PETALING JAYA: There were no hidden hands behind the interview with Swiss national Xavier Andre Justo (pic), who is in Thai police custody, says The Straits Timesforeign editor Audrey Quek.
"Our reporter in Bangkok, following up on this story, had for several days sought access to Justo and was eventually offered it by his lawyer. Naturally, we pursued the opportunity, given the widespread interest in it and its significance," she said in a statement.
The Edge Media Group owner Datuk Tong Kooi Ong and publisher Ho Kay Tat had
questioned how Singapore’s The Straits Times had managed to gain access to Justo.
They had asked: "Which powerful hidden hand arranged for Nirmal Ghosh of the Singapore daily to meet Justo so that he can launch an attack on us?"
Quek, however, said: "We know of no hidden hand behind our getting access to him."
Justo had claimed during the interview that Tong agreed to pay him US$2mil in exchange for the data stolen from his former employer, PetroSaudi International. But the money was never paid.
Tong and Ho in a statement admitted to misleading Justo.
"Yes, we misled him. But that was the only way to get hold of the evidence to expose how a small group of Malaysians and foreigners cheated the people of Malaysia of US$1.83bil (S$2.5bil)."
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