BESLAN, September 1 (RIA Novosti) - The Mothers of Beslan committee, a group of women who lost their children in the hostage-taking tragedy last September, has denied any role in an appeal for political asylum that was disseminated this morning in the name of the committee, the chairman told a news conference.
"It is an opinion expressed by several members of the committee rather than a collective decision," Zhulieta Basiyeva said.
"We have seen the statement and considered it, but we never intended to distribute it," she added.
The statement, which was distributed among foreign journalists during mourning ceremonies in Beslan, contained an appeal for political asylum "in any country where human rights are upheld." The statement said 500 signatures had been gathered in support of it, but nobody has actually seen them.
