Russian investigators have reported finding traces of explosives in the wreckage of one of two planes involved in crashes earlier this week that killed 89 people.
Experts have found the explosives in the wreckage of the Tu-154 passenger airplane, which crashed in southern Russia with more than 40 people on board.
"During the examination of the wreckage of the Tu-154 plane traces of explosives were found," a spokeswoman for the FSB security service, which Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered to help with the investigation, said. "The investigation process produced information which has allowed us to identify a number of people with possible links to the terrorist act that was committed on Tu-154."
She added the explosive was of a type used in some previous attacks blamed on Chechen separatists. She said there was no fresh information about the other plane, a Tu-134. The planes went down within minutes of each other after both had taken off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport.
A website known for militant Muslim comment today published a claim of responsibility for the crashes, connecting the action to Russia's fight against separatists in Chechnya. The statement was signed "the Islambouli Brigades".
A group with a similar name has claimed responsibility for at least one other attack, but the authenticity of today's statement could not immediately be confirmed.
"Russia's slaughtering of Muslims is continuing and will only stop when a bloody war is launched," the statement said.
"Our mujahedeen, with God's grace, succeeded in directing the first blow which will be followed by a series of other operations in a wave of to extend support and victory to our Muslim brothers in Chechnya and other Muslim areas which suffer from Russian faithlessness."
Today's statement said five mujahedeen were on board each plane and their wills will be published soon. The statement did not explain how the hijackers boarded the planes or how they downed them.
Russian officials have claimed that the rebels who have been fighting Russian forces in Chechnya for nearly five years receive help from foreign terrorist organisations, including al-Qaeda.
Agencies