Witnesses offered immunity, new life in West if they roll on Moscow
A new life in the West is being offered to anyone who rolls over on Moscow and can help police catch those behind the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.
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Exclusive: Immunity, witness protection and even relocation to Australia is being offered by police to anyone willing to roll on Moscow and identify any Russians behind the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.
In a new twist to the ongoing investigation into the 2014 downing that killed all 298 on-board including 38 Australians, investigators including the Australian Federal Police have made the extraordinary offer of a new life for potential witnesses and their families.
The move came as Ukraine and Russia this week moved toward a peace summit being brokered by French President Emmanuel Macron for the east Ukraine conflict.
Significantly the move also came as the Dutch-led MH17 multinational Joint Investigations Team (JIT) revealed it had new information implicating the highest levels of the Russian government in the shooting down of the airliner.
It is understood at least 12 people are under suspicion.
“The indications for close ties between leaders of the (rebels) and Russian government officials raise questions about their possible involvement in the deployment of the BUK Telar (missile) that brought down flight MH17,” investigators said.
As incentive for information, potential witnesses “in fear of retribution” could be protected with assumed identities for them and family members.
They could also be interviewed in another country, placed in their witness protection program or even relocated to “permanent resettling in another country” with confirmation every JIT nation have cooperative arrangements with other nations.
“Inclusion in a witness protection program is not to be considered as a reward. It is governed by strict protocols and is on voluntary basis,” Dutch investigators said.
For those particularly pro-Russian fighters involved in the broader Ukrainian war crimes, other incentives on offer for information included plea bargains for reduced or suspended punishments.
AFP assistant commissioner Peter Crozier told News Corp investigators would not stop pursuing those behind the tragedy and investigators were providing all opportunities for witnesses to come forward.
“Closure might be something that never happens (for victims’ families) and we are not looking to provide people with closure we are looking to provide people with an understanding of what occurred and bring those people responsible to justice,” he said.
Originally published as Witnesses offered immunity, new life in West if they roll on Moscow
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