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7,996 thoughts on “Not Forgetting the al-Hillis continued

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  • Good In Parts

    @All

    Recently I have noticed that a bunch of websites relating to la Tuerie de Chevaline seem to have have had their contents removed or otherwise become unavailable

    Here are a few of note:-
    http://gunfire-graffiti.co.uk/the-annecy-murders-the-wider-view-2022/ (this site used to have an informative interview with WBM)
    https://marilynztomlins.com/chevaline-the-forgotten-victim-sylvain-mollier/ (the BTL comments all seem to have vanished)

    Sadly, I didn’t download and save the WBM interview.

    Also french forums that discussed the case seem to have become unavailable, at least to me.

    So, some level of ‘bitrot’ must be expected after eleven years but this seems more than that.

    • michael norton

      At the moment King Charles is in France with the ear of President Macron.
      Perhaps Charles could ask him how the investigations, are going?

      • michael norton

        Quiet possibly there is a lot more to the back story of the old lady, who we are expected to understand was of Swedish nationality and was the mother of the new Mrs. al-Hilli.
        Did this old lady attend the wedding of her daughter, the new Mrs. al Hilli?

        That is not a difficult question.

        Did the old lady know the children of the family al-Hilli before their trip to France, where she liaised with them?
        Had she met the brother of Saad, before?
        Had she ever met the parents of Saad?

    • michael norton

      I had got the impression, that MI5 were looking at the Claygate house, just before the Family al-Hilli took off for the French Alps?

  • Good In Parts

    One of the items that I have been unable to find again referenced a visit by SAH and family to the Grotte et Cascade de Seythenex which. if my memory serves me well actually occurred on the day of the shooting.

    https://en.lac-annecy.com/natural-heritage/grotte-et-cascade-de-seythenex-geosite-faverges-seythenex/

    What I really want to know is was the visit in the morning or was it immediately prior to the shooting? Obviously they would have driven past Doussard and Chevaline but where else did they go? Did they interact with someone?

    There are still some minor issues with the timeline that need attention.

    • michael norton

      Good In Parts,
      I can remember an al-Hilli family trip to the caves of Seythenex, I could not say when it happened.

      The old lady who we are expected to understand, was the mother of Mrs. al-Hilli, apparently hailed from Sweden, the same state that first tried to fuck over Julian Assange.
      The same state, that has just applied to join NATO.
      The same state that will do what ever the CIA tell them to do.

      I can’t say I have learned/read anything from the Swedes about that old lady.
      Not her address in Sweden, how she got into Sweden ( if she was not born there), I had assumed, perhaps she was born in Iran?
      But what interested me was if she was a spy?
      They have not expressed any information or even astonishment that she was slaughtered in France, eleven years ago, perhaps they do not even ask for updates from France?

      Recently I have found out that the new Swede Government are so angry with gangs that the armed forces of the Swedes, will be put on the streets to tackle the people smuggling and drug running in their Northern land.

      • michael norton

        As I have suggested before, there are possibly ways to eat crap to get to a sample of truth.
        Mrs. al-Hilli seems to have recently kept her head down, apparently spending more than a decade to become a dentist?
        She was apparently previously married to Mr.Jim Thompson in the U.S.A.
        Without much fanfare she left Jim Thompson and moved abroad, perhaps to Dubai?
        Mr.Jim Thomson was said to have died of a heart attack, whilst at a traffic light cross road.
        On the same day that Mrs. al-Hilli ( his wife) was slaughtered, in France, with her new family.
        That is a bit of a coincidence? Almost unprecedented in amazement of coincidence.
        The new Mrs. al-Hilli was modest, she kept her head down, unlike the Mrs. Jim Thompson, who was not that modest.
        The children did not apparently know that the old lady was their grandmother.
        I have met many small children, they only have to have a brief encounter with a grand parent to like and enguage with them, one or two visits, would often be enough for the small child to willingly accept a person as being their grand parent. If DNA samples were taken b y the Authorotes in France of the dead persons at the site of The Slaughter of the Horses, it would be evedent, who was related to who.

