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F.B.I. to Help Russia Investigate Plane Crash in Egypt F.B.I. to Help Russia Investigate Plane Crash in Egypt
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — In an unusual partnership, the F.B.I. has agreed to help the Russian government with its investigation into the deadly crash of a Russian charter plane in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, senior American officials said on Saturday. WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. has agreed to help the Russian government with its investigation into the deadly crash of a Russian charter plane in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, senior American officials said on Saturday.
The Russians need the Americans’ assistance in analyzing the forensics from the plane, an Airbus A321-200, to determine what brought it down, the officials said. It is not clear whether the information will be passed through the F.B.I. agents based at the United States Embassy in Moscow or come through Egypt or another country, like France. The Russians are requesting the Americans’ assistance in analyzing the forensics from the debris of the plane, an Airbus A321-200, to determine what brought it down, the officials said.
American law enforcement officials said the Russians were very capable investigators who often do not need help from others to determine what occurred. Some American officials interpreted the request as a sign that the Russians had hit a dead-end with the investigation. It is rare for the Russians to make such a request, first reported Friday by CBS News, and some American officials interpreted it as a sign of the challenges facing investigators.
On the other hand, although American-Russian relations are at one of their lowest points since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the F.B.I. and the Russian F.S.B. often work together on terrorism issues as they see a common enemy in Muslim extremists like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. In Syria, both countries are working to defeat ISIS. Moreover, although the F.B.I. and its Russian counterpart, the F.S.B., often work together on terrorism issues when they see a common enemy — in Muslim extremist groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, for example — American-Russian relations are at one of their lowest points since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The head of the Egyptian-led committee investigating the crash of a Russian charter plane over the Sinai Peninsula said Saturday that investigators were focusing on a sound heard in the last second of a 23-minute cockpit voice recording, but insisted that it was still premature to consider any specific explanations. In Cairo on Saturday, the head of the Egyptian-led committee investigating the crash said investigators were focusing on a sound heard in the last second of a 23-minute cockpit voice recording, but insisted that it was still premature to consider any specific explanations.
At a news conference in Cairo, Ayman al-Muqaddam, the head of the committee, confirmed previously reported data about the Oct. 31 crash, which killed all 224 aboard, and said 58 investigators and technical advisers from Egypt and France, Russia, Ireland and Germany were working on the inquiry. At a news conference, Ayman al-Muqaddam, the head of the committee, confirmed previously reported data about the Oct. 31 crash, which killed all 224 aboard, and said 58 investigators and technical advisers from Egypt and France, Russia, Ireland and Germany were working on the inquiry.
He did not elaborate on the sound on the recording, and emphasized that all possibilities were being considered. When asked specifically what was being looked at, Mr. Muqaddam listed as possibilities a lithium battery explosion in a passenger’s luggage, a fuel tank explosion, fuselage fatigue or “the explosion of anything.”He did not elaborate on the sound on the recording, and emphasized that all possibilities were being considered. When asked specifically what was being looked at, Mr. Muqaddam listed as possibilities a lithium battery explosion in a passenger’s luggage, a fuel tank explosion, fuselage fatigue or “the explosion of anything.”
“We can say that an in-flight breakup took place,” Mr. Muqaddam said. “Saying more than this would be entering the space of inference.”“We can say that an in-flight breakup took place,” Mr. Muqaddam said. “Saying more than this would be entering the space of inference.”
He said nothing about the theory that a terrorist bomb brought down the plane, an explanation that has been endorsed by Britain and that President Obama has said he is taking “very seriously.”He said nothing about the theory that a terrorist bomb brought down the plane, an explanation that has been endorsed by Britain and that President Obama has said he is taking “very seriously.”
The Airbus A321-200, flown by the Russian airline Metrojet, was on its way from the Red Sea resort town Sharm el Sheikh to Moscow when it disappeared from radar screens at about 30,000 feet. Egypt, which is highly dependent on the money tourists bring to Sharm el Sheikh, has dismissed any suggestion that a bomb exploded on the plane. The plane, flown by the Russian airline Metrojet, was on its way from the Red Sea resort town Sharm el Sheikh to Moscow when it disappeared from radar screens at about 30,000 feet. Egypt, which is highly dependent on the money tourists bring to Sharm el Sheikh, has dismissed any suggestion that a bomb exploded on the plane.
In an apparent reference to the bomb theory, Mr. Muqaddam said that some media reports “claimed to be based on official intelligence that favors a certain scenario for the cause of the accident,” and that Egypt had not been provided with that information. After fielding two questions he left hurriedly, saying, “Please, people are waiting for me!”In an apparent reference to the bomb theory, Mr. Muqaddam said that some media reports “claimed to be based on official intelligence that favors a certain scenario for the cause of the accident,” and that Egypt had not been provided with that information. After fielding two questions he left hurriedly, saying, “Please, people are waiting for me!”