MH17 suspects to be tried in Netherlands

Those suspected of shooting down the MH17 passenger jet will be prosecuted in the Netherlands, the country's foreign minister announced.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Jul 2017, 11:34 BST
Updated 18th Jul 2017, 08:40 BST
Flight MH17 which was brought down by a Russian-made missile killing 298 people was one of 160 passenger planes flying over eastern Ukraine that day, Dutch investigators have said. The warhead exploded to the left of the cockpit, causing it to break off as it was showered with fragments of metal, and the Boeing 777 broke up in mid-air (Pic: Dutch Safety Board/PA Wire)Flight MH17 which was brought down by a Russian-made missile killing 298 people was one of 160 passenger planes flying over eastern Ukraine that day, Dutch investigators have said. The warhead exploded to the left of the cockpit, causing it to break off as it was showered with fragments of metal, and the Boeing 777 broke up in mid-air (Pic: Dutch Safety Board/PA Wire)
Flight MH17 which was brought down by a Russian-made missile killing 298 people was one of 160 passenger planes flying over eastern Ukraine that day, Dutch investigators have said. The warhead exploded to the left of the cockpit, causing it to break off as it was showered with fragments of metal, and the Boeing 777 broke up in mid-air (Pic: Dutch Safety Board/PA Wire)

The decision was made by the countries involved in the ongoing investigation – Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Ukraine.

All 298 people on board the Malaysia Airlines flight were killed when it was shot down over war-torn Ukraine in 2014, including Blackpool man Glenn Thomas.

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Most of the victims were Dutch, though the tally included people from 17 nations.

Glenn ThomasGlenn Thomas
Glenn Thomas

Bert Koender, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said: “Flight MH17 was downed in a conflict zone which was the scene of heavy fighting and which is still difficult to access.

“We’re still seeing a great deal of disinformation and attempts to discredit the investigation.

“Nethertheless, major results have been achieved. What’s more, the ongoing criminal investigation enjoys virtually unanimous support from the international community. MH17 has shown how a shared tragedy can lead to close international cooperation and a determination to see that justice is done.”

None of the suspects have been named.

Glenn ThomasGlenn Thomas
Glenn Thomas
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In 2015, the Dutch Safety Board found the Boeing 777 – flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur – was downed by a Russian-made rocket fired from territory held by pro-Russia separatists.

A Kremlin spokesman told the BBC: “We cannot accept as final truth what they say.”