Russia denies bomb caused crash in Sinai

(Vatican Radio)  Russia and Egypt have dismissed Western suggestions that a terrorist bomb may have caused the plane crash that killed 224 people. The diplomatic dispute comes amid heigtened tensions between the West and Moscow over Russia's role in Ukraine and Syria. 

Listen to Stefan Bos' report:

Five days after a Russian jetliner broke apart high above Egypt's Sinai desert questions remain over what caused Russia's worst civil aviation disaster on record.

The Egyptian and Russian governments say Western speculation that a terrorist bomb have caused the crash was a rush to judgment.

Russia and Egypt insist the investigation into the crash must run its course before any conclusion is reached. 

The Metrojet plane crashed 23 minutes after taking off from Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for the Russian city of St. Petersburg with mostly Russians aboard.

Western Intelligence

The latest dispute arose after the American and British intelligence was disclosed Wednesday, just as Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi was heading to London on a previously planned visit - his first as president.

U.S. and British leaders have stopped short of a categorical assignment of blame in the crash, but British Prime Minister David Cameron said it is "more likely than not" that the cause was a bomb.

He defended his decision to suspend British flights to Sharm-el Sheikh following the plane crash, though many tourists are now stranded there." Look we cannot be certain that the Russian airplane was brought down by a bomb, but it looks increasingly likely that is the case," he said.

"And so I have to act on the intelligence, on the advise of experts and it is the right thing to do to suspend these flights until we can safely bring people home," Cameron added.

US concerned

U.S. President Obama agrees. "I think there is a possibility that there was a bomb on board and we are taking that very seriously, " he said.

The so-called Islamic State group, which has not generally pursued "spectacular" attacks outside its base in Syria, has claimed responsibility for bringing down the plane, but Russian and Egyptian officials say the claim was not credible.

It also comes amid tensions between the West and Russia over ongoing air strikes in Syria. Western officials say they target mainly moderate opposition groups to ensure Syria's president Bashar Assad remains in power, charges Moscow denies.

Additionally the West has criticized Russia for allegedly supporting pro-Russian saparatists with weapons and troops in eastern Ukraine, but Moscow has blamed the central government in Kiev for sparking the conflict.