Russian forces dispatched to Moscow bank hostage-taking

Moscow, Aug 24 (AFP) Russian special forces weredispatched to a bank in downtown Moscow late today where a manhad taken four people hostage, local police said. Moscow police said they were able to negotiate therelease of two of the hostages, both employees of the bank,shortly after 1700 GMT, but did not reveal how they werefreed. According to police the drama began when a man entered aCitibank branch, located just one kilometre away from theKremlin, shortly before 1600 GMT and was understood to havetaken four people hostage — three bank employees and onecustomer. An unnamed sourced in law enforcement told Russian newsagencies that the hostage taker, whose identity has not beendisclosed, was apparently inebriated and had threatened toblow up the bank. Police told RIA Novosti state news agency that thehostage taker had an "unidentified object" attached to hisneck. Investigators said they had opened a criminal probe intothe incident and that the two freed hostages were beingquestioned. (AFP)APK