Beslan Massacre Mastermind Basayev Dead

Breaking news from Russia. Smile, everyone! This is a good day.

From RIA Novosti:

Russia's security service said Monday that 12 militants had been killed in the southern republic of Ingushetia during a security services operation last night, and that four of the bodies, including terrorist leader Shamil Basayev, had been identified.

"Identified among the killed militants were Shamil Basayev, Isa Kushtov, Ali Taziyev, and Tarkhan Gazhiyev," the Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

Basayev had claimed responsibility for the 2004 Beslan school siege and the 2002 Moscow theater attack.

As everyone surely remembers, the Beslan school siege was the murders of 331 people , including 186 children, in September 2004. Although Basayev is blamed for other atrocities, the Beslan massacre is arguably the most heinous.

Basayev's corpse will undergo DNA analysis to confirm his identity.