MH17 shooter to be identified in 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The culprit who shot down Malaysian aircraft MH17, which killed all 298 passengers, will only be identified by early 2018.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai told the Dewan Rakyat that the international Joint Investigation Team (JIT) have identified the group and is narrowing its investigation to find the one who shot the BUK antiaircraft missile.
"Although (JIT) has identified the group that shot MH17, but there are a hundred of them and the team has to call all of them for questioning before a conclusion can be made.
"JIT suspects (it is the) separatist group and is continuing its investigations on them.
"Once the shooter has been identified, we will use our power (to take action) through the international court in Netherlands to prosecute the culprit," he said in his winding up speech on the budget debate at committee stage.
Liow said JIT has asked for an extension to facilitate its criminal investigations into the tragedy on March 8, 2014.
"We have to go further, it depends on how far we can go from the probe. We have to follow the roots to identify and prosecute either individuals or a group," he said.
He was responding to questions raised by Teo Kok Seong (DAP-Rasah), who asked if the international investigations have been completed and whether the suspect has been identified.
The JIT, which comprises Australia, Netherlands, Ukraine, Belgium and Malaysia, had in its interim report determined MH17 was shot down from separatist controlled territory in Ukraine.
It further determined that the missile system was brought into Ukraine from Russia shortly before the tragedy and then smuggled back to Russia shortly afterward.