Russia plotting to sabotage US-bound flights with incendiary devices, claims report
Representational image of flight.
US media reported Monday (Nov 4) that Western intelligence officials have linked Russia to a covert flight sabotage operation, involving a plot to start fires on planes using incendiary devices. Wall Street Journal reported, citing the officials, that the operation specifically targets passenger and cargo flights to the US and Canada.
The development comes after device explosions were reported at two logistics hubs of DHL, the world's leading logistics company. A probe was launched following explosions in Leipzig, Germany and Birmingham, UK.
Results of the probe
According to the officials, the explosive shipment at the DHL UK centre came from Lithuania. The shipment had electric massagers implanted with a magnesium-based flammable substance.
The WSJ reported that the devices “appear to have been a test run to figure out how to get such incendiary devices aboard planes bound for North America.”
Russia rubbishes allegations
Russia has vehemently rejected these allegations as “unsubstantiated insinuations from the media.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “We have never heard any official accusations.”
However, a senior US official later admitted there was no “active threat” targeting US-bound flights while talking to CNN.
Arrests made in October
Poland in October had detained at least four people for allegedly being part of the sabotage group. At the same time, search for two more suspects at the international level was initiated.
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In a statement, the Polish government said “parcels containing camouflaged explosives and dangerous materials” were sent via courier to the UK and European Union countries and “spontaneously ignited or detonated during land and air transport.”
It added the aim of this exercise was to “test the transfer channel for this type of shipments which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada.”
(With inputs from agencies)