EXIF data in Dutch prosecutor published photos suggest arena test in Finland was done in October 2015

At May 15 2017 Dutch Public Prosecution Service make public an ezine with information on the progress of the criminal investigation into the downing of MH17.

The ezine contains two photos showing a missile arena test which was done in Finland. In an arena test a missile is exploded to investigate the trajectory of the fragments.

So far it was known Finland did these test on request by the Dutch public prosecution service. In September 2016 newspapers reported about the untill then unknown arena test.

As Finland had legal issues with transfering the results of the test to JIT, likely a second arena test was done in Ukraine. This was done in July 2016. JIT confirms here the arena test in Finland was done before July 2016.

The EXIF data part of the two photos published by JIT suggest the arena test in Finland was done at October 15, 2015. The exact data of the test has never been made public. Some statements in newspapers suggest the arena test was done in 2014.

A user at the Smolensk forum found out about the EXIF information.

The date and time shown in the EXIF:

1. October 21 2015 10:12:47
2. October 21 2015 11:49:56

At the photo taken first according EXIF we see a wooden construction, no missile on it and undamaged aluminium plates surrounding the wooden construction.

The photo taken 1,5 hour later show the missile on the wooden construction.

So while it cannot be ruled out the dates shown in the EXIF are incorrect, the times seem to be matching the sequence of an arena test.

If the test was indeed done in October 2o15 the results could not have been used in the DSB final report. The report does not mention any arena test.

 

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