No proof Syria downed Turkish jet, report says

ISTANBUL

Handout photo by Turkish Armed Forces

An investigation into pieces of wreckage from a Turkish plane that was downed off the coast of Syria on June 22 has revealed no proof that the plane was shot down by Syrian forces, daily Radikal reported today.The strongest suggestion that Syria was involved in the crash is the admission of guilt by Syrian authorities since an inspection of the wreckage has provided no indication that Damascus actually downed the plane.A detailed report was penned by Turkish authorities following chemical and physical examinations of nearly 20 pieces of the wreckage, according to Radikal. The newspaper also claimed that radar intelligence gathered by U.S. forces failed to match the information presented by the Turkish Armed Forces, which had outlined the jet’s flight path.In a news report yesterday, daily Taraf claimed the F-4 military jet was shot down in Syrian waters according to data from a NATO Command in İzmir and a British military base in Greek Cyprus. Western sources also argued that the plane had been shot down in Syrian waters, according to daily Taraf.The Turkish Foreign Ministry, however, immediately denied such claims.The Turkish jet was definitely not shot down by anti-aircraft fire as suggested by Syrian officials, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said in early July, reiterating at the time that the jet was shot down by Syria.