'Missiles fired at' Russian plane with 159 passengers onboard flying over Syria

[Bosonic]

Source: Russia Today

Two missiles were reportedly fired at a Russian plane with at least 159 passengers on board that was flying over Syrian territory. Russian aviation authorities admit the jet ‘faced danger’, but say it’s too early to talk of a targeted attack.

“Syrian [officials] informed us that on Monday morning, unidentified forces launched two ground-to-air missiles which exploded in the air very close to a civilian aircraft belonging to a Russian airline,” an informed source in Moscow told Interfax news agency.

The pilots managed to maneuver the plane in time however, “saving the lives of passengers.”

It is believed the aircraft was intentionally targeted in the attempted strike, “but it remains unclear whether the attackers knew whether it was Russian or not,” the source added.

Read more: http://rt.com/news/rockets-russian-plane-syria-575/

[azurnoir]

1. Interesting

from the article

Meanwhile, Syrian aviation authorities received no indication of the alleged attack on the Russian plane,says the director of Syrian Airlines, Ghaida Abdullatif:

“We contacted the service that monitors traffic within Syrian airspace. None of the air traffic control services or other ground services at the airports in Damascus and Latakia have confirmed the information of a Russian plane plane being fired at".

so no one knows who did it?

[leveymg]

2. This was just a matter of time, as I've been warning since Sept. It's not the last time

that MANPADs given to Syrian opposition groups, likely sourced from stocks looted after the US and NATO overthrew the Libyan government, will be used to try to bring down airliners. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/28/1137620/-Times-of-London-Shipload-of-Looted-Missiles-From-Libya-Arrives-in-Turkey

How is it spelled? B-L-O-W-B-A . . .

[Xipe Totec]

3. It's not nice to shoot Mother Russia. nt

[Trajan]

4. With friends like this ...

who needs enemies?

Russians don't like playing those silly games

[Arctic Dave]

5. Someone just fucked up a whole lot.

The Syrian government just thanked whoever did this. The Russian government can go carte blanche on the asswhoppin they will hand out in retaliation.

[cstanleytech]

7. At this point it could also have been the Syrian government behind the missle launch

in order to try and keep Russia on their side by claiming "Oh no, it wasnt us it was the rebels." but regardless we probably wont ever know for sure who did it or why.

[Alamuti Lotus]

8. the conspiracy theories in support of the al-Qai'dah/NATO rebels are getting more ludicrous daily..

the propaganda against Russians in the so-called "revolutionary" forums is pretty thick. For example, Assad's forces are usually referred to with the prefix of "pro-Russian Alawite apostates . . . ". Some factions of the fighters have been claiming attacks or attempts on Russian forces for at least a year now, it's only a matter of time before they actually connect with something major against them.

[cstanleytech]

10. Mmmm not as ludicrous as taking at face value anything said by either the Syrian government

or the rebels.

[pampango]

13. There were some posting here that the opposition used sarin gas to implicate the government.

Most seem to give some credence to the public relations spin that is consistent with their view on the Syrian crisis and discount those that go against it.

"I can't believe that Assad would be so dumb as to use sarin given the risk that poses to his side." "I can't believe that the opposition would attack a civilian airliner given the risk that poses to their side."

In the past attacks the opposition has quickly claimed credit for their attacks. We shall see how this one unfolds.

[cstanleytech]

16. "In the past attacks the opposition has quickly claimed credit for their attacks."

True.

"We shall see how this one unfolds."
Also true.

[Arctic Dave]

20. Could it? Sure. But I don't think Russians

will care.

They aren't exactly surgical with these type of responses.

[Poll_Blind]

6. Not so good PR if US anti-aircraft missiles wind up bringing civilians jetliners down.

Reason why I bring this up is I've read recently that the US may have already begun transferring a limited number of man-portable anti-aircraft missiles to the Syrian rebels, something they've shied away from in the past. By recent, I mean within the last month. Google "united states syrian rebels anti-aircraft" for more.

We have rolled the dice a lot with the "rebel" factions we've been supporting in the Middle East recently and mostly the fallout from bad decisions has involved them butchering their own. A high-profile shoot-down incurring mass civilian casualties from another country, especially Russia, would be a bad escalation, highlighting how badly we want to keep that No. 1 spot for Arms Exporter to the World.

