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Russia Confirms Bomb Brought Down Plane in Egypt Russia Says Bomb Downed Plane in Egypt and Intensifies Attacks on ISIS
(34 minutes later)
MOSCOW — Hours after confirming for the first time on Tuesday that a homemade bomb brought down a Russian charter jet over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt more than two weeks ago, killing all 224 people aboard, Russia joined France in bombing Islamic State targets in Syria. MOSCOW — Hours after confirming for the first time on Tuesday that a bomb brought down a Russian charter jet over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt more than two weeks ago, killing all 224 people aboard, Russia joined France in bombing Islamic State targets in Syria.
For a second straight day French warplanes hit a command post and a recruitment center for jihadists in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa, Syria, the French Ministry of Defense announced on its website, while Russian news reports said a Russian submarine had fired cruise missiles at Islamic State targets in the same area. For a second straight day French warplanes hit a command post and a recruitment center for jihadists in an Islamic State stronghold, Raqqa, the French Ministry of Defense announced on its website, while Russian news reports said a Russian submarine had fired cruise missiles at Islamic State targets in the same area.
Russia struck Raqqa with advanced Kalibr cruise missiles launched from a submarine in the eastern Mediterranean, the RBC news agency reported, citing sources in the Russian Defense Ministry. The agency said it was the first time Russia had fired cruise missiles from a submarine during a war.Russia struck Raqqa with advanced Kalibr cruise missiles launched from a submarine in the eastern Mediterranean, the RBC news agency reported, citing sources in the Russian Defense Ministry. The agency said it was the first time Russia had fired cruise missiles from a submarine during a war.
There were also news agency reports of Russian fighter-bombers hitting Islamic State targets in Syria, but those could not be confirmedThere were also news agency reports of Russian fighter-bombers hitting Islamic State targets in Syria, but those could not be confirmed
The strike came after President Vladimir V. Putin ordered an intensification of attacks following Russian confirmation that the crash of a Russian Airbus A321 in Egypt had been a terrorist attack. The strike came after President Vladimir V. Putin ordered an intensification of attacks following Russian confirmation that the crash of the Airbus A321 in Egypt had been caused by a terrorist attack.
After hedging for 17 days, Russian officials acknowledged on Tuesday that the passenger jet had been downed by a bomb. “We can say definitely that this was a terrorist act,” Alexander V. Bortnikov, the head of the Federal Security Service, or F.S.B., said in remarks to Russia’s Security Council Monday night and broadcast nationally on Tuesday morning. In Washington, a Defense Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss another nation’s military strikes, confirmed that the Russians had provided notice before waging “a significant number of strikes in Raqqa” that may have included the use of sea-launched cruise missiles and long-range bombers.
An “improvised explosive device” had detonated soon after the plane took off from the resort city of Sharm el Sheikh, he said, adding that “the plane disintegrated in midair, which explains the widely scattered fuselage pieces.” The official said the notice was in accordance with safety protocols that the United States and Russia agreed to in October that are intended to prevent accidents and ensure safe separation during operations in Syria. The United States has not abandoned any operations because of the Russian strikes, the official said.
British and American intelligence agencies reached much the same conclusion within days after the Metrojet Airbus A321 exploded and crashed on Oct. 31. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, claimed responsibility for the attack within hours, although it did not provide any proof. On Tuesday, after hedging for 17 days, Russian officials acknowledged that the passenger jet had been downed by a bomb. “We can say definitely that this was a terrorist act,” Alexander V. Bortnikov, the head of the Federal Security Service, or F.S.B., said in remarks to Russia’s Security Council Monday night that were broadcast nationally on Tuesday morning.
An “improvised explosive device” detonated soon after the plane took off from the resort city of Sharm el Sheikh, he said, adding that “the plane disintegrated in midair, which explains the widely scattered fuselage pieces.”
British and American intelligence agencies reached much the same conclusion within days after the Metrojet plane crashed on Oct. 31. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, claimed responsibility for the attack within hours, although it did not provide any proof.
The announcement from the Kremlin was the first, clearly definitive statement from Russia that the plane was brought down by a terrorist act, although leaders had been moving in that direction after initially criticizing early suggestions that a bomb was responsible.The announcement from the Kremlin was the first, clearly definitive statement from Russia that the plane was brought down by a terrorist act, although leaders had been moving in that direction after initially criticizing early suggestions that a bomb was responsible.
