Twitter user in police probe for calling MH370 disappearance a ‘conspiracy’

KUALA LUMPUR — For tweeting that Malaysia Airlines flight MH370’s disappearance was a “conspiracy” and not an accident, a Twitter user is now the subject of a police investigation, after the country’s police chief picked up the tweet and ordered a probe.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has told the police to investigate the user named “Fazel”, who tweeted at the handle @ollie_mollie.

Mr Khalid, who tweets at @KBAB51, posted a screenshot of Fazel’s tweet and issued instructions: “PCIRC @PDRMsia Sila kesan dan siasat ‘Fazel’ di bawah ini” (Please identify and investigate this ‘Fazel’).

PCIRC is the Police Cyber Investigation Response Centre while @PDRMsia is the Twitter handle for the Royal Malaysian Police.

In the screenshot, Fazel had tweeted a response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s condolence message to the families of those on MH370, which was posted yesterday (Jan 29).

Fazel had said, “@NajibRazak jib jib..it’s not an accident, it’s a conspiracy”.

His account with the handle @ollie_mollie has since been deleted after a few other Twitter users challenged him to provide evidence for his conspiracy claim.

The police, at the handle @PDRMsia, responded to Mr Khalid’s instruction with a reply, “Tan Sri @KBAB51, tindakan sedang diambil oleh pihak PCIRC”.

Mr Khalid has in recent times taken to his Twitter account to publicise certain cases, particularly those that involve the Sedition Act and criticism of the authorities.

He announced a probe into human right lawyer Eric Paulsen for accusing the religious authorities of spreading extremism through Friday prayers.

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