Mirror : Spy death: Family fury at 'lurid' Gareth Williams lies

Spy death: Family fury at 'lurid' Gareth Williams lies

By Jon Clements | August 28, 2010

The grieving family of codebreaker Gareth Williams fear "dark forces" are at work to smear their son's name over his role in the war on terror.

Devastated parents Ian and Ellen Williams have endured a string of sordid allegations about his life and demanded answers from security services and police.

They fear lurid claims the MI6 worker was gay and his flat was strewn with bondage gear could be an attempt to discredit him to hide the true cause of his death - possibly in the interests of national security.

His uncle Michael Hughes said: "There has been a concerted effort to discredit Gareth that leaves us asking ourselves why?" He said "dark forces" were at work, adding: "We are increasingly concerned that one of the reasons may be to take attention away from other truths about what happened.

"One of those possibilities is that he may have been killed because of his work.

"His job was a sensitive one. Perhaps the way the conspiracy works is that if Gareth's reputation can be destroyed, then any subsequent claims relating to his professional life can be discredited, too. If we're right, then Gareth has been stitched up by the very people he devoted his whole life to." Keen cyclist Gareth, 31, described as a maths genius, played a crucial role in deciphering codes crucial to foiling al-Qaeda plots and regularly flew to America to work with National Security Agency officials. Last night his parents spoke for the first time about his death in a statement from their home near Holyhead, Anglesey. Ian and Ellen said: "Gareth was a generous, loving son, brother, and friend, and a very private person. He was a great athlete, and loved cycling and music.

"His loss has devastated us and we would ask anyone with information to come forward and assist the enquiry."

Police, who have no idea how he died, will investigate if he was the victim of a professional hit or even if it was a bizarre accident or drugs overdose, given the clinically clean nature of his flat in Pimlico, Central London.

Sources said his phone SIM cards had not been left "ritualistically" but had probably been arranged like that by the spy, who was known to be fastidiously neat.

Police also revealed he was last seen alive on August 15 and there were no signs of forced entry or disturbance at his flat.

And claims that bondage gear was found on Alderney Street, where his body was discovered in the bath in a sports holdall, were described as "totally untrue". An insider said: "The inquiry is focusing on the basics starting with 'How did he die?' It will then work its way outwards."

Police had also found nothing to suggest that Mr Williams was gay but his sexuality was still a part of the investigation.

But his uncle added: "We're a close family and Gareth made regular trips back. We'd have known if he was gay. We wouldn't have treated him any differently. He was just a nice, ordinary lad. Exceptionally bright, but in every other way a normal young man."

The family are also angry they were given no warning by officials that rumours of his "secret gay life and love of sado-masochism" would be splashed across newspapers. He said: "Clearly someone briefed the press about his sexuality. It's completely false."