“We have concluded there was a significant possibility that that crash was caused by an explosive device on board the aircraft”.
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The Sinai-based group “Sinai State” that had announced loyalty to the IS said in a statement posted on Twitter that its militants managed to target the Russian plane and killed all its passengers.
Speaking with a Russian television station, the director of the Intergovernmental Aviation Committee, Viktor Sorochenko, said the plane was destroyed while mid-air, leading others to question if it may have had a bomb on board.
Meanwhile, Syrian government offensives backed by Russian air strikes have displaced at least 120,000 people in the war-wracked country, a senior United States official said on Wednesday, accusing Moscow of complicating the situation on the ground. Neither Wednesday’s claim nor an earlier one immediately after the crash said how ISIS is supposed to have brought down the plane.
But the official added that there has not been a formal conclusion reached by the USA intelligence community on the cause of the crash.
“US investigators are taking a more cautious approach as they review of evidence which suggests ISIS would want to put a bomb on a plane”.
Mr Hammond apologised for the “immense disruption and inconvenience” caused, but said the safety and security of British nationals was paramount, after criticism of the move from Egyptian politicians and officials.
“We expect this assessment to be completed tonight”, she said.
Both Russian Federation and Egypt have raised doubts over the claim of responsibility by IS, but officials say they can not rule out anything and that investigation of the black boxes may take weeks or even months. The group has been active in Sinai fighting with Egyptian security forces.
Thomson said it had temporarily suspended flights to and from the Egyptian resort and British Airways said it was “liaising closely with the Government and awaiting further information”.
Britain did not change its travel advice for Egypt, which advises against all but essential travel to Sinai – where Islamist militants have mounted gun and bomb attacks – but makes an exception for Sharm el-Sheikh.
Nearly 1 million Britons visit Egypt each year, many to Sharm el-Sheikh.
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Cameron and Sisi “agreed it was important not to pre-judge the investigation”, the British statement said. “For a few time, the Department has been warning Australians to “reconsider their need to travel” (level 3 of 4) to Sharm el Sheikh due to the threat of terrorist attack and kidnapping – this level remains in place”.