PB

[leveymg]

9. Here's a REUTERS report: "U.S.-trained Syrian rebels returning to fight"

U.S.-trained Syrian rebels returning to fight: senior rebel source

By Mariam Karouny
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/14/us-syria-crisis-rebels-idUSBRE92D15E20130314

BEIRUT | Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:16pm EDT

(Reuters) - Most of the first contingent of Syrian rebels taught by U.S. army and intelligence officers in Jordan to use anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry have finished their training and are now returning to Syria to fight, a senior rebel said on Thursday. Western officials and Syrian rebel commanders declined to comment on reports in the German weekly Der Spiegel and other media outlets last week that said Americans were training anti-government Syrian forces in Jordan.

But a senior rebel commander close to the process said U.S. army and intelligence officers were training Syrian rebels and said most of the first batch of 300 fighters picked from southern Syria had finished their courses. "This is a sensitive matter as you know, but yes the American army and intelligence are training some of the rebels," he told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The United States has said it would provide medical supplies and food directly to opposition fighters, but has ruled out sending arms for fear they may find their way to Islamist hardliners who might then use them against Western targets.

But, the commander said, Washington had taken the decision to train the rebels "under the table". The commander said U.S. officials contacted the opposition General Command and offered to help some months ago. The General Command then asked brigades operating under its leadership to nominate "good fighters" to be trained to use advanced weapons such as anti-tank and anti-aircraft rockets, in addition to learning intelligence-gathering techniques.

Most of the first contingent of 300 fighters came from Damascus, the surrounding countryside, and Deraa, close to the border, because it was easier for them to reach Jordan.

"The courses vary, it takes between 15 days to one month and the fighters are divided into groups of 50 each. Each group travels to Jordan independently, not the 300 together," he said.

That didn't take long, did it?

[cstanleytech]

11. If its true I bet you that the funds for the weapons came from the CIA. nt

[Alamuti Lotus]

12. "bad escalation" is probably what they're aiming for..

the rebels, I mean. The overstuffed suits in the Pentagon/CIA/State Dept (the trifecta from hell!) probably think they're being clever and expect a tidy outcome, since that almost always (well, practically never, but that's almost the same thing) is how their great schemes turn out.

[Whoopdedoo]

14. This article doesn't make sense.

The pilot says he saw two flashes from the ground and went to a higher altitude as a precaution. 'Saving lives'. The missiles explode a distance from the plane. But nobody else sees this; no radar blips or any confirmation. Just seems like a strange story. And who is rt.com. I know the commenters over there are not the brightest.

[leveymg]

15. Most radar unlikely to pick up a SAM-7 launch - missile only 4 ft. long.

Last edited Mon Apr 29, 2013, 04:42 PM - Edit history (1)

The same report was picked up and run by Haaretz. Also a funny ferner source, but what ya gonna do? http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/report-two-rockets-fired-at-russian-passenger-plane-flying-over-syria-no-injuries-1.518249

[cstanleytech]

17. Who is rt.com?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RT_(TV_network)


As for the rest I am just gonna wait for more answers before declaring myself a firm believer either way on the whole story.

[Xithras]

18. The FSA has declared Syrian airspace closed and has fired on civilian aircraft before.

In fact, there's an infamous video that came out earlier this year of FSA rebels firing on an Iranian civilian airliner using heavy AA. Because the FSA can't control the airspace above the country, they have bluntly and publicly stated that any aircraft spotted in the skies is assumed to either be SAA or a civilian aircraft working to aid Assad's government. They refuse to recognize any aircraft as "noncombatant".

[leveymg]

19. Significance of this is the 1st MANPAD launch against a civilian plane we know of

in Syria since the opposition started getting these missiles. As I said, it was only a matter of time, and won't be the last, and it won't just be confined to Syrian airspace.

There are about 15,000 antiaircraft missiles missing from looted arsenals in Libya. That is a legacy of the US/NATO regime change operation there and many ended up in Syria.

[Selatius]

21. Some of those launchers will probably be scooped up by the Taliban.

And those will be used to fire upon American helicopters and aircraft operating in the area.