Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05LAGOS1748
2005-11-10 17:02:00
SECRET
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:  

PRELIMINARY REVIEW YIELDS NO "SMOKING GUN" IN

Tags:  CASC EAIR NI ASEC PTER PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T LAGOS 001748 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W
STATE FOR INR/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2015
TAGS: CASC EAIR NI ASEC PTER PREL
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY REVIEW YIELDS NO "SMOKING GUN" IN
BELLVIEW DEBRIS

REF: LAGOS 1743 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)

S E C R E T LAGOS 001748

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W
STATE FOR INR/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2015
TAGS: CASC EAIR NI ASEC PTER PREL
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY REVIEW YIELDS NO "SMOKING GUN" IN
BELLVIEW DEBRIS

REF: LAGOS 1743 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)


1. (S) Explosives forensics experts performed a preliminary
examination of the Bellview plane crash debris thus far
collected. Visual inspection of the plane fragment in
question showed no clear sign of explosive damage, according
to the experts. The suspect piece was swabbed, and the
samples will be transported to the FBI laboratory for more
precise analysis. Testing will take approximately two days.
Should this yield positive results for explosives, additional
tests will be performed, taking two to three additional days.
Test results will be delivered to GON to assist with their
ongoing investigation.


2. (S) Legal Attache, the on-site National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB) representative, and the forensics team
briefed Aviation Minister Borishade, Director of the Accident
Investigation and Prevention Bureau Angus Ozoka, and three
explosives experts from the State Security Service on the
preliminary results. However, the team stressed that
although examination of the subject fragment did not yield
evidence of an explosion, it could not yet be definitively
concluded that an explosion did not take place. The USG
experts cautioned the Nigerian side that debris collection
and analysis must continue so that we can get as complete a
picture as possible, and that any additional questionable
discoveries must be evaluated carefully if they appear.


3. (S) GON personnel will continue excavation at the crash
site and the movement of the debris to the hangar where they
will attempt to fit the pieces together. The NTSB team is
suspending work for approximately two weeks until additional
debris is transported to the hangar. The NTSB representative
said the work of reconstructing the plane will be
time-consuming and slow. This work would be facilitated by
discovery of the flight data recorders, he added. So far,
the data recorders have not been found at the Bellview site.
BROWNE