Putin Vows to Save All Hostages in Hijacked Russian PlaneThe president stressed that to save the hostages' lives and return the plane to Russia is a priority task for the headquarters formed just hours ago, Putin's spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky said. Putin gave the instruction during a conversation with First Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Vladimir Pronichev, who heads the headquarters, Yastrzhembsky added. The headquarters have established contacts with foreign secret services, he said, and are closely following the developments and making joint efforts with the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the State Civil Aviation Service and the General Prosecutor's Office to release the hostages. Interfax cited Alexander Klimov, executive director of the plane's owner Vnukovo Airlines, as saying that he is unaware of two bombing devices reportedly planted in the plane. A plane steward was stabbed in the terrorist attack, Klimov said. Other sources said that he has a wound to his arm. Klimov also said he knew nothing certain about the terrorists' demand that the plane be flown to Afghanistan. Tass quoted Saudi Arabian sources as saying that the hijackers also raised some demands "with a financial character." The sources said the terrorists, believed to be of Chechen origin, had chosen Medina as an ideal site for landing the plane as Saudi Arabian laws ban non-Muslims from visiting that city. Hijackers of Russian Plane Free 40 PassengersThe two chechens who hijacked a Russian chartered plane in Istanbul of Turkey freed 40 passengers, including women, children, the elderly and one wounded man, after the aircraft landed in Saudi holy city of Medina Thursday afternoon.The two hijackers have demanded that the plane head for Afghanistan, informed sources said. The hijackers put forward their requirement during negotiations with Saudi officials about one hour ago to secure the safety of the passengers, the Saudi Press Agency reported. They also asked the Russian authorities to put an end to the military operations in Chechnya as a precondition to release the passengers. The Moscow-bound TU-154 of Vnukovo Airlines with 162 passengers and 12 crew on board was hijacked by the pair 30 minutes after takeoff at 1:30 p.m. (1130 GMT) from Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. The plane touched down later in Medina and was surrounded by security forces and parked in a secluded area at the airport for the safety of Muslim pilgrims who were preparing to return home after the annual hajj, which ended last week. Hijackers Demand to Fly to AfghanistanTwo hijackers of a Russian passenger aircraft taking from Istanbul in Turkey earlier Thursday have demanded that the chartered plane heads for Afghanistan, informed sources said.The hijackers put forward their requirement during negotiations with Saudi officials to secure the safety of the passengers, the Saudi Press Agency reported. They also asked the Russian authorities to put an end to the military operations in Chechnya as a precondition to release the passengers. The Moscow-bound TU-154 of Vnukovo Airlines with 162 passengers on board was hijacked by two Chechens 30 minutes after take-off at 1:30 p.m. (1130 GMT) from Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. The plane landed later in Saudi holy city of Medina and was surrounded by security forces and parked far away from the main traffic runway at the airport for the security of Muslim pilgrims who were preparing to return home after the annual hajj, which ended last week. |
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