Russian air defence to prevent 9/11 repeat

In an effort to prevent a repeat of 9/11, Russia is developing an air defence system to intercept aircraft hijacked by terrorists. The system would be capable of intercepting planes within one minute, commander of the Special Mission Troops responsible for Moscow air defence, Col Gen Yuri Solovyov, said today.

He said this system could be important, in particular, for providing security to strategic facilities in Moscow and the city on the whole.

8216;8216;If, for instance, a plane seized by terrorists takes off from the nearest airport of the Russian capital, it can reach downtown Moscow within 40-50 seconds,8217;8217; he pointed.