Independent : David Randall: Baffling death ...

David Randall: Baffling death ...

October 31, 2010

Surprisingly little attention – given the international hoo-ha his death caused – has been given to Thursday's results of toxicology tests on the body of MI6 mathematician and code expert Gareth Williams. He was found, remember, naked, in a kneeling position, inside a large sports holdall which had been padlocked. The tests showed no trace of poison, alcohol, or drugs in his body, which knocked on the head the idea that Mr Williams had been sedated, bagged up, and left to die.

Other theories, however, continue to flourish, among them the persistent one that Mr Williams was afflicted with a sexual kink only satisfied by severe confinement. The Sun reports that he had recently visited websites on claustrophobia and sadomasochism, allowing them to headline their story: "Bag spook died in 'Houdini' game". Similar reports have been denied in the past, and all police will say is that they continue to seek a couple who were let into Mr Williams's flat shortly before the assumed time of his death.

Toronto Sun : MI6 spy died in sex game gone wrong

MI6 spy died in sex game gone wrong

By QMI Agency | October 30, 2010

Police now believe that Gareth Williams, the former codebreaker for Britain's Secret Intelligence Service MI6 whose body was found naked in a padlocked gym bag in his west London flat, died accidentally from the lack of oxygen during a sex game gone wrong.

British tabloid The Sun reports that police say the 31-year-old man got sexual pleasure from being confined in small places and agreed to be locked in a 32-inch long North Face sports bag.

Police believe Williams died quickly from the heat and lack of air inside the bag while the person who locked him inside was out of the room. When the person realized Williams suffocated to death, he or she put the key inside the bag and moved it to the bath tub where police found the body on Aug. 23.

Toxicology reports came back clean and police have ruled out foul play but are looking for the person who locked Williams inside the bag as well as a couple that visited his apartment a month before his death.

The former codebreaker's computers showed that he visited websites on claustrophilia as well as bondage and sado-masochism.

Daily Mail : Clues point to sex game: MI6 spy Gareth Williams had 'no traces of foreign substances' in his body which was found zipped in a sportsbag

Clues point to sex game: MI6 spy Gareth Williams had 'no traces of foreign substances' in his body which was found zipped in a sportsbag

By Daily Mail Reporter | October 29, 2010

The MI6 spy found dead in a sports bag was not poisoned or under the influence of alcohol at the time of his death, tests have revealed.

After investigating all other avenues, detectives now believe it was a sadomasochistic sex game which led to Gareth Williams' death.

Toxicology tests ruled out the possibility of him being drugged or injected with any lethal toxin.

The codebreaker’s naked body was found locked in a sports bag in his empty bath.

Tests on his body, which have taken two months to complete, have failed to find any foreign substances – or alcohol – or give any indication as to how he died.

Police are now focused on finding a couple known to have been with the 31-year-old in the weeks before his death.

The Mediterranean couple, who are understood to have had a set of keys to the flat, are thought to be key to the investigation.

The man and woman, in their thirties, were known to Mr Williams and were seen entering the flat owned by the intelligence services in late June or early July. But, despite repeated appeals, they have failed to come forward.

Detectives are convinced that the cipher expert could not have died alone.

One possible explanation being investigated by detectives is that Mr Williams was locked in the bag by someone else and left in the bath as part of the bizarre sex game. It is thought that when the person returned to release him they found him dead and fled.

Police are certain he was alive when he was padlocked into the large holdall by, which led to him suffocating. There were no injuries on his body to suggest a struggle.

Inquiries continue into his private life, which officers remain convinced will be the key to solving the case.

There has been months of speculation about the death of the spy, who had been working for the Secret Intelligence Service on secondment from GCHQ in Cheltenham.

The inconclusive toxicology results will only serve to deepen the intrigue surrounding the case.

Mr Williams’ decomposing body was found inside a zipped and padlocked North Face bag in his flat on August 23.

Initially it was thought the cycling enthusiast had been murdered, but the case remains officially classified as ‘suspicious and unexplained’.

Police have discounted suggestions that Mr Williams committed suicide alone. The Mail has learnt that the outer door to his flat in Pimlico, Central London, had apparently been locked from the outside when police arrived on the scene.

Detectives have found no evidence to support claims that Mr Williams was a cross-dresser, that bondage equipment was found at his home, that a laptop was missing from the flat, or that he had reported to spy bosses that he was being followed.

Nor, as was claimed in one report, was any suspicious liquid found next to his body in the sports bag.

Police have also dismissed allegations of irregularities in his finances and there is no evidence that Mr Williams had committed any criminal acts.

The spy was last seen eight days before his body was found. CCTV showed him shopping at Harrods and at Holland Park tube station.

Colleagues later raised the alarm after he had not been seen for days.

