Dutch anger swells at treatment of Ukraine bodies

By MIKE CORDER, Associated Press

Jul 21, 2014 4:01 AM CDT

Copied

Dutch anger swells at treatment of Ukraine bodies — People look at flowers laid in memory of Willem Grootscholten, a victim of flight MH17, who worked for 12 years as a bouncer at the cannabis-selling cafe Andersom in Utrecht, Netherlands, Sunday, July 20, 2014. An attack on a Malaysian jetliner shot down over Ukraine on Thursday killed 298 people from... (Associated Press)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Relatives of Dutch victims killed in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 are meeting with their king, queen and prime minister amid growing anger at the treatment of their loved ones' bodies by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine.

Before the meeting Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Mark Rutte briefed lawmakers about his government's response to Thursday's disaster that claimed 193 Dutch lives.

Rutte says he has made it "crystal clear" to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he must use his influence with rebels to ensure unhindered access to the crash scene for international investigators.

He says sanctions could be slapped on "those directly or indirectly responsible" for hindering the probe if access is restricted in coming days.

Rutte says "all political, economic and financial options are on the table."

See 2 more photos