Vladimir Putin pays respects to murdered ambassador Andrey Karlov

 

 

Russia's ambassador to Turkey, who was murdered by a man shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "Don't forget Aleppo", has been laid to rest at a ceremony in Moscow attended by President Vladimir Putin.

Diplomats and family members gathered at the Foreign Ministry building in the centre of the capital to pay their respects to Andrey Karlov, who was shot dead at an art exhibition in Ankara on Monday.
Television footage showed the 62-year-old's body lying in an open casket in the marble-clad lobby of the building, flanked by uniformed honour guards.
Mourners, who also included Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, approached to lay flowers.


Turkey has identified the assassin as Mevlut Mert Altintas, 22, who had worked for Ankara's riot police. He was killed in a shootout with police.
Mr Karlov's body was repatriated to Moscow on Tuesday.
During a ceremony at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport the diplomat's widow wept as his coffin was carried from the runway to a hearse.
Earlier, the same plane carried 18 Russian investigators and officials to Ankara to participate in an investigation into the killing.


The Kremlin has refused to speculate whether Altinas was operating as a lone wolf or as part of a bigger operation, but said the murder was a blow to Turkey's prestige.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed Altintas was a follower of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim cleric who was blamed for orchestrating a failed coup in July.
Mr Erdogan said Altinas was part of what he calls the "Fethullah Terror Organisation".
He added that Turkey's intelligence agency was also looking into Altintas' possible foreign connections, saying there were "certain clues" indicating overseas links.
Mr Gulen has condemned the ambassador's murder and rejected claims his movement was behind it.


In a video address obtained by the Associated Press, Gulen accused the Turkish government of blaming and defaming his movement, and suggested the government would facilitate other assassinations and blame them on his followers.
US State Department spokesman John Kirby dismissed "absolutely false" claims there was American involvement or support in the assassination.
Russia and Turkey have said the murder will not harm relations between the two countries, which have been strained over Syria.
Turkey's state-run news agency said authorities have released six members of Altintas' family who were detained for questioning in the aftermath of the killing.
A total of 11 people were detained, including his parents, sister and three other relatives. Those still in custody include Altintas' roommate.

Libyan Afriqiyah Airways flight seized by hijackers and taken to Malta 

 

 

 

Hijackers have allowed a group of passengers, including women and children, to walk off an Afriqiyah Airways flight in Malta.

The prime minister of Malta, Joseph Muscat, confirmed that 65 people have now been released from the aircraft.
Initial reports said two hijackers had hand grenades and threatened to blow up the aircraft with 111 passengers on board - it is not clear what the demands are.
The Libyan passenger aircraft, was on an internal flight from Sabha in southern Libya to Tripoli when it was diverted to Malta.
An airport security official said the pilot had told Tripoli airport that the plane was being hijacked before communications were lost.
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He said: "The pilot reported to the control tower in Tripoli that they were being hijacked, then they lost communication with him.

 The pilot tried very hard to have them land at the correct destination but they refused."
Passengers include 82 males, 28 females and an infant.
A Malta airline official said the plane had first headed towards Malta but turned back towards Tripoli before then flying to Malta.


Sky sources say the Maltese negotiating team are in contact with the hijackers who are believed to be two Libyan nationals.
The British Government has offered assistance to the Maltese authorities to deal with the hijack situation, say Sky sources.
Mr Muscat earlier tweeted that he had been informed of a "potential hijack situation" involving an internal Libyan flight diverted to Malta.