        • michael norton

          A long while ago, it was said the police had, had the Claygate home of the al-Hilli family under surveillance.
          I has also been claimed that a U.K.security service, possibly MI5 had Mr. al-Hilli in its sights.
          Zaid claimed it was nonsense that they would have had his brother under surveillance.

          What if it was Mrs. al-Hilli, they were keeping tabs on?
          The never ending trainee dentist, with the American husband
          who became dead the same day on a different continent his wife Ikbal and her new family were slaughtered.

      • intp1

        Al-Allaf Suhaila (Suhyla)
        b. 1938 Resident of Tumba nr Stockholm Sweden, Mother of Iqbal Al-Hilli Killed at the scene Said to have Iraqi passport and was carrying this and a Swedish passport at time of death. Studied for her Biology PhD in London? . Zeena said she didnt know her but may not have met her. No Swedish investigation and little Swedish media comment b. 1938 Had worked as an english teacher in Sweden, worked 1990 outside Jerusalem as a head nurse for “The Four Homes of Mercy”
        Apartment searched after event, presumably by SAPO.

  • Good In Parts

    michael norton

    You asked “What if it was Mrs. al-Hilli, they were keeping tabs on?”

    That doesn’t seem likely because at the time that MI5 were following both SAH and ZAH, SAH had, by my reckoning, not yet met his wife-to-be never mind married her.

      • michael norton

        Good In Parts
        If Mrs. al-Hilli and her “mother” were both spies, do you think the U.K. security services would have had them under surveillance?

        • Good In Parts

          michael norton

          Depends on who they were thought to be spying for.

          My view is that this was a local crime with a parochial motive.

          • michael norton

            CAGE
            https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/force-protection/raf-regiment/
            parochial, so wrong on so many levels.
            Let’s just glimpse one actor.
            William Brett Martin.
            A person from a Five Eyes Country – New Zealand, who was apparently in the RAF REGIMENT.
            The RAF Regiment has seven regular and six reserve squadrons organised in to 7 wings. In addition, the RAF Regiment provides Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) to the British Army and Royal Marines, and provides a flight sized commitment to the Special Forces Support Group.

            What a marvellous coincident that apparently the first person to turn up at the scene of the Slaughter of The Horses, had been in the RAF REGIMENT.
            He was there, seconds after it happened, yet he heard NOTHING.
            How beliveable is that.
            He was on his treader and was apparently passed by The Slaughtered Frenchman, both cyclists living in nearby communities but no mention has ever been made, as did they know of each other, how beliveable would it be for two chaps both with links to the security services, living in the same part of France , both in the exact same age group
            both cyclists
            and not knowing of each other?
            How likely is it that a relative of Sylvain, in the pay of the security services, plunges over a gorge-bridge, yards from his childhood home, on a Sunday on his way to visit his mum.
            In the same location as all the rest, nobody knows notyjhing.
            How likely is it that the previous husband of Mrs. al-Hilli dies whilst driving his vehicle on the exact same day as his wife/exwife dies in a shoot out on a different continent.
            Nothing is as it is presented.

          • michael norton

            This slaughter is peppered with troubling inconsistencies.
            In the first instance, the British secret service rushed to the scene,
            not been heard of since?

          • michael norton

            Of possible interest

            “There is also a RAF Regiment CBRN unit assigned to the SFSG to provide specialised knowledge and capability to military and civilian agencies in detection and handling of chemical, biological, and radiological/nuclear weapons and materials.”

            It would be great interest if we could learn the sort of activities that W.B.M. carried on with, whilst he was a serving member of the Regiment.
            The Regiment seem to have a wide ranging and in some cases right on the edge capabilities, it is not all guarding RAF bases but a lot more, like being in control of targeting, in war or special operations.
            One of their duties is as back up during special forces operations!

  • Good In Parts

    michael norton

    You wrote:- “parochial, so wrong on so many levels”

    Well, we shall see.

