Malaysia has been the big problem from the start. They’re probably feeling a little guilty about the Bali bombers, but they may also be having some internal problems that have complicated this.
I’m very sure that Islam was involved, one way or another, whether the co-pilot or the other flight engineer on board wanted to seize the flight and did so, or whether they didn’t manage to do so and crashed it in the ocean.
But Malaysia is not going to breathe a word about this.
The Malaysians might have shot it down as it doubled back over Malaysia in the middle of the first night. Could be in some deep jungle on the peninsula now being guarded by Malay troops.
That was my first thought and it still seems as good a possibility as any advanced by any agency, government, journalist or FReeper.