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French Alps shootings: the main theories examined French Alps shootings: the main theories examined
(about 1 hour later)
The brutality of the murder of three members of a holidaying family in the French Alps, a near fatal beating and shooting of the family's seven-year-old child and the killing of a fourth witness who happened to be cycling past has put intense pressure of the French police to find a perpetrator. The brutality of the murder of three members of a British family holidaying in the French Alps, a near fatal beating and shooting of the family's seven-year-old child and the killing of a fourth witness who happened to be cycling past has put intense pressure on the French police to find a perpetrator.
The local prosecutor, Eric Maillaud, has described the killing of Iraqi-born Saad al-Hilli, 50, his wife, Iqbal, and the grandmother of the two children as an "act of gross savagery". However for the moment there appear to be no definitive leads. The local prosecutor, Eric Maillaud, has described the killing of Iraqi-born Saad al-Hilli, 50, his wife, Iqbal, and her mother as an "act of gross savagery". However for the moment there appear to be no definitive leads.
French investigating authorities are not yet saying outright whether they believe it was a targeted or a professional killing, instead describing the way in which the killing happened as "strange modus operandi", which appears to mean that it is not obvious why the attack happened.French investigating authorities are not yet saying outright whether they believe it was a targeted or a professional killing, instead describing the way in which the killing happened as "strange modus operandi", which appears to mean that it is not obvious why the attack happened.
They also say they have no real leads but plenty of theories. "It's not that we have no idea; we have many ideas, many hypotheses, all of which are being looked at, but there are no real leads at the moment. My worry is that we may never find the killer," Maillaud said.They also say they have no real leads but plenty of theories. "It's not that we have no idea; we have many ideas, many hypotheses, all of which are being looked at, but there are no real leads at the moment. My worry is that we may never find the killer," Maillaud said.
However, there are currently four theories with some credibility, variously saying that it was a racist killing, a robbery, the consequence of a family dispute or that there was a national security connection.However, there are currently four theories with some credibility, variously saying that it was a racist killing, a robbery, the consequence of a family dispute or that there was a national security connection.
RobberyRobbery
Earlier this year the Foreign Office warned tourists of 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 motoring organisation the AA, added: "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. Edmund King, president of the motoring organisation 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.""French police have been cracking down on these gangs but there have been isolated and organised incidents from particular gangs in particular areas."
The Telegraph noted that France is very much more relaxed than the UK about civilian gun ownership. The Telegraph noted that France was much more relaxed than the UK about civilian gun ownership.
National security
National security
The nature of the killing has given rise to speculation about who might be able to dispatch an assassin to the French Alps. Three of the four killed were shot through the middle of the head, and initial details of the shooting seemed to suggest a degree of control to the massacre. It was not someone spraying bullets around. The nature of the killing has given rise to speculation about who might be able to dispatch an assassin to the French Alps. Three of the four people killed were shot through the middle of the head, and initial details seemed to suggest a degree of control to the massacre. It was not someone spraying bullets around.
The theory was kept alive when the Daily Mail claimed Mr Hilli had been placed under special branch surveillance during the second Gulf war, in 2003. The theory was kept alive when the Daily Mail claimed Saad al-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.
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 2003 Iraq 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.
"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.""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."
Scotland Yard said they would not comment, because Hilli had not been formally identified as the victim, and Surrey police had nothing to add. One Whitehall source suggested caution. In essence these responses are neither denials or confirmations. There is a huge sensitivity in the UK, more so than in other countries, in talking about anything to do with national security. Scotland Yard said they would not comment, because Hilli had not been formally identified as the victim, and Surrey police had nothing to add. One Whitehall source suggested caution. In essence, these responses are neither denials nor confirmations. There is huge sensitivity in the UK, more so than in other countries, in talking about anything to do with national security.
In 2003, members of the Iraqi community would have been of interest to security officials for a number of reasons. First, as the prospect of war with Iraq loomed, they would have been searching for anyone who may take reprisal action. Secondly, British counter-terrorism officials were trying to get anyone with any knowledge of Islamic communities in the UK to inform. Their approach was somewhat haphazard. In 2003, members of the Iraqi community would have been of interest to security officials for a number of reasons. First, as the prospect of war with Iraq loomed, they would have been searching for anyone who may take retaliatory action. Secondly, British counter-terrorism officials were trying to get anyone with any knowledge of Islamic communities in the UK to inform. Their approach was somewhat haphazard.
Even if security officials did monitor the Hilli family during the second Gulf war, this may not mean in itself that Hilli was necessarily seen as a threat. Even if security officials did monitor the Hilli family during the war, this may not mean the family was necessarily seen as a threat.
There have also been a number of theories based around Saad al-Hilli's work – computer-assisted design engineering – and his ethnicity – Iraqi – that have led some to speculate whether the killing was the work of an intelligence agency or linked with one. Hilli, it has also been established, worked as a computer-assisted designer for the firm Surrey Satellites. There have also been a number of theories based around Saad al-Hilli's Iraqi ethnicity and his work – he does computer-assisted design engineering – that have led some to speculate over whether the killing was the work of an intelligence agency, or linked with one. It has been established that Hilli worked as a computer-assisted designer 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 worked on was designing the galley kitchen of the new Airbus.
Surrey Satellites is owned by EADS, a large defence and engineering contractor. On Thursday a family friend and fellow engineer James Matthews. said Hilli was a freelancer and that the last major project he 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 Mr Hilli so far by friends and neighbours is tof 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 feudFamily feud
French police confirmed on Friday morning that this was one of the theories they were investigating and that they were working with their British counterparts on this. 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 on Friday morning that this was one of the theories they were investigating and that they were working with their British counterparts on this. 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.
The idea could be that there may have been a paid assassin involved. However, few currently available details back this up. The idea could be that there may have been a paid assassin involved. However, few currently available details back up this theory.
A neighbour of the Hillis, Jack Saltman, 67, said that 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 here and reported Saltman as saying Mr Hilli mentioned "two or three times" over the last 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 Saad al-Hilli mentioned "two or three times" over the last two months something which gave him "cause for concern".
Saltman told the Mirror: "He had family in Iraq and I know he was worried about their safety and spoke to them on the phone. The 67-year-old 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 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 [Mr 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, 67, who described his accounts as "straight up".
Racist killingRacist killing
The theory of a lone killer driven by psychopathic, religious or racial hatred is, perhaps, one of France's worst fears in the aftermath of the Annecy shootings.The theory of a lone killer driven by psychopathic, religious or racial hatred is, perhaps, one of France's worst fears in the aftermath of the Annecy shootings.
It would take the country back to the dark days earlier this year when Mohamed Merah, who claimed links to Islamic extremism, went on three separate killing sprees in and around the south-western city of Toulouse.It would take the country back to the dark days earlier this year when Mohamed Merah, who claimed links to Islamic 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 he police eventually shot him dead at his Toulouse flat on 22 march after a 32-hour siege. 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 in support of 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 in support of Palestinian Muslims.