    As you say:- “Nothing is as it is presented”

  • Good In Parts

    French Crimes

    It seems to me that some types of crime are particular to the french e.g. ‘boss kidnappings’ and crimes relating to truffle hunting.

    Other crimes are much more frequent than here in the UK e.g. robbery of foreign tourists at gunpoint in laybys. My guesstimate is that such crimes are at least two orders of magnitude more likely in france.

    So, maybe I have not considered fully the possible motivation of a local, french, killer.

  • Manchester

    This is a question I’ve been asking myself for a long time. Was William Brett Martin alone on vacation in the area ? Was his family present ?
    For my part, I find it strange that he could have been alone during his vacation.

    • michael norton

      Manchester,
      what a great question,
      was W.B.M. staying on his own, in his house or were other people, also staying in that house, at the time
      of The Slaughter of The Horses?
      If several other men, were also staying in the house of W.B.M. at that time, what was their purpose?

      I point you to this about the Regiment – “One of their duties is as back up during special forces operations”!

      Another of their potential duties is – “Targeting”

    • Good In Parts

      Manchester

      You wrote :- “This is a question I’ve been asking myself for a long time. Was William Brett Martin alone on vacation in the area ? Was his family present ?
      For my part, I find it strange that he could have been alone during his vacation.”

      You are not alone in finding it ‘strange’, the gendarmes did too, describing it as ‘unusual’.

      However WBM himself claimed to be doing odd-jobs around the house until he broke off around 14:00 to go out cycling. Presumably he was clearing up after the property had been rented out during the holiday season and maybe preparing the property for winter.

      And yes, he was not with his wife, who was in the UK presumably with their kids. WBM actually phoned up his wife from le Martinet parking to tell her what had transpired and warn her that the press pack were likely to descend on their home.

      See this link for details http://bulletpath.co.uk/the-annecy-murders-2012-immediate-aftermath/

      • michael norton

        Interesting GIP.

        Did the jurno ask him specifically –
        Were you staying alone in your house in France or were others also staying there at the time of
        The Slaughter of the Horses?

        • Good In Parts

          michael norton

          Sorry I don’t know if the questioning was quite that specific.

          However you may gain some insight by looking up all the WBM interviews over the last decade and combining the narratives. I certainly have gained the impression that he was there alone. If he was not, why did the gendarmes snarkily describe his living arrangements as ‘unusual’?

          • michael norton

            GIP

            I have always wondered, why, so few journos ask, very specific questions?
            In the scientific world and in the legal world, it is about very specific questions.

          • michael norton

            If you ask, very specific questions, you expect either evasion or very specific answers.
            Were other people in W.B.M. house in France at the time of The Slaughter of the Horses, yes or no?

    • michael norton

      I guess, soon, nobody much will be interested in why, what happened, happened.
      To me, why it happened is important.
      Multiple wars going on, so attention scans to those conflicts.
      Julian is still locked up in Belmarsh, yet as far as I know, he has not been charged with any crime in the U.K.

      My pet theory, is possibly that an exchange had been arranged, that may be the reason the family al-Hilli drove to Savoy.
      What did they have to exchange and what did they hope to get out of that exchange?
      So, may be they were working for or with a British government entity or possibly they wanted to get away from the U.K.?

  • Good In Parts

    Sans issue, la tuerie de Chevaline : le premier épisode offert

    Turns out that the documentary above is ‘A documentary broadcast from this Wednesday on Canal + Sans issue: the Chevaline affair retraces the twists and turns of this case. It is taken from the investigative book by Brendan Kemmet and Imen Ghouali The Chevaline Affair, autopsy of a perfect crime. 20 Minutes spoke with the first cited.’ See the link below:-

    https://www.20minutes.fr/faits_divers/4061512-20231115-affaire-chevaline-pense-nom-tueur-dossier-instruction

    I am doubtful about the overall reliability since the webpage above lists ‘some calls to Romania which could not be traced’ as a ‘problematic element’ against Zaid. However in reality those calls to a Romanian number were eventually traced and found to be irrelevant.

