Egypt's Sisi, for first time, says Russian plane was brought down by terrorists

Record ID: 113364

  • Title: Egypt's Sisi, for first time, says Russian plane was brought down by terrorists
  • Date: 24th February 2016
  • Summary: AL HASNA, EGYPT (FILE - NOVEMBER 1, 2015) (REUTERS) CRASH SITE, INVESTIGATORS AND OFFICIALS AROUND WRECKAGE VARIOUS OF DEBRIS / RUSSIAN EMERGENCIES MINISTER VLADIMIR PUCHKOV IN BACKGROUND PUCHKOV AND EGYPTIAN SOLDIERS VARIOUS OF RUSSIAN INVESTIGATORS AT SITE DEBRIS EGYPT MILITARY AIRCRAFT FLYING OVER CRASH SITE VARIOUS OF DEBRIS VARIOUS OF LUGGAGE VARIOUS OF SHOES ON GROUN
  • Embargoed: 10th March 2016 15:19
  • Keywords: Egypt plane crash Abdel Fattah al-Sisi terrorism
  • Location: CAIRO AND AL HASNA, EGYPT
  • City: CAIRO AND AL HASNA, EGYPT
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents
  • Reuters ID: LVA00245UOJT3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
    Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Wednesday (February 24) that the Russian plane that crashed in Sinai last year was downed by terrorists seeking to damage Egypt's tourism industry and relations with Moscow.
    "Has terrorism ended, no it has not, but it will if we unite. Whoever downed the Russian plane, what did he mean? He meant to hit tourism, and to hit relations with Russia," Sisi said in a televised speech.
    The comments were the first official Egyptian indication that the plane was deliberately downed.
    Moscow stopped all civilian flights to Egypt, a popular destination for Russian tourists, after a Russian airplane crashed in Sinai on Oct. 31 killing all 224 people on board.
    Russia said a bomb brought down the flight and Islamic State said it smuggled the explosive aboard concealed in a soft drink can. But an Egyptian-led investigation had said it has yet to find evidence of foul play.
    The official Egyptian confirmation that a bomb brought down the Airbus A321 could potentially expose Egypt to compensation payments to the families of the victims.
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