Ironduke

Russia crashes: Explosives found

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Traces of explosives have been found in the wreckage of one of the two Russian passenger jets that crashed Tuesday, killing 89 people aboard both aircraft, the Federal Security Service tells CNN.

Without elaborating, the FSB -- the country's top intelligence agency -- also says it has identified some suspects.

Based on the findings, the FSB says it believes terrorism is to blame for the crash of the Siberian Airlines Tupolev 154, bound for the Black Sea resort of Sochi, killing all 46 on board.

Siberia Airlines said on its Web site that its air traffic control center notified it that the Tu-154 had activated a hijack alert.

The two planes crashed within minutes of each other Tuesday night after departing Moscow's Domodedovo Airport, killing all aboard.

According to Russian media reports quoting security sources and Chechnya's interior minister, a Chechen woman was the last passenger to board the Siberian Airlines plane and had purchased her ticket an hour before the flight departed.

The body of the 27-year-old Grozny resident is the only one that has not been claimed by family members, according to the media reports.

Through a spokesman, Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov has denied any involvement in the plane crashes.

The crashes also took place ahead of a regional election in the rebellious southern territory of Chechnya, where Russian troops have battled separatist guerrillas for the past five years.

Chechen separatists have been blamed for numerous bombings and other attacks in Russia in recent years, including the seizure of hundreds of hostages at a Moscow theater that ended with more than 100 hostages dead.

Russian media report the tentative analysis of the Siberia Airlines wreckage shows the presence of hexagene, an element used by Chechens in past attacks.

The first plane, a Volga-Avia Express Tupolev 134, was en route to Volgograd when disappeared from radar at 10:56 p.m. (2:56 p.m. ET) Tuesday. Its wreckage was found about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Moscow near Tula, according to Russia's Emergency Ministry.

The Siberian Tu-154 was about 100 miles (160 km) from Rostov-on-Don when it dropped off radar screens at 10:59 p.m., the state news agency Novosti reported. Russian officials said the crash site spread over a 25 mile (40 km) radius.

The two crash sites were about 450 miles (725 km) apart.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had been vacation in Sochi when the planes crashed and returned to Moscow on Wednesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe...ash/index.html

Confed999

I was so hoping it was some strange accident....

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