As Western intelligence agencies consider the possibility that ISIS destroyed a Russian airliner over Egypt, killing 224 civilians, the Islamic State seems eager to take credit for the deed.
A new video released through social media shows ISIS militants handing out candy to happy supporters and celebrating the destruction of the plane, after which a group of ISIS thugs discuss the plane crash as a successful operation:
According to the UK Daily Star, the video appears to have been filmed in the Nineveh province of Iraq, where there is “a large Islamic State presence.”
An ISIS affiliate in Egypt that calls itself “Sinai Province” has claimed direct responsibility for the attack, and said they would soon reveal how they carried it out. “The fighters of the Islamic State were able to down a Russian plane over Sinai province that was carrying over 220 Russian crusaders. They were all killed, thanks be to God,” said a Twitter message from the group.
Egyptian security officials have ridiculed the claim that ISIS brought the plane down, noting that they do not have the technology or skill to hit an aircraft flying at over 30,000 feet with a missile, but a bomb planted aboard the plane before takeoff would be another matter.