Ankara , Oct 11,2012: Turkey's foreign minister said on Wednesday that a Syrian passenger plane had been forced to land at Ankara airport due to suspicions that it was carrying illegal cargo.
“The issue for us was that the materials (cargo) were not declared in the (flight) manifest,” said Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking from Athens airport.
The Syrian Air Airbus A320 en route from Moscow was intercepted by F16 jets as it entered Turkish airspace and was escorted to Ankara's Esenboga Airport.
Davutoglu said the plane with 37 passengers and crew would be allowed to leave again but confirmed that its cargo had been confiscated.
“I consulted with our prime minister (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) a while ago and we have decided to let the plane and its passengers go,” said Davutoglu.
“But, in order to continue the investigation and for further processing, we will hold on to the materials (cargo),” he added.
A Turkish newspaper's website, citing unidentified intelligence officials, said Turkish authorities had found communications equipment, wireless sets and jammers.
Local television reported that authorities found “missile parts.”
Syrian Information Minister Omran Zuabi declined to comment.
Davutoglu said Turkish authorities had also declared Syria's airspace to be unsafe and were stopping Turkish aircraft from flying over the civil war-torn country.
The move comes as tensions between Turkey and Syria are running high.
The countries, which were once close allies, have been exchanging artillery fire across the volatile border for days.
