Reports: U.S. Intelligence Believes ISIS Bomb Likely Brought Down Doomed Russian Jet
Citing U.S. intelligence sources, CNN and NBC News report that a bomb planted by ISIS or an ISIS affiliate was most likely what caused Metrojet Flight 9268 to disintegrate mid-air over the Sinai Peninsula last weekend.
NBC News: Evidence indicates a bomb brought down Russian Metrojet; investigators focusing on ISIS or sympathizers’ involvement - US official
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) November 4, 2015
The assessment was reached, the official said, by looking back at intelligence reports that had been gathered before Saturday’s plane crash and intelligence gathered since then. The United States did not have credible or verified intelligence of a specific threat prior to the crash, however, the official said, prior to the incident, “there had been additional activity in Sinai that had caught our attention.”
The official did emphasize that there’s been no formal conclusion; instead, they said, there is a “definite feeling it was an explosive device planted in luggage or somewhere on the plane.”
The St. Petersburg-bound flight crashed Saturday just 23 minutes after taking off from the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 people aboard.
UPDATE 4:55 pm: The Associated Press and CBS News have similar reports.
AP confirms that US intelligence agencies have preliminary evidence, including intercepts, suggesting a bomb brought down the Russian plane.
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianAP) November 4, 2015