Officers found no sign of any forced entry to the property or a disturbance inside. Westminster Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday, after opening an inquest last month.

Yesterday a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘Results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

‘There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

‘Mr Williams’ death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue.’

Evening Standard : Spy found dead in bag may have had a fetish for confined spaces

Spy found dead in bag may have had a fetish for confined spaces

Justin Davenport, Crime Editor | October 29, 2010

MI6 spy Gareth Williams may have died as a result of a bizarre sexual addiction to being enclosed in confined spaces, it emerged today.

Detectives are investigating whether the code-breaker, whose naked body was found inside a zipped and locked holdall, was a fan of so-called “claustrophilia”.

Mr Williams, 31, is thought to have died accidentally from a lack of oxygen after he agreed to be locked inside the red 32-inch long North Face bag by another person. One possibility is that the sex game went tragically wrong and the second person returned to find Mr Williams had died. The man — or woman — then fled the Pimlico flat, not leaving any forensic clues.

Police are now concentrating on Mr Williams's private life which detectives are convinced holds the answer to how he died. An examination of the spy's two laptops found in the flat showed he visited websites on claustrophilia, a desire to be confined in closed spaces.

There were also said to be links on one computer to a bondage and sado-masochistic website.

The development emerged as Scotland Yard announced that tests on the MI6 employee's body revealed no traces of any alcohol, drugs or poisons that may have caused his death.

Mr Williams's decomposing body was found in the padlocked holdall in the bath of his flat on August 23. The spy was last seen eight days before his body was found and detectives believe he may have lain undiscovered for several days. CCTV showed him shopping at Harrods and at Holland Park Tube station. There were no injuries to his body and nothing in the flat that suggested a struggle or forced entry.

A post-mortem examination has been unable to find a cause of death but it is possible he died from a combination of suffocation or dehydration, which is difficult to identify.

Police do not believe that he was able to lock himself into the North Face bag on his own and suspect at least one other person was inside the flat at the time.

They are still trying to trace a couple, both of Mediterranean appearance and aged between 20 and 30, who had paid a visit to Mr Williams's flat about a month before he was found dead. Despite repeated appeals they have not come forward.

A colourful wig and women's make-up were also found inside the flat, but detectives can find no evidence that Mr Williams was a cross dresser. Sources say he was an intensely private individual who appears to have gone to great lengths to hide details of his private life.

Mr Williams, a keen competitive cyclist, was on a year's secondment to MI6 from GCHQ, the Government's electronic eavesdropping agency in Cheltenham.

Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

“There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but inquiries continue to try to establish a formal cause of death. Mr Williams's death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue.”

News dot com [AU] : British spook Gareth Williams died in Houdini sex game, say police

British spook Gareth Williams died in Houdini sex game, say police

From: NewsCore | October 29, 2010

A BRITISH who was found naked and zipped up in a red duffel bag in the bathtub of his London apartment suffocated after a bizarre sex game went wrong.

Police believe 30-year-old math Gareth Williams genius died accidentally from a lack of oxygen after he agreed to be locked in the 32-inch-long sports bag by another person, The Sun newspaper reported.

Sources said the MI6 agent was a fan of claustrophilia - in which people get sexual pleasure from confined spaces.

Police have suggested that the person who zipped up the bag discovered Williams dead and fled the apartment. They have ruled out foul play but are still trying to trace the other person.

An examination of his two laptops showed Williams visited websites on claustrophilia.

He also had links to a bondage and a sadomasochism website. Two wigs and women's makeup were reportedly found in the victim's apartment.

Williams was zipped into a large North Face bag and a padlock was snapped shut through two eyeholes in the handles - but the key was found inside.

Investigators hoped toxicology tests would shed light on Williams' cause of death, but according to a statement released on Thursday: "The Metropolitan Police Service can confirm that results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol [or] poisons ... Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained, and inquiries into the circumstances continue."

There were no signs of forced entry or traces of blood at the scene.

Police again appealed on Thursday for information about a man and a woman seen at Williams’ apartment in late July. Both were described as of Mediterranean appearance and aged between 20 and 30 years old.

Williams, who worked at the Government Communications Headquarters fighting cyber warfare, was living in London on a temporary assignment for MI6.

Express : SPY’S FATAL ‘HOUDINI SEX GAME’

SPY’S FATAL ‘HOUDINI SEX GAME’

Gareth Williams suffocated himself accidentally during a sex game, police believe

By John Twomey | October 29, 2010

SPY Gareth Williams suffocated himself accidentally during a sex game which indulged his fetish for being locked in confined spaces, police believe.

The MI6 officer took his “Houdini games” too far when he was locked in a large sports bag at his flat.

