The Kremlin has declined to comment on media reports about Egyptian and Russian intelligence services identifying the terrorists responsible for the crash of Russian A321 jet in the sky over the Sinai Peninsula, Tass reported. An EgyptAir mechanic, who has a cousin fighting for ISIS in Syria, is suspected of planting the bomb in late October, according to Reuters.
But the airline denied that its employee had been arrested or was under suspicion, and an Egyptian Interior Ministry official also said no arrests had been carried out.
Egypt’s official version is that there’s no evidence that the explosion of the MetroJet plane over the Sinai that killed all 224 passengers and crew on board was the work of terrorists.
“After learning that one of its members had a relative that worked at the airport, Islamic State delivered a bomb in a handbag to that person,” said one of the sources, adding the suspect’s cousin joined Islamic State in Syria a year and a half ago. “He was told to not ask any questions and get the bomb on the plane.”
A source told Reuters that when ISIS operatives found out that one of its soldiers had a relative working at the Sharm el-Sheikh airport they sent the man a handbag with a bomb in it, telling him to shut up and do as he was told.
A different source alleged that two Egyptian policemen collaborated with the terrorist, letting him go through a security checkpoint, although, the same source added, “it could be they were just not doing their jobs properly.”