German Officials Raid Investigator’s Home, Seize ‘Explosive’ MH-17 Documents

Swiss Govt Also Seizes Private Eye's Safe Deposit Box

In the midst of Dutch officials releasing a photo of a piece of the missile that putatively downed the MH-17 passenger plane over Ukraine in July of 2014, a pair of raids have been carried out by German and Swiss officials related to the investigation.

The raid in Germany centered on the home of private German detective Josef Resch, who was hired by persons unknown to carry out a private investigation of the crash. Reports indicated he had been paid some $19 million so far in the investigation.

In the raid on his home, near Lubeck, officials reportedly seized “explosive documents” which could shed new light on the downing of the plane. The Swiss raid, in Zurich, saw Resch’s safe deposit box seized, though Swiss courts have yet to determine if the contents have anything to do with the investigation.

Netherlands officials claim the plane was downed by a BUK anti-aircraft missile, a type of missile made by Russia but also in the possession of the Ukrainian military. The probe has been criticized for depending almost entirely on Ukrainian government officials for evidence, which has skewed the investigation toward blaming Russia.

Resch had been soliciting information since a few months after the incident, offering up to $47 million. Last year, he claimed an informant had come forward with considerable information.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.