  • Good In Parts

    Beaten, shot and stomped.

    The following quote is from the link given in my previous post:-

    “Il s’est acharné sur la petite Zainab, il a continué à la frapper alors qu’elle était déjà à terre, touchée par balle.”

    This factoid is interesting, afaik it has been published only once previously then disappeared. I thought it might have been held back by the gendarmes to use as so-called ‘guilty knowledge’. The version I remember stated that there were boot or shoe imprints on Zainab’s body, presumably from being kicked.

    Just a reminder that this killer was savage, even for a frenchman.

    • michael norton

      Good In Parts, if it is true that, that little girl was beaten, shot and stamped on, that is almost unbelievable.
      It seems ludicrous, that any normal person could behave in such a callous manner to a child.

    • michael norton

      “What if she held the key to the enigma?”

      It has (maybe) been my guess for a long time that Iqbal was not the real daughter of Suhalia.

      Both Iqbal and Suhalia were spies, almost certainly with Suhalia being the senior string-puller.

      • Good In Parts

        michael norton

        The golden rule in this case is that when something is finally revealed by the investigators to the media it means that they have investigated it with no result.

        So we get to reap a bountiful harvest of salacious nonsense.

        • michael norton

          The notion that the French have not solved this mystery because Gipsies did it or disgruntled farmers or people who had lost familey by the nazis or gangsters did it, is not good enough, they would have been found by now.
          This was state actors.
          That is why
          nobody knows nothing

  • Good In Parts

    Le nouveau pôle de Nanterre

    Below is a link to an article on the new-ish cold case centre based at Nanterre. The following quote is encouraging to me.

    “The magistrates are taking a fresh look at this whole affair and carrying out new checks, particularly the telephone demarcation. This is very long-term work.”

    https://www.ladepeche.fr/2023/09/24/entretien-tuerie-de-chevaline-jai-toujours-pense-a-un-crime-gratuit-irrationnel-confie-un-ancien-procureur-specialiste-des-cold-cases-11470946.php

    • michael norton

      If things were hunky dory, I expect these crimes would have been put to bed by by now.
      The widow ( girlfriend) of the French man, had an uncle who was high up in the administration.
      That uncle had a mate who was frightened by crows.
      That senior police officer, apparently died by his own hand.
      I t seems amazing, that after a decade, nobody knows nothing.

  • Bacchus

    ChatGPT said “Elementary my dear Watson!…”

    me: In the case of the Chevaline murders in the French Alps, why did the killer use an old luger?

    ChatGPT say :
    Chevaline’s murder in the French Alps occurred in September 2012 and was a complex and intriguing case. Several victims were found at the crime scene, including members of a British family and a French cyclist. The killer used an old Luger P06 pistol, caliber 7.65 mm in the crime.

    Although the killer’s exact motivations have never been fully clarified, it is speculated that the choice of an ancient weapon like the Luger P06 may have been for several reasons:

    1. Availability: The Luger P06 is an old weapon, produced between the years 1906 and 1942. It may have been easier for the killer to acquire such a weapon on the black market or through an unconventional source.

    2. Anonymity: By choosing an antique weapon, the killer may have hoped to avoid easy identification. The Luger P06 does not have a serial number, which makes it difficult to trace the weapon back to the original owner.

    3. Ease of use: Although the Luger P06 is an old weapon, it is still functional and can be used effectively. The killer may have opted for a weapon he was familiar with and confident in using.

    4. Symbolism: There is also the possibility that the killer chose an ancient weapon to create an atmosphere of mystery and symbolism. The use of a vintage weapon may have been a conscious attempt to convey a specific message or have a greater psychological impact.

    However, it is worth noting that all of this is just speculation, as the case of the Chevaline murders still remains without a definitive solution and many questions remain open.

  • Bacchus

    me: In the case of the Chevaline murders in the French Alps, what could be the implication of the British man who discovered the crime scene?

