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French Alps shootings: victim's brother faces no further action French Alps shootings: victim's brother faces no further action
(35 minutes later)
The brother of an Iraqi-born British engineer who was shot dead in the French Alps will face no action over his murder, police have said.The brother of an Iraqi-born British engineer who was shot dead in the French Alps will face no action over his murder, police have said.
Zaid al-Hilli was suspected of orchestrating the shooting of his brother, Saad al-Hilli, his brother's wife, Ikbal, and her mother, Suhaila al-Allaf, on 5 September 2012 but police said his bail has been cancelled because there was not enough evidence to charge him with a crime. Zaid al-Hilli was suspected of orchestrating the shooting of his brother, Saad al-Hilli, his brother's wife and her mother, on 5 September 2012 but police said his bail has been cancelled because there is not enough evidence to charge him with a crime.
A passing cyclist was also shot dead in the attack near the village of Chevaline, in the Haute Savoie. The Hillis' elder daughter, Zainab, then seven, was left for dead with severe head injuries, while Zainab's sister, Zeena, four, hid under her dead mother's skirt in the family car. Hilli, his dentist wife Ikbal, 47, and her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, 74, were each shot twice in the head by what police described as a "hardened gunman … who knew what he was doing".
A Surrey police spokesman said: "A man arrested by detectives investigating the deaths of four people near Annecy, southern France in September 2012 has today, Wednesday 15 January, had his bail cancelled. A passing cyclist, Frenchman Sylvain Mollier, was also shot dead in the attack near the village of Chevaline, in the Haute Savoie. The Hillis' elder daughter, Zainab, then seven, was left for dead with severe head injuries after being pistol-whipped, while Zainab's younger sister Zeena, four, hid under her dead mother's skirt in the family estate car. She was not discovered for eight hours.
"The 54-year-old man, from Chessington, was arrested on 24 June 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation. At this stage there is insufficient evidence to charge him with any criminal offence and no further police action is being taken at this time." French prosecutor Eric Maillaud had previously said that the main lines of inquiry centred on a dispute between Hilli and his brother over their inheritance.
He said officers from the Surrey and Sussex major crime team continued to work with the French authorities in the French-led investigation. On Wednesday, sources close to the inquiry at Annecy said the inquiry had hit a wall.
French prosecutor Eric Maillaud had previously said the two main lines of inquiry centre on a dispute between Hilli and his brother over their inheritance. Detectives are convinced that witness reports of a right-hand drive 4 x 4 vehicle seen in the area of the killings is more than coincident and suggest a link between the murders and the UK.
Zaid al-Hilli has always maintained his innocence. He admitted rowing with his brother but described allegations that he arranged the killings as "ridiculous".Zaid al-Hilli has always maintained his innocence. He admitted rowing with his brother but described allegations that he arranged the killings as "ridiculous".
He accused French police of covering up the truth of the crime, suggesting that the real target was the cyclist, Sylvain Mollier. He accused French police of covering up the truth of the crime, suggesting that the real target was the cyclist, Sylvain Mollier. However, French police have delved into Mollier's life and background and say they are certain he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Reviewing the murder case one year on last September, Maillaud said that telephone recordings, documents and statements from family friends suggested the falling out between the two brothers was deeper than Zaid had indicated to British police.
"We know from speaking to members of the family, that Saad was afraid of his brother Zaid. We know there were threats between the brothers ... the audio recordings show the level of hatred between the two brothers," Maillaud said.
On Wednesday, the prosecutor said British police had no choice but to lift the bail on Zaid.
"They had no new elements over which to question him, so it is normal procedure in the United Kingdom," Maillaud said.
"That is not to say that the police have finished with him, nor that his innocence has been proven. He will be questioned again if new elements come to light."
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