Setev Shaariibuu (Altantuya's father) ready to testify in France

Setev Shaariibuu, father of slain Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, has offered to testify at the French court which is probing the French arms manufacturer DCNS.

At a press conference at Petaling Jaya today, Shaariibuu said he was prepared to give evidence to show that his daughter’s murder was linked to Malaysia’s procurement of two submarines from DCNS.

“I know there is a connection between the French case and the murder,” said Shaariibuu, who addressed the media through an interpreter.

“I will try to connect the dots between the two cases. I will give detailed information when asked to testify”.

Shaariibuu also claimed that the purpose of his daughter’s fateful visit to Malaysia in October 2006 was to meet Najib Abdul Razak, then the deputy prime minister and defence minister.

He said he had personally asked Altantuya on the purpose of her visit, where she responded by showing him a picture of three people and pointing at Najib.

Shaariibuu said the picture depicted his daughter, Najib and his former confidante Abdul Razak Baginda, whose company KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd was the key go-between for the Malaysian government and DCNS.

"She said she had something to discuss with Najib," he said.
Shaariibuu claimed Altantuya didn’t mention about Abdul Razak Baginda at all the last time he saw her, only insisting that her purpose was to find a man of importance.

“She said she had to meet important people, and she pointed at Najib (in the photo), and said she had something to decide with Najib,” he recalled.

“I told her it was not worth going (on the trip), but she went anyway,” he said.

Shaariibuu said if he had known something bad would happen to his daugter, he would have kept a copy of the picture.

Shaariibuu was accompanied by Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel (left) and his Mongolian interpreter.

Cynthia said Suaram will submit a list of witnesses which includes Shaariibuu as a key witness to its French lawyers within two to three weeks time, for the court’s decision.

She said a Suaram representative will be called as the first witness to testify in court.

Meanwhile, Cynthia urged the local mainstream media which had totally blacked out Shaariibuu’s second visit in Malaysia to garner more courage to cover news about him.