• Russian anger at Turkey interception of Syria bound plane.
    30 replies, posted
[QUOTE]Moscow has accused Turkey of putting the lives of Russian passengers in danger by using its military to force a Syria-bound plane to land in Ankara. The Syrian Air plane, from Moscow, was intercepted and searched on Wednesday on suspicion it was carrying weapons. Officials in both Russia and Syria have strongly denied the allegations, with Damascus accusing Turkey of "piracy" and violating international law. The incident has increased already high tensions between Turkey and Syria. Shelling from within Syria killed five Turkish civilians last week - in response, Turkey fired into Syria for the first time since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began last year. Meanwhile, Syria's Sana state news agency has reported an attack on a bus close to its border with Lebanon. It said eight passengers had been killed and eight injured when "terrorists" opened fire on the bus. Shortly before the plane was grounded, Russian President Vladimir Putin had postponed a visit to Turkey, scheduled for next week, citing a heavy workload. The visit will now take place on 3 December, said Turkey. 'Air piracy' The Airbus A320 airliner with about 30 passengers on board - far fewer than its 180 capacity - was intercepted on Wednesday evening by two Turkish fighters and escorted to the capital's Esenboga airport, where it was searched. Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told the Anatolia news agency that illegal and "objectionable" cargo which "should have been reported" had been confiscated. He did not specify whether any weapons had been found, but unconfirmed reports in Turkish media said the seized items included boxes of military communication equipment. Mr Davutoglu said Turkey, which imposed an arms embargo on Syria last year, would continue to investigate Syrian passenger planes flying over its air space. But Russia's foreign ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, said Turkish officials had failed to inform its embassy that 17 Russian citizens were on board the plane. "We are concerned that this emergency situation put at risk the lives and safety of passengers, who included 17 Russian citizens," he said. "The Russian side continues to insist on an explanation of the reasons for such actions by the Turkish authorities." Russia's Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed, highly placed Russian official as saying: "Neither weapons nor any systems or assembly parts for military equipment were or could have been on board the passenger plane." The plane was allowed to take off at 02:30 (23:30 GMT on Wednesday), after several hours on the ground. Turkey's foreign ministry said there was "no basis" for Moscow's safety concerns. "After the landing, all measures were taken to ensure the safety of all passengers and to cater to their possible needs," the ministry said. Handcuffs Syrian Transport Minister Mahmoud Saeed accused Turkey of carrying out "air piracy" and breaking civil aviation agreements, according to Lebanon's al-Manar TV. Gaida Abdul Latif, the head of Syrian Air, accused Turkey of endangering the plane's passengers and crew, saying the military aircraft "forced the plane to land without giving prior warning to the pilot". "The military aircraft were so close that there could have been an accident," she said. Meanwhile the plane's flight engineer, Haitham Kasser, said he witnessed the search, and that the crew had not objected to Turkish officials' requests to remove some of the cargo. But he said that when the crew refused to hand over the boxes in question without a receipt, the officials returned with members of the armed forces. "They handcuffed us and made us lie on the ground, then they took us out of the plane in two vehicles," he told the Associated Press within Syria. One passenger, Fatima el-Saman, told Turkish newspaper Hurriyet that there were no weapons on the plane. Russia's state arms supplier, Rosoboronexport, said in a statement it had no information about the plane's cargo, and denied it had any connection with the flight or anything on board. Earlier, Mr Davutoglu had said Ankara had received information that the Damascus-bound plane could be carrying "non-civilian cargo". Ankara was determined to stop any transfer of weapons to Syria through its airspace, he said. In another sign of deteriorating relations, Turkish officials revealed on Thursday that Syria had stopped buying electricity from its neighbour last week.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19912532?print=true[/url] [QUOTE]A Syrian-bound plane intercepted by Turkey was carrying Russian-made defence equipment destined for Syria's defence ministry, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. "Passenger aircraft cannot carry ammunition and defence equipment," Mr Erdogan said, adding, "unfortunately there was such equipment on board". Turkish jets forced the plane, coming from Moscow, to land in Ankara. Syria and Russia have denied the plane was carrying illegal cargo. They have accused Turkey of putting lives in danger. The Syrian Air Airbus A320, with about 30 passengers on board, was intercepted on Wednesday evening by two Turkish fighters and escorted to the capital's Esenboga airport. Turkey said previously it had received an intelligence tip-off that it had illegal cargo on board. Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Mr Erdogan said: "This was equipment and ammunition that was being sent from a Russian agency... to the Syrian Defence Ministry." "Their examination is continuing and the necessary will follow," he added. He said the supplier was the equivalent of Turkey's state-run arms supplier, the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation. Russia's state arms export agency Rosoboronexport had earlier said it had no information about the plane's cargo and denied it had any connection with the flight or anything on board. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said Turkey is determined to stop any transfer of weapons to Syria through its airspace. Damaged ties Since the uprising against Syria President Bashar al-Assad began last year, Russia has repeatedly refused to abandon its support for Damascus, while Turkey has been a vocal critic of the Assad government. The BBC's James Reynolds, on the Syrian border in southern Turkey, says that despite taking opposite views, Ankara and Moscow have maintained a close relationship and do business together. This incident could be the biggest test of their ties since the conflict broke out, he adds. Tensions were already high between Turkey and Syria, following the deaths of five Turkish civilians by shelling from across the border last week. Turkey has returned fire, and on Wednesday its top military commander warned Ankara would respond with greater force if the shelling continued.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19912534[/url]
It's not like they used force or anything. The plane was landed safely and the cargo confiscated, then the [i]innocent civilians[/i] were allowed to carry on their journey. When you're travelling around a warzone you can hardly expect to be ignored by authorities.
