are under medical
supervision, held a news conference on Monday (October 28)
He said he expected the patients to be released in the
next few days. The two Germans, a man and a woman who were
flown out of Russia early on Sunday after the hostage drama
ended, are under medical supervision in the southern German
town of Munich.
The government has so far refused to name the gas which
special troops used to knock out the rebels on Saturday
morning (October 26) before they could detonate explosives
strapped to their bodies in the Moscow theatre they seized
three days earlier.
"I thought of laughing gas at first, I'm not sure
anymore, but laughing gas would cause a very lot of oxygen to
be displaced. I can't imagine that other anaesthetic gases
could be used in such concentrations so quickly. I can't
imagine they would risk more toxic gases or carbon dioxide due
to the risk of asphyxiation. It can't be ruled out that the
Russians have developed a gas which is secret, but I think it
is more likely to be an older anaesthetic, similar to
chloroform, although it certainly wasn't chloroform. I
wouldn't rule out laughing gas, but it remains a puzzle," he
said.
Early reports said around 10 hostages had died, suggesting
the operation was more successful than had seemed possible.
But then the death toll hit 67, then over 90, before
reaching 117 on Sunday. Only two died from gunshots. Not all
the bodies of the victims have been identified so far. Moscow
prosecutor's office organised an identification point where
relatives were asked to bring photos and the description of
clothing of those who were still missing.
"I agree with you completely, I don't think the Russian
authorities believed there would be no further casualties (if
they used gas). They probably believed it was a better
solution than blowing everything up," he added.
A failure to identify the gas -- and claims that it was
similar to anaesthetics used in surgery -- also reinforced a
long-standing image of Russian secrecy and disinformation.
Security forces have never responded with anything like
the mystery poison used by Russia on Saturday, which knocked
out female Chechen guerrillas before they could detonate
explosives strapped to their chests -- and killed at least 115
hostages.
CAH/
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