    ChatGPT say:
    In the case of the Chevaline murders in the French Alps, the implication of the Brit who discovered the crime scene could be significant. He may have been the first key witness to provide information about the incident, including details about the bodies and the possible presence of others in the area. His relevance can also be determined by how he was involved in solving the crime, such as providing clues or collaborating with authorities. Depending on his testimony and subsequent involvement, he could be considered an important part of the investigation, either as a potential victim or as someone capable of providing crucial evidence. Although it is difficult to speculate on the exact extent of his involvement, often the initial discovery of a crime can play a crucial role in solving the case.

        • michael norton

          Elon Musk was an investor in Surrey Satellite Technology
          He purchased 10% of the firm that Saad al-Hilli worked at.
          Space X

          • michael norton

            Starlink – Space X

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink

            Starlink has been used over Ukraine / Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

            In 2004, Larry Williams, SpaceX VP of Strategic Relations and former VP of Teledesic’s “Internet in the sky” program, opened the SpaceX Washington DC office.
            That June, SpaceX acquired a stake in Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) as part of a “shared strategic vision”. SSTL was at that time working to extend the Internet into space.

            If Mr. al-Hilli was passing sat. technology, that might be enough reason for a group wanting him wiped out?

  • michael norton

    The Truth

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b01mx27j

    this has been posted before but it is deffo worth listening to again.
    The French proc.
    acts like an imbecile.
    “The answer is in England not in France.”

    Why would you rule out a French connection, so soon in the investigation?
    The weapon, probably was manufactured in Switzerland, just over the border from this part of France.

    • michael norton

      It seems rather unlikely that you would bring a 100 – 50 year old Luger from the United Kingdom to kill an Iraqi / British person in Savoie.
      That weapon could more readily be acquired in Switzerland or Savoie.

  • Bacchus

    Me: In the case of the Chevaline murders in the French Alps, what could be the implication of the Brit who discovered the crime scene?

  • Bacchus

    ChatGPT said: In the case of the Chevaline murders in the French Alps, the implication of the Brit who discovered the crime scene may vary depending on various factors and developments in the investigation. Here are some possible implications:

    1. Key witness: The British man’s discovery could be fundamental in establishing a timeline of events and providing crucial information for the investigation. He may have seen or heard something relevant that could lead to the identification of the killer(s) or contribute to understanding the motive behind the murders.

    2. Suspect: At the beginning of the investigation, the police may consider the British man as a potential suspect, as he was the first person to arrive at the crime scene. The police can investigate your background, your activities before and after the crime, your personal and professional connections, etc., to rule you out as a suspect or find evidence of your possible participation or involvement.

    3. Witness Protection: If the Brit has crucial information or evidence that could put him at risk, he may receive witness protection. This could include measures such as secret identity, relocation and personal security to ensure your continued safety and cooperation during the investigation and eventual trials.

    4. Pressure from the media: As the Brit is a key witness, the media may try to contact him to obtain exclusive information about the case. He could be the subject of intense press interest in both the UK and France, which could affect his personal life and increase pressure on him.

    5. Access to case secrets: If the Brit discovered confidential evidence or information at the crime scene, he may be asked by the police or legal system not to disclose these details publicly in order to allow the investigation to progress fairly and effective. He may need to sign a confidentiality agreement or be called as a witness in future trials.

    6. Trauma and personal impact: Discovering such a violent and shocking crime scene can have a profound psychological effect on the Brit. He may need emotional support and counseling to cope with the trauma and emotional effects of his discovery.

    It is important to emphasize that these are hypothetical implications and that the exact role of the British in the investigation of the Chevaline murders in the French Alps would depend on the concrete information obtained from their discovery and all subsequent investigations.

  • Good In Parts

    @Bacchus

    Interesting idea, however ChatGPT seems to have only been ‘trained’ on general web data. I would suggest that it would need to be ‘trained’ on the actual case files (and there are a lot of them) to produce any new insights.