Jon27 - The issue is due to the possibility of them causing a serious accident due to (essentially) negligence.
Updated OP
[QUOTE=The golden;37996822]Hey Russia, if you want to fly arms to a country which is currently attacking Turkey, maybe you shouldn't be flying through Turkish airspace.[/QUOTE] by attacking turkey you mean mortars deviating 100m over the border or rebels firing over the border? yeah.. attacking.
[QUOTE=The golden;37996980]100m? The Syrian shelling has killed Turkish citizens.[/QUOTE] In tiny border towns that are basically on the border itself. Shit happens in a war.
"shit happens in a war" is literally the worst fucking mentality you can have when you go to war
[QUOTE=Lord of Ears;37998020]"shit happens in a war" is literally the worst fucking mentality you can have when you go to war[/QUOTE] good thing I'm not at war nor am I advocating shelling border towns. I'm simply telling the story as it is. Direct your severe case of hatred and anger at the people doing the shelling instead of the person talking about it. And yes, deviation is quite random as its caused by a number of factors such as wind.. and "shit happens" usually refers to randomness.
[QUOTE=laserguided;37998209]Direct your severe case of hatred and anger at the people doing the shelling instead of the person talking about it[/QUOTE] If you want to debate then you should be ready to defend your point without insults.
[QUOTE=Rofl my Waff;37998294]If you want to debate then you should be ready to defend your point without insults.[/QUOTE] I can't debate with people who get mad at others for talking about history. Apparently this makes me dumb.
laserguided is somewhat right, but at the same time if you are Turkey and the conflict is spilling over the border onto your land I'd be cranky about it
Turkey has every right to defend themselves from Syrian artillery, accident or not.
[QUOTE=laserguided;37997013]In tiny border towns that are basically on the border itself. Shit happens in a war.[/QUOTE] It doesn't matter if they were "tiny border towns", they were still in Turkey.
[QUOTE=st_nick5;37998587]It doesn't matter if they were "tiny border towns", they were still in Turkey.[/QUOTE] And Turkey retaliates with artillery. The way I see it, its fair game.
[QUOTE=laserguided;37997013]In tiny border towns that are basically on the border itself. Shit happens in a war.[/QUOTE] Shit happens in war? Syrian artillery hit a neutral Turkey and killed innocent people.
[QUOTE=GrizzlyBear;37998675]Shit happens in war? Syrian artillery hit a neutral Turkey and killed innocent people.[/QUOTE] Mortars and artillery shells can deviate quite abit, and it can be pretty random due to multiple factors such as wind. And as I said before "shit happens" usually refers to a event being random. Some newspaper in Turkey did a report about one of those mortars actually being a NATO design, thus if true that brings rebels into question for possibly provoking a response. Turkey isn't neutral either, they house FSA training sites in Turkey, publicly and probably cooperate with the massive amount of guns being brought into Syria by other states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. I don't understand why people get mad at history, it boggles my mind. Its as if they cannot handle it or something. I mean I could have said it in a softer way, maybe people don't understand what "shit happens" actually means.
[QUOTE=laserguided;37997013]Shit happens in a war.[/QUOTE] Why are people being so butthurt about 9/11? Shit happens, you know.
Thanks for the free weapons russia.
[QUOTE=laserguided;37998717]Mortars and artillery shells can deviate quite abit, and it can be pretty random due to multiple factors such as wind. And as I said before "shit happens" usually refers to a event being random. Some newspaper in Turkey did a report about one of those mortars actually being a NATO design, thus if true that brings rebels into question for possibly provoking a response. Turkey isn't neutral either, they house FSA training sites in Turkey, publicly and probably cooperate with the massive amount of guns being brought into Syria by other states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. I don't understand why people get mad at history, it boggles my mind. Its as if they cannot handle it or something. I mean I could have said it in a softer way, maybe people don't understand what "shit happens" actually means.[/QUOTE] Why are the jews so mad about the holocaust man, I mean, shit happens? You have got to be the dumbest person I've had the misfortune of witnessing today. You mean to tell me that after your citizens get killed by mortar fire (Which is not even an isolated incident) you want to just go "oh golly chaps, please keep killing my people, I understand it's just the wind"? I know, you're trying to be edgy and cool by not caring, but that shit'll pass once you get out of highschool.
[QUOTE=Miskav;38013243]Why are the jews so mad about the holocaust man, I mean, shit happens? You have got to be the dumbest person I've had the misfortune of witnessing today. You mean to tell me that after your citizens get killed by mortar fire (Which is not even an isolated incident) you want to just go "oh golly chaps, please keep killing my people, I understand it's just the wind"? I know, you're trying to be edgy and cool by not caring, but that shit'll pass once you get out of highschool.[/QUOTE] I have never met a jew that gets mad for somebody teaching somebody else about the holocaust. Way to twist my words so far to benefit your own purpose of trying to make a witty reply. You failed. Goodluck!
[img]http://puu.sh/1edWw[/img]
[QUOTE=smurfy;38013666][img]http://puu.sh/1edVW[/img][/QUOTE] It was a legitimate question, I hope for a response asap! [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Trolling" - Craptasket))[/highlight]
I don't know who you are
hi laserguided, how do you breathe xoxo
[QUOTE=smurfy;38013715]I don't know who you are[/QUOTE] Satan himself.
[QUOTE=laserguided;38013730]Satan himself.[/QUOTE] If all Satan does is make poorly thought over arguments on an internet forum, I can't fathom why Christians are so afraid of him.
Russia needs to back the fuck off.
Highly unlikely, and I'm sure I'll get a lot of boxes for saying this, you cannot disregard the possibility of the Turks framing the two countries in a bid to further escalate.
If only Russia wasn't so corrupt and authoritarian Assad would have been overthrown months ago.
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