Netherlands right place to try MH17 suspects: Aviation experts

KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to choose the Netherlands as the country in which the prosecution of suspects in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 will take place is the right one, said local aviation experts.
They said that the Netherlands was suitable not only because the majority of the victims were Dutch but also due to Amsterdam's credibility as the home of the International Court of Justice.
Former Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) investigating officer Capt Abdul Rahmat Omar Tun Mohd Haniff said the Netherlands was the right choice because the country led the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which is also participated by Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, and Ukraine.
Commenting further, Abdul Rahmat said before starting any trial, JIT had to first name the suspect.
"The suspect can only be named if both sides (Ukraine and Russia) give their full cooperation in the investigation, and the investigation is being conducted fairly, not in favour of any conflicting countries.

"Likewise with the sentences. Whether it will be accepted by those found guilty is a huge question mark. Many 'in absentia' (while not present at the event being referred to) sentences were meted out but cannot be carried out until now.
"Therefore, JIT needs to name the suspect after having a very strong evidence," he told Bernama.
It was reported on Wednesday that the JIT countries had agreed that the prosecution takes place in the Netherlands under the Dutch legal system.
Meanwhile, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) test pilot Prof Dr Mohd Harridon Mohamed Suffian said the decision was correct and the people of the country were waiting for justice to be done for their countrymen.
The outcome of the trial would help bring a closure to the incident, he said.
"Sentencing often follows the exact procedures. However, to execute is something tortuous because the political influence of a big country plays a role as well," he said.
Mohd Harridon believed that the next step for JIT was to assist the court in providing in-depth data and information to be used in the trial.
JIT was also encouraged to conduct an in-depth analysis of the collected evidence using different perspectives and methodologies to counterclaim the accused, who would come out with their own version of the analysis, he said.
Flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, as it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 283 passengers and 15 crew on board. The Boeing 777-200 aircraft is believed to have been shot down over the troubled country. — Bernama