    This might not be that difficult as the files probably exist in electronic form, as do the mobile phone base station logs and landline records.

  • Good In Parts

    Affaire chevaline : les enquêteurs retracent les derniers moments de la famille Al-Hilli

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbaE22OW7yU

    From the above Canal+ trailer:-

    ces dernieres photos ont voit la famille Al Hilli quis’etait arrete dans un magasin de souvenirs
    et ils se sont arretes la ils ont achete quelques souvenirs il ce’tait comme une famille en vacances

    So, if I am reading this correctly, they stopped at a souvenir shop on the way to Chevaline. Such a place would seem ideal for a criminal to identify tourists suitable for robbery. N.B. the photographs actually shown in the video are from near the flat-iron building in Arnand rather than an identifiable souvenir shop.

  • michael norton

    Starlink has had a key role in the Russo-Ukrainian War
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink

    It has very recently been said that the Russians are now jamming Starlink, presumably just over the Russian landmass?
    this follows from my post of the twenty second of January.
    (Elon Musk was an investor in Surrey Satellite Technology
    He purchased 10% of the firm that Saad al-Hilli worked at)

    Elon Musk has just told his top managers to sack anyone who is not essential

  • michael norton

    In the recent Putin – Carlson interview, Mr. Putin spoke admiringly about Elon Musk.
    https://www.euronews.com/2024/02/12/spacex-denies-selling-terminals-to-russian-army

    U.S.A. has forced Elon Musk to continue making Starlink available to Ukraine, during this ( so far) two year war.
    It has been suggested that Russia, is also now using Starlink.

    This story is really quite important.
    Certainly important enough, to have early adopters /intel swappers, rubbed out?

  • michael norton

    The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), nicknamed the “Star Wars program”
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Defense_Initiative

    So, Starlink was born out of this.

    SDI was mostly about protecting the U.S.A. from The Soviet Union / Russia.

    Difficult to imagine a series of concepts / programmes of less strategic importance.

    Anybody going against the grain would quickly be rubbed out.

    I would say that the beginnings of the Ukraine war, started the moment the Soviet Union broke apart.
    Star Wars was already on the books.

  • michael norton

    5 September 2012 Chevaline massacre
    21 November 2013 with large protests in Kiev and murders.

    So, you could say that about a year after the Chevaline massacre, Ukraine kicked off and The Crimea was taken back into Russia.
    (Elon Musk was an investor in Surrey Satellite Technology
    He purchased 10% of the firm that Saad al-Hilli worked at)

    Some are saying that this is the first satellite war.

    This seems more than enough security military intrigue to cause mass killings.

  • michael norton

    Oh dear, this looks unfortunate
    “House Democrats are demanding answers from Elon Musk’s SpaceX amid claims that its technology is being used by Russian forces in Ukraine.
    Kyiv, released intercepted communications last month indicating Russia had obtained Starlink terminals.”
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68495708
    “Use of the system requires a Starlink terminal, and SpaceX began shipping the terminals to Ukraine within hours of the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
    There are now tens of thousands of terminals in the country, including up to 500 purchased by the US Department of Defence in June 2023.”

    More and more sats. are in the front seat.
    I can not think of a more important reason for the Alps Shootings to have taken place.

