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| French Alps shootings: robbery, feud and Iraq war link among theories | French Alps shootings: robbery, feud and Iraq war link among theories |
| (7 months later) | |
| French police have said the brutal murder of three members of a British family holidaying in the French Alps, together with the shooting and near-fatal beating of their seven-year-old child, bears all the hallmarks of an organised assassination. | French police have said the brutal murder of three members of a British family holidaying in the French Alps, together with the shooting and near-fatal beating of their seven-year-old child, bears all the hallmarks of an organised assassination. |
| The way in which Iraqi-born Saad al-Hilli, 50, his wife, Ikbal, and a 77-year-old woman as well as a passing cyclist were gunned down with a bullet to the head on an isolated hillside near Lake Annecy suggests a premeditated ambush. Investigators admit this scenario is a possibility but say it is only one of several theories being examined. | The way in which Iraqi-born Saad al-Hilli, 50, his wife, Ikbal, and a 77-year-old woman as well as a passing cyclist were gunned down with a bullet to the head on an isolated hillside near Lake Annecy suggests a premeditated ambush. Investigators admit this scenario is a possibility but say it is only one of several theories being examined. |
| "All we know for sure is that whoever did this wanted to kill these people," the local public prosector, Eric Maillaud, said on Friday. "It is clear from the fact they put a bullet in each head and shot and beat the girl, presumably leaving her for dead." | "All we know for sure is that whoever did this wanted to kill these people," the local public prosector, Eric Maillaud, said on Friday. "It is clear from the fact they put a bullet in each head and shot and beat the girl, presumably leaving her for dead." |
| The French investigating authorities have described the way in which the killing happened as a "strange modus operandi", which appears to mean that it is not obvious why the attack happened. | The French investigating authorities have described the way in which the killing happened as a "strange modus operandi", which appears to mean that it is not obvious why the attack happened. |
| While it is clear they know much more than they are letting on – and Lieutenant Colonel Benoît Vinnemann, the gendarme leading the inquiry, has admitted this, saying vital information should not be made public – it is also clear that much of what happened on Wednesday remains a mystery. Investigators may know where it happened and when, but the why, how and who have yet to be discovered. | While it is clear they know much more than they are letting on – and Lieutenant Colonel Benoît Vinnemann, the gendarme leading the inquiry, has admitted this, saying vital information should not be made public – it is also clear that much of what happened on Wednesday remains a mystery. Investigators may know where it happened and when, but the why, how and who have yet to be discovered. |
| "What can we say for sure? That there was a minimum of three bullets in each body, one to each head; that the gunman was outside the vehicle and the dead — apart from the cyclist — were inside. We cannot say if there was one or more killer or one or more arm," Maillaud said on Friday. | "What can we say for sure? That there was a minimum of three bullets in each body, one to each head; that the gunman was outside the vehicle and the dead — apart from the cyclist — were inside. We cannot say if there was one or more killer or one or more arm," Maillaud said on Friday. |
| "We don't know in what order the people died and I fear we may never know." | "We don't know in what order the people died and I fear we may never know." |
| There are currently four theories with some credibility: that it was a racist killing, a robbery, the consequence of a family dispute, or that there was a national security connection. | There are currently four theories with some credibility: that it was a racist killing, a robbery, the consequence of a family dispute, or that there was a national security connection. |
| Robbery | Robbery |
| Earlier this year the Foreign Office warned tourists about an emerging "pattern of incidents" in this part of France, after gangs appeared to be targeting foreign-registered cars on highways. | Earlier this year the Foreign Office warned tourists about an emerging "pattern of incidents" in this part of France, after gangs appeared to be targeting foreign-registered cars on highways. |
| On Thursday the Evening Standard reported that there had been a series of hold-ups involving masked attackers 50 miles away. The gang tried to steal a Ford Fiesta and a Peugeot and police were investigating whether there was a link between the incidents. | On Thursday the Evening Standard reported that there had been a series of hold-ups involving masked attackers 50 miles away. The gang tried to steal a Ford Fiesta and a Peugeot and police were investigating whether there was a link between the incidents. |
| Edmund King, president of the AA, said: "There have been incidents in the south of France and around Lyon. They look for UK-registered cars, then they flash their lights and perhaps point at the car's wheels. The tourists stop their car and while one gang member distracts them, another steals from their car. French police have been cracking down on these gangs but there have been isolated and organised incidents from particular gangs in particular areas." | Edmund King, president of the AA, said: "There have been incidents in the south of France and around Lyon. They look for UK-registered cars, then they flash their lights and perhaps point at the car's wheels. The tourists stop their car and while one gang member distracts them, another steals from their car. French police have been cracking down on these gangs but there have been isolated and organised incidents from particular gangs in particular areas." |
| National security | National security |
| This theory was triggered in part by a Daily Mail report claiming Hilli had been placed under Special Branch surveillance in 2003 during the Iraq war. Philip Murphy, a neighbour of Hilli in Claygate, Surrey, was quoted by the paper as saying he thought Special Branch used his driveway during the war to monitor Hilli's house. | This theory was triggered in part by a Daily Mail report claiming Hilli had been placed under Special Branch surveillance in 2003 during the Iraq war. Philip Murphy, a neighbour of Hilli in Claygate, Surrey, was quoted by the paper as saying he thought Special Branch used his driveway during the war to monitor Hilli's house. |
