Putin empowers Russian Air Force to shoot down hijacked planes

Moscow, Mar 6 (UNI) Russian President Vladimir Putin today signed a counter-terrorism bill into law, authorising the air defence forces to shoot down hijacked planes in order to prevent attacks on strategic facilities or public places.

The law also gives Russian secret services sweeping new powers in the fight against terrorism, the Kremlin press service said.

It provides a regulatory framework for dealing with terrorist attacks and their aftermath and empowers the country's secret services to tap telephone conversations and control electronic communications in areas where counter-terrorism operations are being run.

The State Duma (lower house of parliament) had earlier approved the bill on February 26 and Federation Council (upper house) cleared it on March 1.

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