Attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail shed little light on the progress of investigations into the loss of two RMAF F5-E jet engines, when he only revealed that no senior air force officers were involved in the theft from a military airbase in Sungai Besi in 2007.

He said that only rank-and-file officers were behind the missing US-made jet fighter engines which Malaysia purchased in 1975. He added the culprits will be prosecuted soon.

“The investigation papers show there are no senior military officers involved. Only what we can call rank and file personnel are involved. No officers.”

“We shall take action against the suspects in the very near future. You can mark my words. However, investigations are still ongoing,” said Abdul Gani at a press conference held at the AG Chambers in Putrajaya.

Also present were AG Chambers head of prosecution, Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah and federal CID chief Mohd Bakri Zinin.

Abdul Gani had recently received the investigation papers on the stolen jet engines from the police.

There were earlier allegations of a possible cover-up over the loss of the engines as the incident was only made public two years after discovery.

The AG, however, did not disclose how many people are being questioned by the police or how many would be prosecuted. He did say that some civilians were also being investigated adding several customs officers could also be involved.

When asked further as to the actual number of those being questioned, Abdul Gani said, “You know I cannot say that as an AG and as a lawyer, I only deal with hard facts.”

He revealed that the final destination of the two engines was Uruguay. He was not sure if the engines were still there or if they had been transferred elsewhere.

“The priority is now to find the jet engines,” he said.

Abdul Gani said Malaysia had also requested assistance from the US and also Interpol to help in the investigations.

First headed to Subang Jaya

Previously, Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan was reported to have said that the two engines have been traced to Argentina.

The engines were believed to have been stolen from the airbase in 2007 but news of the theft only surfaced last December.

Abdul Gani said the engines were brought to USJ Subang Jaya, to undergo some repairs sometime on Oct 31, 2007.

He said the military suspected that the engines were stolen on Dec 30, 2007 though it was only on May 22, 2008 that the military confirmed that the theft had occurred.

The military, the AG said, then launched its own investigations into the matter and decided to lodge a police report on Aug 4, 2008.

Based on military and police investigations, Abdul Gani revealed the container containing the jet engines was off-loaded in Argentina.

“From there, it boarded another vessel heading towards Uruguay,” said Abdul Gani.

Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had before this revealed that apart from the two engines, other related equipment had also gone missing.

He had said then that the ministry will take action against “senior officers responsible”.

Abdul Gani refused to comment on the possibility of any organisation or country being involved in the theft of the engines. Asked on the possible involvement of Iran, Abdul Gani jumped and said, “That is what you are claiming. I am not revealing anything.”

To questions on the actual price of the engines following claims they were overpriced when listed at RM50 million each, Abdul Gani only replied they (the F5-E fighter jets) were bought in 1975 at that value.

RPK: More charges?

On efforts to bring back ‘wanted’ blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, Abdul Gani said investigations were being made to trace his whereabouts.

“We are also studying the possibility of leveling more charges against him including him leaving the country illegally. The matter is still under study and we would be requiring assistance from our foreign counterparts to extradite him back to Malaysia,” he said.

Abdul Gani said there were legal ramifications in Raja Petra’s (right) case as the courts in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya have already granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal with regards to the sedition charges he faced.

Asked to comment on the High Court’s decision to lift the ban on the use of the term ‘Allah’ by the Catholic Church’ s weekly publication The Herald, he only replied that the Home Ministry was dealing with the matter.

Abdul Gani also did not comment on veteran lawyer Karpal Singh’s request to grant him a fiat to prosecute senior lawyer VK Lingam for sedition.

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