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Obama Says There Is A 'Possibility' A Bomb Brought Down A Russian Plane In Egypt

President Obama said Thursday that he's taking "very seriously" the possibility that a bomb brought down a Russian plane in Egypt on Saturday, killing all aboard.
Evan Vucci
/
AP
President Obama said Thursday that he's taking "very seriously" the possibility that a bomb brought down a Russian plane in Egypt on Saturday, killing all aboard.

President Obama said Thursday "there is a possibility" that a bomb brought down a Russian airliner in Egypt on Saturday, Nov. 1.

"I don't think we know yet. Whenever you've got a plane crash, first of all you've got the tragedy, you've got the making sure that there's an investigation on site. I think there is a possibility that there was a bomb on board and we're taking that very seriously," Obama said, in an interview with KIRO Radio Seattle.

Earlier in the day, British Prime Minster David Cameron said it was "more likely than not" that a bomb was responsible for the crash, and said the Islamic State was most probably behind the attack.

Obama stopped short of Cameron's pronouncement, but seemed to give more credence to the possibility than Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who characterized the idea of ISIS being behind the plane attack as improbable, as we previously reported.

"It's unlikely but I wouldn't rule it out," Clapper said. "We don't have any direct evidence of any terrorist involvement yet."

Egypt and Russia have called Cameron's suggestion mere "speculation."

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