Turkish officials yet to find out how warplane was downed

A Turkish jet was not downed by either anti-aircraft fire or a missile, separate army sources say as investigations into last month’s incident expand with new details

A Turkish jet downed on June 22 was definitely not shot down by anti-aircraft fire as suggested by Syrian officials, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said July 13, while also making clear once more that the jet was shot down by Syria.

“In light of the recent criminal investigations, it has been established that there is no possibility that our fallen jet was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, as had initially been suggested by Syrian authorities,” the TSK said in a written statement posted on its official website.

A July 11 written statement on TSK’s official website had led to confusion, because it had declined to use the term “shot down by Syria” for the first time. It instead referred to: “our plane that Syria claimed to have shot down.” With its statement on July 13, the TSK reiterated that the jet was “shot down” by Syria, while, however, noting that how it was shot down by Syria would be established after the entire research was finalized. The TSK, however, did not elaborate on the reason for the changed expression in July 11’s statement.

Missile possibility also ruled out

Meanwhile, a high level meeting between military and state officials was held on July 13 hours before President Abdullah Gül and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu met in Ankara on July 13, a senior Turkish official told the Hürriyet Daily News on condition of anonymity. The meeting ended before TSK’s latest statement. Officals also ruled out the possiblity that the jet has been hit by a missile.

Citing three indicators, no missile track on radar, no petroleum-like residue or trace of any organic or inorganic explosive matter on the surface of the pieces from the downed jet and no scorch over the bodies of pilots, a ranking official denied that the missile hit the jet.

“After the significant pieces [of the jet] on the seabed are recovered and their technical examination is finished, it will be possible to find out how our plane was shot down by Syria,” the latest TSK statement read. The currently halted wreck rescue will restart shortly, the TSK noted, without giving a specific date.

14.07.2012
SOURCE: HDN