Lockerbie-style tribunal possible to prosecute suspects in MH17's downing, - Julie Bishop

Foreign Minister of Australia Julie Bishop says those behind the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine should be prosecuted in a Lockerbie-style tribunal.

Censor.NET reports citing ABC.

"There can be a Lockerbie-style prosecution, a tribunal that's set up by the international community. Or there can be domestic prosecutions in, say, the Netherlands - as long as they had the powers of extradition and the like.

"I think a domestic-style tribunal would possibly be easier to establish but you'd have to make sure that it had all the necessary powers. For example, extradition to be able to absolutely hold those responsible for this atrocity to account," Bishop said.

Ms. Bishop met with other countries involved in the joint investigation in New York to discuss the next step in the prosecution of those who fired the missile. Investigators behind last week's report are unable to file charges over the deaths of the 298 passengers and crew who were on board the aircraft.

The Netherlands has discussed the prospect of an international tribunal, similar to the one set up following the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, when Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up while flying over Scotland.