Williams, 31, stripped naked and climbed into the sports bag in his bath, armed with a padlock key.

Scotland Yard detectives believe he asked someone to snap the padlock shut on the bag’s zip and leave him to find his own way out. But the lock was on the outside of the bag and he could not reach it. With little oxygen in the sports bag, he soon passed out and suffocated.

Officers are still looking for a mystery couple seen at his flat who could explain how the padlock on the bag was snapped shut.

It is still not clear whether anyone was in the bathroom when the spy started struggling for air. Williams may have told the person to leave the flat after locking him in the bag to add to the asphyxiation “sensation” and the feeling that he was dicing with death.

The codebreaker was found dead in the bath at his flat in Pimlico, central London, on August 23. He had been there for up to eight days.

Police checks on his laptop computers uncovered links to weird websites, including one called Torture Garden which deals with fetishes like claustrophilia.

Daily Star : OFFICIAL: SPY IN BAG GARETH WILLIAMS DIED DURING KINKY SEX GAME

OFFICIAL: SPY IN BAG GARETH WILLIAMS DIED DURING KINKY SEX GAME

By Paul Robins | October 29, 2010

THE spy found dead inside a padlocked sports bag suffocated during a sex game, police claimed yesterday.

New evidence revealed spook Gareth Williams got his kicks from being trapped in confined spaces, a fetish known as claustrophilia.

But detectives claim things went wrong when he could not get out.

The brilliant codebreaker’s body lay undiscovered for two weeks in the bathtub of his London flat.

But police believe they have solved the mystery after finding links to weird torture websites on the M16 officer’s laptops.

One called Torture Garden gives advice and tips on bizarre fetishes like claustrophilia.

Its believed Gareth, 31, stripped naked before asking someone to snap a padlock shut on the bag’s zip and leave him to find his own way out.

He was stuck in a semi-foetal position and was soon left struggling to fill his lungs with air.

The spy had taken the padlock key into the bag as his “life line” but because the padlock was on the outside he was unable to reach it.

With little oxygen in the bag, he soon passed out and suffocated. Police are convinced the spook would not have been able to lock it from the inside himself.

But it is believed he may have told the person to leave the flat to add to his sexual fantasy.

Erotic asphyxiation is the deliberate restriction of oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal.

Gareth had a small frame and fitted easily in the bag that measures 32 inches by 19.

Detectives are still trying to trace a mystery couple who visited the spy’s flat weeks before he died.

Police have confirmed that tests showed there was no trace of alcohol or drugs in his system.

His flat, in Pimlico, central London, did not appear to have been disturbed before the discovery of his body on August 23.

Police also scotched rumours about his double life as a gay transvestite after women’s clothes were found in his flat.

The cyclist fanatic and maths genius had been recruited by British security bosses after earning a university degree at 17.

He was just days away from completing a one-year secondment to MI6 from GCHQ, Britain’s eavesdropping base in Cheltenham, Glos.

Yesterday a pal said: “What a tragic waste of a brilliant life.”

An inquest will be held next year.

Sun: Bag spook died in 'Houdini' sex game

Bag spook died in 'Houdini' sex game

By MIKE SULLIVAN | Crime Editor | October 29, 2010

BODY-in-the-bag spy Gareth Williams suffocated after a kinky Houdini-style sex game went wrong, detectives said yesterday.

The naked MI6 codebreaker was a fan of claustrophilia - in which people get sexual pleasure from confined spaces.

Cops believe the 31-year-old maths genius died accidentally from lack of oxygen after he agreed to be locked in the 32-inch-long sports holdall by another person.

They reckon the person who zipped up the bag discovered him dead and fled the flat.

They have ruled out foul play but are still trying to trace the other person.

There were no signs of injury to Mr Williams' body and toxicology tests found nothing suspicious.

An examination of his two laptops showed he visited websites on claustrophilia.

He also had links to a bondage and sado-masochism website.

Two wigs and women's make-up were also in the flat in Pimlico, West London.

Mr Williams was zipped into the North Face bag and a padlock was snapped shut through two eyeholes in the handles - but the key was found inside.

Normally claustrophiliacs use a password in case of trouble.

It is thought Mr Williams, who did not have a girlfriend, died quickly in the hot bag, possibly while the other person was out of the room.

The key was then put in the bag which was moved to the bath.

Cops are hunting a couple who visited Mr Williams, originally from North Wales, before he died in August.

And CCTV showed him in a red T-shirt shopping at Harrods.

TVNZ : Spy's death still a mystery

Spy's death still a mystery

Reuters | October 29, 2010

Police probing the death of man who worked for Britain's Secret Intelligence Service MI6 said toxicology tests had found no traces of drugs or poisons, and the cause of his death remained a mystery.

