Special to WorldTribune.com

Russian authorities on Nov. 17 confirmed for the first time that a bomb brought down a Russian passenger plane in Egypt last month.

“According to an analysis by our specialists, a homemade bomb containing up to 1 kilogram of TNT detonated during the flight, causing the plane to break up in mid air, which explains why parts of the fuselage were spread over such a large distance,” said Alexander Bortnikov, head of Russia’s FSB security service.

“We can unequivocally say it was a terrorist act.”

Moscow had played down the conclusions of Western investigators that the A321 airliner was a terrorist act, insisting the official investigation should first run its course. Sinai Province, an Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) affiliate in Egypt, claimed responsibility for bringing down the airliner.

During a meeting at the Kremlin late on Nov. 16 that was chaired by President Valdimir Putin, Bortnikov said traces of foreign-made explosive had been found on fragments of the plane and on passengers’ personal belongings.

Putin responded by ordering the Russian air force to intensify its air strikes in Syria.

“It (our campaign) must be intensified in such a way that the criminals understand that retribution is inevitable,” said Putin.

Putin also vowed that Russia’s secret service would hunt down those responsible for blowing up the airliner.

“We will search for them everywhere wherever they are hiding. We will find them anywhere on the planet and punish them,” Putin said.

Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities said they have detained two employees of Sharm al-Sheikh airport in connection with the bombing.

“Seventeen people are being held, two of them are suspected of helping whoever planted the bomb on the plane at Sharm al-Sheikh airport,” an Egyptian official said.

  Alexander Bortnikov, FSB security service, Moscow: ‘Homemade bomb’ destroyed Russian airliner in ‘terrorist act’, Vladimir Putin, WorldTribune.com