Asked if Russia had concluded that the Islamic State was behind the attack, Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said the group had exported terrorism to other countries but that Russia could not say definitively that the Islamic State was responsible, the RIA Novosti news agency reported. Asked if Russia had concluded that the Islamic State was behind the attack, Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said it would not could not say definitively that the group was responsible, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Most tourist flights to the Red Sea resort have been suspended since the crash because of security concerns that a member of airport staff was able to slip the bomb on board. Most tourist flights to the Red Sea resort have been suspended since the crash because of concerns that a member of the airport staff may have been able to slip the bomb on board.
The bomb contained up to 1 kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of TNT, Mr. Bortnikov said, adding that “foreign made” explosive material was found on parts of the plane and other objects that were examined. The bomb contained up to one kilogram — or 2.2 pounds — of TNT, Mr. Bortnikov said, adding that “foreign made” explosive material was found on parts of the plane and other objects that were examined.
Russia has offered $50 million for any information leading to the capture of those who carried out the attack, and President Vladimir V. Putin vowed to track them down. Russia has offered $50 million for any information leading to the capture of those who carried out the attack, and Mr. Putin vowed to track them down. “We will search for them everywhere, no matter where they are hiding,” he said at a meeting with his security council that was broadcast on national television. “We will find them in any place on the planet and will punish them.”
“We will search for them everywhere, no matter where they are hiding,” Mr. Putin said at a meeting with his security council that was broadcast on national television. “We will find them in any place on the planet and will punish them.” Mr. Putin said the attacks by the Russian Air Force in Syria would intensify. “Our military work in Syria must not only be continued, but strengthened so that criminals understand that punishment is inevitable,” he said. The Ministry of Defense and the military have been ordered to draw up plans, he said.
Mr. Putin said the attacks by the Russian air force in Syria would not only continue but intensify. “Our military work in Syria must not only be continued, but strengthened so that criminals understand that punishment is inevitable,” he said. In claiming responsibility for the downing of the plane, the Islamic State branch on the Sinai Peninsula said it had come in retaliation for Russia’s deployment of its military in Syria, where it has been trying to shore up the rule of President Bashar al-Assad by attacking his opponents, though not primarily the Islamic State.
The Ministry of Defense and the military had been ordered to draw up plans, he said. By early Tuesday afternoon, Egyptian officials had yet to comment on the Russian allegations, except to deny a news report stating that employees at the Sharm El Sheikh airport had been detained in connection to the bombing. The Reuters report, citing two security officials, said that 17 employees had been detained, and quoted one official as saying two of them were “suspected of helping whoever planted the bomb on the plane.”
In claiming responsibility, the Islamic State branch on the Sinai Peninsula said the attack came in retaliation for Russia’s deployment of its military in Syria, where it has been trying to shore up the rule of President Bashar al-Assad by attacking his opponents, though not primarily the Islamic State.
By early Tuesday afternoon, Egyptian officials had yet to comment on the Russian allegations, except to deny a news report stating that employees at the Sharm El Sheikh airport had been detained in connection to the bombing. The report, by Reuters and citing two security officials, said that 17 employees had been detained, including two employees who were “suspected of helping whoever planted the bomb on the plane,” one of the officials told Reuters.
Egypt’s Interior Ministry and its civil aviation authority quickly issued statements denying the report, with the Interior Ministry saying it was “devoid of truth.” The statements did not detail what investigations, if any, were taking place at the airport.Egypt’s Interior Ministry and its civil aviation authority quickly issued statements denying the report, with the Interior Ministry saying it was “devoid of truth.” The statements did not detail what investigations, if any, were taking place at the airport.
Egyptian officials have dismissed the possibility of terrorism, sometimes suggesting that theories of a militant attack are part of an international conspiracy against their country.Egyptian officials have dismissed the possibility of terrorism, sometimes suggesting that theories of a militant attack are part of an international conspiracy against their country.
Confirmation that a bomb brought down the plane — and was presumably smuggled through the Sharm el-Sheikh airport — would represent a devastating blow to the country’s vital tourism industry, and would undermine government claims that the authorities are prevailing in the war against militants based in the Sinai Peninsula. Confirmation that a bomb brought down the plane — and was presumably smuggled through the airport — could prove a devastating blow to the country’s vital tourism industry, and would undermine government claims that the authorities are prevailing in the war against militants based in the Sinai Peninsula.