The world ‘can’t ignore’ Belarus plane diversion: Alan Jones

Sky News host Alan Jones says the world “can’t ignore” the recent plane diversion in Belarus in which it seems Belarusian and/or Russian agents were involved in the operation to arrest a critic of the Belarusian President. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has been in power for 27 years, and Western Governments “believe that he rigged the last election,” according to Mr Jones. “Last Sunday… Roman Protasevich at 26 years of age was on a Ryanair flight, flying to Lithuania with his 23-year-old girlfriend,” he said. “The Ryanair plane – which is an Irish ultra-low-cost airline whose headquarters are Dublin - was intercepted by a Belarus military jet and escorted to Minsk. “Belarus sent the fighter jet to escort the Ryanair flight, claiming there was a bomb threat.” When the plane’s passengers disembarked in Minsk, Mr Protasevich and his girlfriend were arrested by police. “Belarusian authorities have argued the decision to land was made independently by the Ryanair pilot. But transcripts which have been independently verified indicate that Belarus said several times that the plane should land in Minsk,” Mr Jones said. “The family of these two people believed that one or both will be placed on a terrorism list, facing the death penalty. Meanwhile, Belarusian authorities have released a video of Protasevich that appears to have been recorded under duress; in it, he is ‘confessing’ to crimes. “But the opposition leader in Belarus has argued that the 26-year-old was being tortured.” According to Mr Jones, it seems “the story is simple”. “Belarusian and/or Russian agents were involved in the operation to arrest Protasevich,” he said. “A terrorist act again trading on profound American weakness.”

from Breaking National News and Australian News | Daily Telegraph https://ift.tt/2SutcUM