US Intel Reveals ISIS Bomb Downed Russian Jet; Jet Landed in Sinai Pen. Killing All 224 on Board

Days after authorities dismissed claims that ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) brought down a Russian passenger jet, a U.S. intelligence analysis now suggests that the terror group or its affiliates planted a bomb on the plane, the CNN website reports today (November 4, 2015).

Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed on October 31 in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula after breaking apart in midair, killing all 224 people on board. It was en route to St. Petersburg, Russia from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. ISIS claimed responsibility for destroying the plane within minutes after the tragedy occurred. Today, ISIS still insisted it brought down the plane and challenged skeptics to "prove otherwise."

The latest U.S. intelligence suggests that the plane crash was most likely caused by a bomb on the plane planted by ISIS or an ISIS affiliate, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. ISIS has become extremely angry with Russia since it began to bomb ISIS troops in Syria last month, in an effort to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Consequently, ISIS may well have planted a bomb on the plane as a retaliation of Russia's current military involvement in Syria.

Based on the intelligence collected by the U.S. in the Sinai Peninsula -- both before and after the plane crash -- it appears that a bomb was placed on the plane. "There is a definite feeling it was an explosive device planted in luggage or somewhere on the plane," the official said.