21.   Russian officials have denied the soldiers acted improperly in Samashky.

22.   Salvadoran and U.S. officials have always said the soldiers acted on their own.

23.   Salvadoran officials insist the soldiers acted on their own.

24.   Speaking at a news conference, Wiranto said, however, that any soldiers involved had acted individually and not under official orders.

25.   Speaking earlier on Polish radio, Szmajdzinski said the soldiers would act primarily in a support role rather than take on combat missions.

26.   The army said later in a statement the soldiers had acted correctly.

27.   The army said the soldiers acted properly to protect themselves.

28.   The government has defended itself against accusations that the troops intervened prematurely, saying the soldiers acted after the kidnappers started killing the hostages.

29.   The Israeli military said a preliminary investigation showed that the soldiers acted improperly, opening fire on children violating a curfew.

30.   They believe that the soldiers acted to defend the Bosnian Croat population and should not be charged with war crimes, protest organizer Ivica Sivic said.