"Russians Seek Release of Relatives' Bodies"

[GreenPartyVoter]

ALCHIK, Russia (AP) - Hundreds of black-clad, mostly elderly people gathered Sunday outside the prosecutors' office in the southern Russian city of Nalchik, demanding the release of the bodies of relatives killed during a raid by alleged Islamic extremists.

Many feared they would never see their relatives' bodies. According to Russian law, terrorists' bodies are not returned to their families and some in the crowd alleged that their relatives had been unfairly identified as participants in the militant raid.

"Give back the bodies of our children so that we can bury them," said a petition the crowd passed to prosecutors.

The demand came two days after militants attacked police and government buildings in Nalchik, sparking fighting that killed at least 130 people, including 94 alleged attackers, according to official tallies.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20051016/D8D974P00.html