  • intp1

    WBM should have been treated as chief suspect for several procedural reasons:
    He was one of the last to see one of the victims (SM) alive; he was incontrovertibly on-scene at or about the time the murders took place; he was by his own admission first on-scene following the events.
    He interfered with the crime scene, moving bodies without need; he moved a dead body and checked his pockets, rearranging SM and Zainab to avoid them being hit by the car that was still running He broke into the BMW to switch the engine off so that the car wouldnt run over the victims but if he moved bodies he then needn’t switch off car or vice versa. The car had DSC so that the rear wheels, in any case would not turn if slipping. No reason to disable DSC safety feature when driving with a caravan or out with the family.
    He altered his account, or it was altered by others, as to significant details in relation to timing, what he saw and what he did.
    His downhill cycle ride afterwards could be construed as an attempt to escape the scene.
    There are suspicious elements to his emotional and practical responses given his background and training; he contradicted the official French account of his actions; his reported emotional panic stricken state when first meeting PD; the fact that he was apparently prepared to abandon a badly injured child.
    A subsequent (amended) report by PD that his hands were covered in blood.
    The co-incidences related to being in the same cycling club and in a remote location with SM, a victim; a conflict of evidence that he was wearing gloves; his hasty return to the UK.
    He may or may not have been instrumental in the murder or complicit in it, but he was there for a purpose and most likely acting for the British Government or a commercial security entity. His story line in the BBC/Sky televised interview looked staged, not in a normal studio and his right ear was never visible his testimony was calm but there were signs of stress and coached answers, lots of blinking.
    He may not have been an assassin but he was ideal material for observing, reporting, facilitating, mediating, liaising.
    His stated actions of breaking into and touching the car, moving SM and moving Zainab would have provided a defense and rationale for evidence that he was in the car, in close enough contact with Zainab & SM that he may have travelled in the car and/or attacked SM or Zainab.
    His age: too old though still very fit and strong, probably not appropriate in a hard bodyguard role.
    Timing: He is at or near the scene either during or immediately after the killings. Weapon: if he was the shooter you have to explain how he carried the weapon and magazines and what he did with them afterwards and why he made no attempt to clear up after him (although, as an assigned observer one would think he would be at least lightly armed) . Transport: would an assassin choose a push bike in those circumstances?
    Behaviour, although strange in some respects, a killer does not waste time tending to the injured (if he did) or returning with a stranger. And had he done the killing would he have stopped when he met PD’s car and pleaded with him to call the police (if he did)? More likely he would have kept going and used the time delay and poor mobile reception to get clear of the scene.
    The actions, or lack of them, by killers is instructive. Clearly the assassins had no scruples or compunction about killing and/or injuring men women and children in a most deliberate merciless fashion. Would they allow a witness to arrive on scene so soon after, potentially putting the whole operation at risk, for the sake of one more death? WBM survived because he was protected. The assassins knew who he was and who he worked for and he was positively OFF-TARGET by instruction. This has consequences as to likely assailants.
    Then there are his actions on scene, which although not implicating him in the murders, implicates him in the operation, whatever it was. No unconnected bystander would move a dead body, rearrange it and check pockets!
    Then there is the reaction of the French Police, immediately turning him into the hero of the hour before they could have made a proper assessment and in spite of all the factors listed above that superficially, point to his guilt. Then they lied about him phoning in to the emergency services, and although later changing the story, never explaining how such a fundamental mistake could have been made. Then promoting a timeline that still could not be true. Then there was the way WBM was treated subsequently which in the context of the killing was highly unusual. You might have expected both PD and WBM to have been immediately detained as witnesses at the very least, and their co-operation sought as to fingerprints and DNA for exclusion purposes at least. Seizure of their mobile phones items of contaminated clothing etc. and a protracted interview. It is not at all clear what happened although it seems WBM went home first before attending the police station. Then as he was allowed almost immediately to return to the UK, out of the French jurisdiction and prior to a “reconstruction” on the following Sunday for which he had to come all the way back again. Clear suggestive evidence of special treatment and UK backing.

    Colonel Bertrand Francois, head of the local gendarmerie, says:

    “His private life is over for the coming months. He can’t sleep. He can’t go out and shop. We are doing everything to protect the man’s anonymity. Put yourself in his shoes – imagine what would happen if he goes public? His life will change from one day to the next and he doesn’t want that to happen.”

