The terrorist group, which seized a school in the North Ossetian town of Beslan, consisted of 32 people and was led by the"Colonel", a close aide of Basayev, according to the experts.

    The experts said none of the terrorists escaped. One was captured and the other 31, including two women suicide bombers, were killed.

    Several terrorists were identified as the gunmen who had taken part in an attack on Ingush law enforcement agencies in June.

    Intelligence reports quoted by Itar-Tass said the terrorist group was one of the most efficient groups among the units commanded by Basayev, with the "Colonel" being his closest associate and deputy. The identity of the "Colonel" and his accomplices is currently being established by the experts who suspect he may be one Magomet Yevloyev, a close aide of Basayev.

    But the experts, charged with investigating the terrorist attack, said they could currently neither confirm nor deny that Yevloyev may have been among the terrorists.

    Yevloyev is nicknamed "Magas" and is believed to have participated in the attack in Ingushetia.

    An officer from the Federal Security Service earlier said there was one dark-skinned militant and nine Arab nationals among the terrorists,

    The experts said that judging by facial characteristics, the Arabs may be from Sudan or southern Yemen where al-Qaeda traditionally recruits new operatives.

    According to information acquired by Russian secret services, the hostage-taking in Beslan was funded by one of the Wahhabism ideologists, Abu Omar al-Seif, al-Qaeda's liaison in Chechnya.