Flight MH17 unlikely shot down by fighter jets - Hishammuddin

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today denied reports in the social media that Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17 was shot down by fighter jets.

He said intelligence and evidence gathered from the fragments of the ill-fated aircraft clearly showed it was shot down by missiles that were launched to the air from the ground.

"Based on military intelligence and evidence from a portion of fragments found, it is not likely the bullets were used from air to air but from surface to air. "Whether these were owned by Ukraine or the rebels who supplied by Russia the bullets must have come from BUK System and this matter cannot be denied by Europe, Nato or Russia," he told reporters after officiating the Bera Umno's Wanita, Youth and Puteri wing division meeting here today.

Also present were Agriculture and Agro-based Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri, who is also Bera Umno division chief.

Hishammuddin was commenting on social media reports that alleged flight MH17, which was carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew, was shot down by fighter jets.

Prior to this Russian Defence Minister had issued a video recording that showed the presence of a Sukhoi 25 (Su-25) Ukraine fighter jet that was detected flying at a distance of three to five km from the aircraft before the incident,

However, a foreign military expert said based on the aircraft fragments that were burnt and full of small and big gaps at the mid portion, it was shot with a missile from the ground to the air.

Hishammuddin said he was personally confident that flight MH17 was shot with a BUK missile based on his experience and knowledge as a defence minister. Hence, he advised the people not to be easily influenced by speculation and rumours being spread in the media social.

Starting from Bera today, he said, the government, particularly the Umno leadership would use the hashtag #justiceforMH17 from #prayforMH17 that was previously used.