'Saudi royal link' to hotel death

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A 33-year-old being questioned over the murder of a man in London's Landmark hotel could have links with the Saudi royal family, it is understood.

He was arrested several hours after a 32-year-old man's body was found in a third-floor suite at the five-star Marylebone hotel on Monday morning.

Tests showed the Saudi Arabian man, who has not been named, had been strangled.

Police have until Thursday night to hold the arrested man, who is also thought to be from Saudi Arabia.

Manual compression

Officers were called by hotel staff who found the victim who had suffered serious head injuries.

Post-mortem tests gave the cause of death as "manual compression of the neck and head injury".

A police spokesman said: "Officers believe they know the identity of the deceased, who is from Saudi Arabia, but await formal identification before releasing his name.

"Inquiries to trace his next of kin are under way."

Saudi Arabia's royal family, known as the House of Saud, has about 7,000 members, only 200 of whom are influential.

A spokesman from the Saudi Embassy said: "We have no information on the issue and the matter is currently with police."

General manager of the five-star hotel Francis Green said: "Unfortunately The Landmark Hotel, London, can confirm the death of a guest staying at the hotel.

"This is an isolated incident and our thoughts are with the relatives of the deceased."