Ummeli waseMelika uDamian Williams wathi: “Kusukela ekuqaleni kwendiza enamandla, amazwe emhlabeni wonke aye abambisana ukuze kugcinwe izindiza ezithwala abantu ziphephile. Abamangalelwa bachitha lezo zindinganiso ngokuphambukisa indiza ukuze baqhubekisele phambili injongo engafanele yokucindezela ukungezwani nenkululeko yokukhuluma. Ngenxa yomsebenzi ongajwayelekile wophenyo wethimba elihlanganyelwe labaphenyi be-FBI abaphikisana nobuphekula kanye nabaphenyi be-counterintelligence, icala lanamuhla linikeza incazelo esheshayo nesesidlangalaleni yokuthi yini ngempela eyenzeka endizeni. Sizibophezele ekuphenduleni laba bahlanganyeli abaphakathi etulo elishaqisayo lobugebengu bezindiza obungaphuli nje kuphela imikhuba yamazwe ngamazwe kanye nomthetho wobugebengu wase-US, kodwa futhi obungase bubeke engozini izimpilo zezakhamuzi ezine zase-US kanye nenqwaba yabanye abagibeli abangenacala abagibele. "
Umsizi woMqondisi we-FBI uMichael J. Driscoll uthe: “Sisola ukuthi abamangalelwa benze iqhinga elibanzi lokukhohlisa ibhomu okwaphoqa ukuthi indiza ihlale ngokuphuthumayo ezweni labo ukuze babophe intatheli ephikisayo. Phakathi nophenyo lwethu, i-FBI ihlonze umsebenzi onemininingwane owenze abagibeli abavela emazweni amaningi, kuhlanganise ne-U.S., babhekana namaqiniso ezinsongo zobuphekula. Akukhona nje kuphela okwenzeka ukwephulwa budedengu komthetho wase-US, kuyingozi kakhulu ekuphepheni kwawo wonke umuntu ondiza endizeni. Umshayeli wendiza olandelayo othola ucingo lokucindezeleka oluvela embhoshongweni angase angabaze ubuqiniso besimo esiphuthumayo - esibeka izimpilo zabantu engcupheni. I-FBI kanye nozakwethu bakwamanye amazwe bazoqhubeka nokuthwesa abenzi bokubi icala ngezenzo ezibeka engcupheni izimpilo zezakhamizi zethu zase-US engcupheni futhi ezibeka engcupheni ukuphepha kwezwe lethu. "
Uhlolojikelele Lwesakhiwo
Ngenkathi isendleleni yayo yabagibeli ehlelelwe njalo phakathi kwe-Athens, Greece, neVilnius, Lithuania, ngoMeyi 23, 2021, Indiza yaphambukiselwa eMinsk, eBelarus yiziphathimandla ezilawula ukuhamba kwezindiza eBelarus ngenxa yokusongelwa okwakuthiwa kuzoqhuma ibhomu. indiza. Empeleni lalingekho ibhomu endizeni. Iziphathimandla zikahulumeni waseBelarusian zakha lolu songo njengendlela yokulawula i-Flight futhi iyiphoqe ukuthi isuke endleleni yayo ibheke endaweni yokuqala yaseVilnius, futhi esikhundleni salokho ihlale eMinsk. Inhloso yetulo likahulumeni waseBelarusian lokuphambukisa i-Flight eMinsk yayiwukuba abezokuphepha baseBelarusian bakwazi ukubopha intatheli yaseBelarusian kanye nesishoshovu sezombangazwe (“Individual-1”)—owayegxeka uhulumeni waseBelarusian, ohlala ekudingisweni eLithuania, futhi efuna. nguhulumeni waseBelarus ngezinsolo zokubhebhethekisa “izibhelu eziningi”—kanye nentombi ka-Individual-1 (“Individual-2”). Itulo likahulumeni waseBelarusian lokuphambukisa Indiza yabulawa, phakathi kwabanye, izikhulu zezinsizakalo zokuphepha zezwe laseBelarusian ezisebenza ngokubambisana nezikhulu eziphezulu zeziphathimandla ze-Belarusian state navigation air.
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- The purpose of the Belarusian government's plot diverting the Flight to Minsk was so that Belarusian security services could arrest a Belarusian journalist and political activist (“Individual-1”)—who was critical of the Belarusian government, living in exile in Lithuania, and wanted by the Belarusian government on allegations of fomenting “mass unrest”—as well as Individual-1's girlfriend (“Individual-2”).
- While on its regularly-scheduled passenger route between Athens, Greece, and Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 23, 2021, the Flight was diverted to Minsk, Belarus by air traffic control authorities in Belarus in response to a purported threat of a bomb on board the aircraft.
- “We allege the defendants carried out an elaborate scheme to fake a bomb scare which forced an airplane to make an emergency landing in their country so they could arrest a dissident journalist.
