World News 05-10-2001 Russian Plane In Mystery Mid-Air Blast who: President Vladimir Putin what: Says terrorists may be to blame for Sibir Air crash where: The Black Sea when: Yesterday snippet: "A Russian airliner exploded and plunged into the Black Sea yesterday killing all 78 people on board," reports The Telegraph. "Terrorism was immediately suspected but America said the plane had been shot down by a misfired Ukrainian missile." Sibir Air flight 1812, a Tupolev TU-154 jet en route from Tel Aviv to Siberia "was said to have veered off course by 9.35am as it flew over the Black Sea," reports The Sun, "where Ukrainian forces were aiming live missiles at some 20 drone robot planes." A passing Armenian pilot says he saw the airliner explode in mid-air. "Ukrainian officials denied responsibility," says The Guardian, "and Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, said it was possible that the plane had been targeted by terrorists." Supporters of terrorist Osama bin Laden are known to operate in the region, says The Independent, "and make no secret that they consider Israel, and Jews in general, as targets." "Another theory for the crash is that the plane simply suffered mechanical failure," says the BBC, who correspondent Jonathan Charles says "Russian airlines generally have a poorer safety record than their Western counterparts." [... more]

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