Turkey intercepts Syria-bound plane, seizes cargo

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish jets forced a Syrian passenger plane to land at Ankara airport on suspicion that it may be carrying weapons and seized military communication equipments and parts that could be used in missiles, according to Today’s Zaman.

An Airbus A320 coming from Moscow was intercepted by F16 jets as it entered Turkish airspace and escorted to the capital's Esenboğa Airport. The authorities grounded the plane on suspicion that it was carrying heavy weapons, the report says.

As a result of inspection, Turkey found military communication equipments and seized parts that could be used in missiles. The plane was sent to Damascus with 37 passengers and crew.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said in an interview with a Turkish network that the intelligence suggested that the Syrian plane was carrying “non-civilian cargo” and “banned material.”

He said the plane was forced to land because of information that it may be carrying "certain equipment in breach of civil aviation rules."

Davutoğlu noted that whatever the inspectors find in the plane, “Turkey would act in line with the international law” and declined to unveil the source of the intelligence obtained by Turkey.