MOSCOW, October 23 (RIA Novosti) - A ceremony will be held in Moscow on Friday to commemorate victims of the 2002 terrorist attack on a Moscow theater that left 130 people dead.
In October 2002, some 40 terrorists took hostage an audience of over 900 people at the Dubrovka theater in southeast Moscow. After three days of negotiations Russian security forces released an undisclosed gas, which is believed to have caused complications and led to the deaths of some of the hostages, to disable the terrorists before storming the building.
"For several years, people come to lay flowers at the site of the tragedy. They light up candles and remember those killed in the tragedy," as source in the local prefecture said.
The official memorial service will be held on Monday. At 10:00 a.m. Moscow time [06:00 GMT] 130 white balloons will be launched in the air. The names of the victims will be read later.
A church memorial service will be held at noon Moscow time [09:00 GMT].
