Russia Says Bomb Downed Its Plane Over Egypt; Has Proof a Terrorist Attack Killed 224 on Plane

Russian officials said today (November 17, 2015) they had evidence that the plane that crashed in Egypt last month was downed by a bomb -- the first time those investigating the crash have cited proof  of terrorist involvement -- the Wall Street Journal website reports.

"We can definitely say that this is a terrorist attack," Federal Security Service of Russia head Alexander Bortnikov said during a television meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

Bortnikov said authorities had evidence that the Airbus A321 was downed by a homemade bomb, carrying the explosive equivalent of up to one kilogram of TNT.

The plane -- flying from the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea to St. Petersburg, Russia -- broke apart over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on October 31, killing all 224 people on board. The radical Islamic State (IS) group said it downed the plane because Russian jets have been carrying out airstrikes on its troops in Syria.