Report: Syrian Plane Carried Military Communications Gear
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Turkish state-run television TRT reported Thursday that a Syrian passenger plane intercepted by Turkey's air force was carrying military communications equipment, as Damascus branded the incident piracy amid growing tensions between the two countries.
Yeni Safak, a newspaper close to the Turkish government, reported there were 10 containers aboard the plane, some containing radio receivers, antennas and "equipment that are thought to be missile parts."
Neither TRT nor the newspaper cited sources for their reports, and Turkish officials have yet to provide details on what was aboard the Syrian Air A320 from Moscow that was forced to land in Ankara on Wednesday.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the cargo contained "elements ... that are not legitimate in civilian flights" and insisted Ankara was within its rights to intercept the plane if it suspected that military equipment was being transported over Turkish territory.
But Syrian Transportation Minister Mohammad Ibrahim Said said Thursday that Turkey's decision to force the plane to land amounted to piracy.
Saber rattling between Syria and its northern neighbor has increased in recent days after a spate of cross-border shell and mortar firings. Turkey, which has been vocal in its criticism of Syrian President Bashar Assad's crackdown on the opposition, has beefed up its military presence along the 565-mile (910-kilometer) frontier after shelling from Syria killed five Turkish civilians in a border town last week.
The plane incident has also increased tensions between Turkey and Russia, one of Syria last remaining allies.
Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency quoted an official at the Russian Embassy in Ankara as saying that the cargo "was not of Russian origin." Rosoboronexport, which handles most of Russia's military export contracts, said none of its cargo was on the plane.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Russia was concerned that "the lives and safety of the passengers, among whom were 17 Russian citizens, had been endangered."
He said Turkey without explanation denied Russian consular officials and a doctor access to the passengers, who had not been allowed into the airport for eight hours or provided with food.
"The Russian side continues to insist on an explanation for the Turkish authorities' actions toward Russian citizens and on the adoption of measures to avoid such incidents in the future," Lukashevich said in a statement.
The plane's 37 passengers and crew were allowed to continue to Damascus after several hours, without the cargo.
Also Thursday, Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz announced that Syria had stopped buying electricity from Turkish suppliers about a week ago.
"The door is open. If they request (electricity) again then we could resume providing it," Yildiz told reporters, adding that it was Syria's own decision.
Yildiz said Turkish companies supply around 2.3 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year. The electricity amounted to some 18-20 percent of Syria's needs, he said.
He did not say why Syria had halted purchases, saying only "It was an agreement between Syria and the companies."
11 October 2012, 15:11
09
Lol mowaten... Are u a lawyer or something ? Non stop defense of the Syrian regeme... Good boy , now roll over
11 October 2012, 15:19
06
You should probably read a bit more before jumping to conclusions. The EU passed a series of measures last year which strengthened the embargo and restricted more goods from Syria. Any goods bound for Syria and going through any of member's territories must be declared. If there is reason to believe that there are prohibited goods, each country can interdict the cargo. Since Turkey is an associate member of the EU, it is bound by those decisions. Remember how that Russian freighter couldn't deliver the helicopters to Syria because it had to go through EU waters--same principle.
The people calling it piracy are the people who got caught. Anyhow, remember the Syrian/Iranian/HA motto: lie, lie, and deny. If Syria didn't want to get Turkey pissed off, why the incessant shelling the last couple of weeks? Guess what, Turkey, with the backing of Nato got mad and it won't let stuff go like it had before.
11 October 2012, 16:44
05
really? well Lebanon becamse a country after the fall of the Ottoman empire. Iran was and is still aiding the ASSad regime as it occupied Lebanon and as it currently bombs our land daily...so what is your problem?
11 October 2012, 18:25
00
Lebanese land IS Lebanese targets and yes it is happening daily try changing the channel off of Almanar for a change
11 October 2012, 15:41
01
Mr. Mo Wate n... Regarding this and Regarding that... Provocation? You must be NUTS... What are 17 Russian people coming to do in Syria in a time of war like this? Plus.. A WHOLE AIRBUS Plane carrying 35 passengers? Shou TAXI? Illiterate!!!
11 October 2012, 17:02
06
Anything that annoys the filthy militia and the persian wannbe god majous leader is fine by me. Go Turkey.
11 October 2012, 17:25
01
@ Mowaten, it is right that it is an agression, but as long as it was flying on turkish territory and carried this kind of illegal logistics they are allowed to intercept it and force it down. You will say it was clear they planned it in advance and knew about it, i will respond yes why not? but as long as it was intercepted flying over turkish space they can use the excuse that their territory has been violated by an airplane carrying weapons. And syrian authority and russian are denying, but how come? from the type of plane , which is an airbus 320, carrying only 37 passengers while usually a civilian plane that size can carry a minimum of 250, is not weird you think? who were those people? among them 17 russians , and what a coincidence, allies of syrians and going to syria, shou? they are going to meet the girls of their dreams in Halab? come on..
11 October 2012, 17:32
00
@ Mowaten, i do not think the US wants Turkey to intervene, think about it logically, Assad is in bed with the Zionists since the golan heights, you can argue all you want, you will say it is just a piece of land, then why are we ffighting still over shebaa? The point is with those explosive events happening in Syria, and although im not a bachar fan, in a long term war which is happening, he has the advantage, because he is creating extremism by killing his people, and his lover Israel hates that and will do anything to stop other countries to interfere. Theyd much rather Arnab el Joulan than el Ikhwan aw el salafiye. And this is something even you are scared about from your posts and you are muslim nonetheless, So imagine a jewish state...
11 October 2012, 17:38
00
My bet is that Turkey has somekind of alliance with the FSA and wants to make it up to the world for the armenian genocide. They also want to have the favors of europe because probably some countries are exiting and they want to enter. I might say theyve been doing better than most troubled countries in the Eurozone.
But the first and primary thing that Turkey wants to avoid mostly is a alawite state. They have alawites in turkey and in millions. Bachar will not lose the war but will not really win it. He knows it is done living with sunnis, and he will try to create an alawi state with maybe the minorities like christians joigning him. What he is doing is pushing the sunnis back south, and trying to cleanse the center to the north of syria. But for turkey this is disaster as well because alawites in turkey live to the south of the country which means, to the north of syria. So there is a danger they might ask for separation and join them.
11 October 2012, 18:18
01
funny mowaten! he is defending a dictatorial regime that hurt lebanon as much even worse than israel. all that because hezbos tell him to do so. syria's position is undefendable apart from those who agree that a country violates the rules of international laws concerning war! and from those who agree that bombing citizens is more noble than shooting at israel to liberate their land!
he agrees that syria bombs lebanon to chase rebels but if israel did so to chase palestinians he would shout loud at them!!! but syria? no for hezbos they have a license to kill civilians....
11 October 2012, 18:18
01
Mowaten said: yaay, you loved the ottoman empire eh? yalla hopefully you'll have it back.
Mowaten: what happened is between Turkey and Syria, why as a Lebanese you are involving yourself in it? We are not part of Syria and the Turks are not involved with us.