    Eric Maillaud, the Annecy prosecutor, adds:

    “His testimony and bravery should be saluted. He is a former professional of the Royal Air Force, so he’s someone with nerves of steel. He’s deeply shocked, but had extraordinary reflexes to put this girl in the recovery position and played a vital part in saving her life. He’s a former RAF pilot and perhaps has a superior ethic to many others. If we are in need of him, he will come wherever he is. I remind you that he’s a brave witness and a free man and has the right to return to Britain to recover after the shock he went through.”
    Holiday home to rent in Haute Savoie, France. Impasse François Decoux n Lathuile to [email protected]
    HAVE YOU EVER HEARD A FRENCHMAN WITH SUCH DEFERENCE TO A BRIT? They are nominating him for the Legion of Honour!

    Key Assumptions
    That there was no other reason he would be vouched for than high level British instruction
    That he was not both a UK official with credentials AND came upon the scene accidentally – Unlikely
    That the French police had no other reason to know WBM was not a suspect, e.g. they already knew who did it but were covering up that knowledge
    That he wasn’t known by/in cahoots with DM/DB

    Evidence for
    Not treated as a potential suspect in any way
    Interference with crime scene is not the thinking of a civilian bystander
    Promoted by French police and MSM as an Ex-REF hero who was in shock and needed privacy when even his stated actions were not particularly heroic and he hadn’t been in the RAF for 20 years and the police had no idea whether forensics would soon implicate him. Smacks strongly as a cover story

    Timeline
    WBM essentially wrote the timeline – Is it fact or fiction?

    Silver Fern
    23 Lauriston Road Preston Village Brighton BN1 6SN

    Futures & Options Trading
    Human Factors and Leadership course design and training
    Registered Office: 55 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2PN
    Theresa Valerie Martin (53) Director) WBM Director
    Gc Secretarial Services Ltd (owned by a Jeremy Cannell) & Rwl Registrars Ltd listed as Company Secretaries
    Companies also registered at at 55 Princes Gate:
    http://www.internationalsecurity.co.uk (Registered owner:Jeremy Cannell
    Gabriel Consultants Ltd (50% owner Jeremy Cannell
    Fareham Aero Agencies. {http://www.faa.uk.com/})
    technical-and-operational-resources-limited (Investigation & security, dissolved 2004)
    CCB Retail Director Bob Paxman Ex-SAS
    Flypast Limited director Mark C Whitehead (whose name appears on Silver Fern Sussex papers)

    • Good In Parts

      @intp1

      There is a lot to unpack there…

      You wrote:- “Timeline – WBM essentially wrote the timeline – Is it fact or fiction?”

      And further up you noted:- “He altered his account, or it was altered by others, as to significant details in relation to timing, what he saw and what he did.”

      Essentially the WBM timeline (which was correct) was polluted by the whole Team ONF storytelling. His version was not believed because there were three inveterate frenchmen, who lived and worked locally who put forward a fantastical tale which was wrong in almost every respect. Unfortunately les gendarmes chose the wrong horse to back and thus the early timeline was highly misleading and WBM was made to look like his testimony was malleable, for which he received a lot of negative comment on french forums.

      The current consensus timeline is essentially based on the WBM testimony and the ONF testimony, particularly that of ONF1, has been discounted.

      • michael norton

        Very interesting that W.B.M. and our (almost invisible) Frenchman S.M. were in the same cycling group.
        The body in the bag man from GCHQ was also a cyclist, as was Saud al-Hilli.
        Saud did not live very far from W.B.M.
        perhaps they also cycled together, some times?

        Maybe if you are a passer of guns, an observer or a passer of secrets or a lookout, cycling is very useful, especially for spies?

        • Good In Parts

          @michael norton

          I don’t know about WBM but at the time of the murders SM was definitely not a member of the local cycling club.

          I seem to recall that the president of the club was interviewed by the media and he stated that clearly. I think it was posted here, on this thread, probably by Lynda.

          • michael norton

            Good In Parts and intp 1
            I suggest that most probably W.B.M. and S.M. and S.a.H. all were acquainted with each other.
            Perhaps S.a.H. and W.B.M. had cycled in England, maybe as cycling mates but maybe stopping and meeting to exchange information. Perhaps W.B.M. and S.M. had cycled together in France, again, maybe just meeting for a few moments to pass information.

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