Preliminary investigation shows one of the two Russian passenger planes was brought down by a terrorist act. On the same day NATO chief condemns terrorism in the crashes.

Russian Federal Security Bureau confirmed on Friday that traces of explosive had been discovered in Tu-154 airliner's wreckage. Russia's aviation authorities also reported that the Tu-154 airliner sent out three hijack alert signals in the moments before it disappeared from radar. China Radio International reported Saturday.

The two Russian passenger jets, Tu-134 and Tu-154, crashed almost simultaneously on Tuesday night after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo Airport, killing all 89 people on board and raising speculation of terrorist involvement.

Reports say that an Islamic radical organization has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the Russian security department did not make any comment on it.

On the same day, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, condemned terrorists for the two plane crashes.

(CRI online August 28, 2004)