| "I watched them [the officers] from the window and they were watching Mr al-Hilli and his brother," Murphy told the Mail. "I thought they were from special branch. They would sit there all day in their parked car just looking at the house. When Mr al-Hilli came out and drove off, they would follow him. It was all very odd. I never told the family they were being watched." | "I watched them [the officers] from the window and they were watching Mr al-Hilli and his brother," Murphy told the Mail. "I thought they were from special branch. They would sit there all day in their parked car just looking at the house. When Mr al-Hilli came out and drove off, they would follow him. It was all very odd. I never told the family they were being watched." |
| However, Whitehall sources told the Guardian there was no sign of a UK intelligence service interest in Hilli: "He wasn't on their radar." There have also been a number of theories based around Hilli's Iraqi ethnicity and his work, which have led some to speculate whether the killing was the work of an intelligence agency, or linked with one. | However, Whitehall sources told the Guardian there was no sign of a UK intelligence service interest in Hilli: "He wasn't on their radar." There have also been a number of theories based around Hilli's Iraqi ethnicity and his work, which have led some to speculate whether the killing was the work of an intelligence agency, or linked with one. |
| It has been established that Hilli worked in computer-assisted design for the firm Surrey Satellites, which is owned by the large defence and engineering contractor EADS. On Thursday a family friend and fellow engineer, James Matthews, said Hilli was a freelancer and that the last major project he had worked on was designing the galley kitchen of the new Airbus. | It has been established that Hilli worked in computer-assisted design for the firm Surrey Satellites, which is owned by the large defence and engineering contractor EADS. On Thursday a family friend and fellow engineer, James Matthews, said Hilli was a freelancer and that the last major project he had worked on was designing the galley kitchen of the new Airbus. |
| The picture painted of Hilli so far by friends and neighbours is of a hard-working family man with a love of caravanning who was a respected member of the suburban Surrey community he made his home – less James Bond, more Terry Scott. | The picture painted of Hilli so far by friends and neighbours is of a hard-working family man with a love of caravanning who was a respected member of the suburban Surrey community he made his home – less James Bond, more Terry Scott. |
| Family feud | Family feud |
| French police confirmed that they were working with their British counterparts on the theory of a family feud. It seems extraordinary that a family dispute could erupt in such a fashion – with the deaths of so many family members and witnesses in a foreign country. | French police confirmed that they were working with their British counterparts on the theory of a family feud. It seems extraordinary that a family dispute could erupt in such a fashion – with the deaths of so many family members and witnesses in a foreign country. |
| There might have been a paid assassin involved. However, few currently available details back up this theory. | There might have been a paid assassin involved. However, few currently available details back up this theory. |
| A neighbour of the Hillis, Jack Saltman, said he had reported a family-related problem to the police but gave few details as to what it might be. The Mirror carried the story and reported Saltman as saying Hilli mentioned "two or three times" over the past two months something which gave him "cause for concern". | A neighbour of the Hillis, Jack Saltman, said he had reported a family-related problem to the police but gave few details as to what it might be. The Mirror carried the story and reported Saltman as saying Hilli mentioned "two or three times" over the past two months something which gave him "cause for concern". |
| He told the Mirror: "He had family in Iraq and I know he was worried about their safety and spoke to them on the phone. He told me something about a problem he had and before he left he came round and saw me and asked if I would keep an eye on his house." | He told the Mirror: "He had family in Iraq and I know he was worried about their safety and spoke to them on the phone. He told me something about a problem he had and before he left he came round and saw me and asked if I would keep an eye on his house." |
| The Mirror's story also reported the existence of a family dispute over an inheritance "worth more than €1.2m". Zaid Alabdi, described as a family friend, said: "He [Saad al-Hilli] told me he had employed lawyers and was involved in a dispute over a lot of money." | The Mirror's story also reported the existence of a family dispute over an inheritance "worth more than €1.2m". Zaid Alabdi, described as a family friend, said: "He [Saad al-Hilli] told me he had employed lawyers and was involved in a dispute over a lot of money." |
| The Daily Mail spoke to Hilli's accountant, Julian Stedman, who described his accounts as "straight up". | The Daily Mail spoke to Hilli's accountant, Julian Stedman, who described his accounts as "straight up". |
| Racist killing | Racist killing |
| The theory of a lone killer driven by psychopathic, religious or racial hatred is, perhaps, one of France's worst fears. | The theory of a lone killer driven by psychopathic, religious or racial hatred is, perhaps, one of France's worst fears. |
| If true, it would take the country back to the dark days earlier this year when Mohamed Merah, who claimed links to Islamist extremism, went on three separate killing sprees in and around the south-western city of Toulouse. Merah, 23, gunned down seven people, including two young children, a rabbi and two French paratroopers, at point-blank range before police eventually shot him dead at his Toulouse flat on 22 March after a 32-hour siege. | If true, it would take the country back to the dark days earlier this year when Mohamed Merah, who claimed links to Islamist extremism, went on three separate killing sprees in and around the south-western city of Toulouse. Merah, 23, gunned down seven people, including two young children, a rabbi and two French paratroopers, at point-blank range before police eventually shot him dead at his Toulouse flat on 22 March after a 32-hour siege. |
| Although France's intelligence service had French-Algerian Merah on its radar, he was believed to have acted alone. Before he was shot dead he told police he had killed the servicemen in retaliation for the French army's involvement in Afghanistan, and killed the Jewish victims to support Palestinian Muslims. | Although France's intelligence service had French-Algerian Merah on its radar, he was believed to have acted alone. Before he was shot dead he told police he had killed the servicemen in retaliation for the French army's involvement in Afghanistan, and killed the Jewish victims to support Palestinian Muslims. |
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