Explosive device brought Russian plan down. U.S

Controversy trailing the plan crash that happen in Egypt over the Weekend bringing speculation that the crash might have been triggered by an explosive device.
U.S. officials believe ISIS was able to get a bomb aboard the doomed Russian Metrojet plane that crashed over the weekend in
the Sinai, according to a report.

The Islamic State militants either took advantage of lax security or had an insider help bring the "conventional explosive device" aboard Flight 2968, which crashed and killed all 224 people aboard shortly after takeoff Saturday morning, CNN reported.

"There is a definite feeling it was an explosive device planted in luggage or somewhere on the plane," an official told the cable network.


The reports come as British officials announced they have grounded flights between Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh Airport and the UK, citing concerns that an explosive device may have caused a Russian jetliner to break apart above the Sinai Peninsula and crash on Saturday.

"While the investigation is still ongoing we cannot say categorically why the Russian jet crashed. But as more information has come to light we have become concerned that the plane may well have been brought down by an explosive device," a statement from British Prime Minister David Cameron's office said on Wednesday.

Egyptian Military members approach a plane's tail at the wreckage of a passenger jet bound for St. Petersburg in Russia that crashed in Hassana, Egypt, on Sunday.
"In light of this and as a precautionary measure we have decided that flights due to leave Sharm for the UK this evening will be delayed," the statement said.

"That will allow time for a team of UK aviation experts, currently travelling to Sharm, to make an assessment of the security arrangements in place at the airport and to identify whether any further action is required. We expect this assessment to be completed tonight," the statement said.

Cameron was due to lead a cabinet-level review of the "situation" on Wednesday evening, the statement added.

Speaking at the White House, Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the U.S. had no need to take similar steps because no American carriers service the Sinai Peninsula with regularly scheduled flights.


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"The situation is just different," Earnest said. "British authorities are taking the steps they believe are appropriate to safeguard the British traveling public. The United States has already taken steps that we believe are consistent with protecting American travelers overseas."

He said U.S. officials have been "in touch" with the Egyptian authorities, but he offered no details saying he didn't want to "get ahead of the ongoing investigation."

"We are interested in understanding what exactly led to the tragic airline disaster," Earnest said.

The Irish Aviation Authority also directed Irish airlines to halt operations to and from Sharm and in the Sinai Peninsula airspace. The flight ban will remain in place until further notice.

Portraits of two plane crash victims, Natalia Soldatulina and Alexandra Pilip, are placed near flowers and toys Wednesday at an entrance of Pulkovo airport outside St. Petersburg, Russia.
The precautionary measures came as investigators began analyzing MetroJet Flight 9268's flight data and cockpit voice recorders Wednesday after Egypt's president dismissed claims that terrorism caused the crash that killed all 224 people on the plane.