Bush if Chechen Basayev killed, 'he deserved it'

WASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) - President George W Bush today said if Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev was killed, ''he deserved it.'' Russian officials said Basayev, who claimed responsibility for the bloody Beslan school siege in 2004, was killed in an operation by special forces.

''If he is in fact the person who ordered the killing of children in Beslan, he deserved it,'' Bush said.

US authorities were still gathering details on whether it was Basayev who was killed, he said.

REUTERS PDS RAI0215