Saudis Storm Hijacked Russian Plane

M E D I N A, Saudi Arabia, March 16 -- Three people were killed as Saudi troops stormed a hijacked Russian airliner and freed more than 100 passengers today, officials said.

"The operation ended and the hostages are freed," said anofficial at the Medina airport.

But there were diverging reports of just who had died in the raid on the plane, seized after it took off from Istanbul on Thursday by hijackers who issued demands that Russia end its tough military campaign in the rebel Muslim region of Chechnya.

The Saudi Interior Ministry said one hijacker and twohostages were killed when Saudi security forces stormed theplane.

Abdul Aziz Mahmoud Masalhi, a senior member of the medicalteam at Medina airport, told reporters: "Three hijackers,including one woman, were killed. One hijacker was arrested and several passengers injured."

In Moscow, a senior Russian official said the dead were apassenger, a crew member and a hijacker.

"According to our information, three people died during theoperation — one of the terrorists, the youngest one, a female flight attendant and one Turkish passenger," the Russian said.

Witnesses saw a handcuffed man in his 20s being driven outof the airport in an ambulance. The freed hostages were taken away on four buses.

Weary Passengers

One Russian woman passenger said after being taken to ahotel in Medina: "I saw three hijackers. They treated us well, but sometimes they threatened to blow up the plane. We were frightened and worried. I am tired now."

One woman who was in tears refused to talk. Other freedhostages gathered in the lobby of the hotel chatting.

A Saudi security man who said he had taken part in theattack said none of the Saudi troops had been hurt.

The aircraft had been bound for Moscow with 162 passengersand 12 crew when it was seized. More than 40 hostages werereported released or escaped in Medina before it was stormed.

Tough Negotiations

The rescue raid followed tough negotiations. Shortly beforethe storming, hijackers were shown on television talking with a Saudi negotiator on the steps of the plane, parked in a remote part of the airport runway.