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Abbas Khan death: British doctor's body arrives in UK Abbas Khan death: British doctor's body arrives in UK
(35 minutes later)
The body of a British surgeon who died in a Syrian prison last week has arrived back in the UK. The body of a British surgeon who died in a Syrian prison last week has arrived back in the UK and will undergo a post-mortem examination.
Abbas Khan, a 32-year-old orthopaedic surgeon, was found dead in his cell just days before the Syrian government had said he would be freed. Surgeon Abbas Khan, 32, was found dead in his cell just days before the Syrian government had said he would be freed.
Mr Khan's family insist he was murdered - the Syrian authorities claim he took his own life. The UK Foreign Office has said he was "in effect murdered" - but the Syrian authorities claim he took his own life.
Mr Khan, from Streatham, south London, was arrested in Syria 48 hours after arriving in the country last November.Mr Khan, from Streatham, south London, was arrested in Syria 48 hours after arriving in the country last November.
Troubling questions Coroner's office
"This is not the homecoming Abbas Khan's family expected," BBC chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet reported.
"The British surgeon was meant to be flying back to Britain today after being freed from a Syrian jail. Instead, his family is bringing him home in a coffin."
His body was transferred from Syria to neighbouring Lebanon on Saturday where his mother Fatima and brother Afroze received it.His body was transferred from Syria to neighbouring Lebanon on Saturday where his mother Fatima and brother Afroze received it.
The Syrian government said Mr Khan killed himself in his cell. His mother told the BBC she believed he was murdered by Syrian intelligence. Another autopsy will be conducted in Britain. The flight carrying his body landed at Heathrow earlier and it will be transferred to the coroner's office in east London where a post-mortem will be carried out.
Our correspondent, in Beirut, said troubling questions will not go away about what happened after Syria's President Bashar al-Assad gave the order to free the doctor. The family's lawyer, Nabeel Sheikh, told the BBC the Home Office was organising this process but Scotland Yard was "actively involved" because his death was regarded as suspicious.
Mr Khan went to Syria last year to work in a field hospital in a rebel-controlled area. The lawyer told the BBC Mr Khan's family hoped the tests would be completed later or on Monday.
His body, which had been taken to a morgue in Beirut by the International Red Cross, was flown to London where the family have arranged for it to be taken to a coroner. Last week, the Foreign Office said his death was "extremely suspicious".
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said its Counter Terrorism Command was providing family liaison support and would "seek to assist the coroner when appropriate".A Metropolitan Police spokesman said its Counter Terrorism Command was providing family liaison support and would "seek to assist the coroner when appropriate".
Mr Khan went to Syria last year to work in a field hospital in a rebel-controlled area.
The doctor, who worked at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in Stanmore, north-west London, entered Syria without a visa.The doctor, who worked at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in Stanmore, north-west London, entered Syria without a visa.
He had been moved by the plight of refugees and worked in camps in Turkey, his family said. 'Humanitarian worker'
Release effort He spent 13 months in prison after his arrest.
On Tuesday, the Foreign Office said that the doctor had been "in effect murdered" by the Syrian authorities and at best his death was "extremely suspicious". The Syrian government said Mr Khan killed himself in his cell but his family believe he was murdered by Syrian intelligence, just days before he was due to be freed.
Mrs Khan told the BBC she was surprised the Syrian regime "cannot differentiate between a humanitarian aid worker and a terrorist".Mrs Khan told the BBC she was surprised the Syrian regime "cannot differentiate between a humanitarian aid worker and a terrorist".
Afroze said the five days they had to wait for the body to be transferred from Syria added "to the devastation of the family". She said the five days they had to wait for the body to be transferred from Syria added "to the devastation of the family".
Mrs Khan travelled to Damascus to track her son down and contacted the British and Syrian governments, as well as the Russian and Syrian embassies in an effort to have him released.Mrs Khan travelled to Damascus to track her son down and contacted the British and Syrian governments, as well as the Russian and Syrian embassies in an effort to have him released.
Mr Khan was one of seven brothers and sisters and is survived by his wife Hanna, his seven-year-old son Abdullah and daughter Ruqquaya, aged six.Mr Khan was one of seven brothers and sisters and is survived by his wife Hanna, his seven-year-old son Abdullah and daughter Ruqquaya, aged six.