Gareth Williams, 30, was found by police on August 23 at his top floor flat in Pimlico, central London, not far from the spy agency's headquarters, after he was reported missing.

Officers found his naked body in a zipped and padlocked holdall bag in an empty bath. Nothing was believed to have been stolen from the flat and there was no sign of any forced entry or disturbance inside.

Comprehensive tests had now been completed and had found no traces of any drugs, alcohol, poison or any other substances which would explain his death, detectives said.

"Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue," London police said in a statement.

Detectives also repeated their appeal to trace a couple, both of Mediterranean appearance, aged between 20 and 30, who had paid a visit to Williams's flat about a month before he was found dead.

The mysterious nature of the death has led some to question whether he was targeted because of his work. However, the police inquiry is being carried out by its homicide unit, indicating they believe it is not related to terrorism or spy matters.

Williams was working for MI6, which deals with foreign espionage matters, on secondment from the Government Communications Headquarters, the government's eavesdropping service.

The Foreign Office has made no comment on the death, saying it did not make statements about anyone who might work for the intelligence agencies.

MI6 chief John Sawers said in the first ever public speech by the head of his spy organisation on Thursday that details of his staff and their work had to remain secret.

This Is London : Tests on body of murdered MI6 spy found in bag draw blank

Tests on body of murdered MI6 spy found in bag draw blank

October 28, 2010

Tests on the body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams have revealed no traces of any foreign substances that may have led to his death.

No evidence of drugs, alcohol or poisons were found during a battery of tests conducted by toxicologists, sources close to the inquiry said.

The 30-year-old GCHQ code-breaker's naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat on August 23.

The mysterious circumstances of Mr Williams' death sparked an international frenzy of speculation earlier this year.

Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday after opening an inquest on September 1.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

"There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

"Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue."

Scotland Yard detectives, led by Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire, continue to try and identify what led to Mr Williams' death.

They have been hunting for a man and a woman seen calling at the communal door of his Alderney Street home.

Witnesses said the Mediterranean couple, aged in their twenties, were let into the property late on an evening in June or July.

The spokesman said: "The police are still keen for the couple to come forward, or receive any information regarding them from members of the public."

Mr Williams' body was found by officers who called at his flat after colleagues raised the alarm that he had not been seen for some time.

There was no sign of any forced entry to the property or a disturbance inside and nothing is believed to be missing.

He was found unclothed, in a zipped and padlocked red North Face holdall in an empty bath in the ensuite bathroom.

A first post mortem examination could not identify a cause of death and police sent off numerous intimate samples for further tests.

Mr Williams, of Anglesey, North Wales, was last seen alive on August 15, eight days before he was found dead in the £400,000 property.

Police have released CCTV footage of him entering Holland Park Underground station at about 3pm the previous day.

The cycling fanatic was on a one year secondment to MI6, based in nearby Vauxhall Cross, from his work at the GCHQ listening post in Cheltenham.

His family have lashed out at rumours the mathematics prodigy was involved in risky sexual practices, saying they had been "very distressing".

* Anyone with information should contact the incident room on 020 8358 0200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Telegraph : MI6 spy found dead in a bag: Toxicology tests on body spy prove negative

MI6 spy found dead in a bag: Toxicology tests on body spy prove negative

By Martin Evans | Oct 28, 2010

Toxicology tests carried out on the body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams have revealed no trace of drugs, alcohol or poison, it has been revealed.

The 30-year-old GCHQ codebreaker's naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat on August 23.

Detectives initially feared he may have been murdered by foreign agents because of the sensitive work he was involved in.

But with no exact cause of death established, it was later suggested he may have died as a result of a bizarre sadomasochistic sex game gone wrong.

Having ruled out almost every other possibility, officers believe he probably died after climbing into the bag which was then locked by another person.

It is unclear whether he did so on instructions from the other person or was locked in at his own request, but detectives believe that he was probably involved in some sadomasochistic game in which he got a kick from being helpless.

It is likely that once locked and left in the bag, he died from a combination of causes including suffocation and dehydration, which have been difficult to identify in a post-mortem.

The red North Face holdall was made from a laminate material and had reinforced seams, making it both hot and almost impossible to escape from. The top floor flat is likely to have heated up in the August weather, causing Mr Williams to pass out.

The bag was padlocked from the outside and officers believe the other person was supposed to return to the flat to release him but when they did so, they found him dead.

There was no sign of any forced entry to the property or a disturbance inside and nothing is believed to be missing.

Scotland Yard is still seeking a Mediterranean couple aged between 20 and 30, who were let into the spy’s flat in Alderney Street, Pimlico, central London, late one evening in June or July.

Toxicologists carried out a battery of tests looking for any trace of drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substance which could have caused his death.

But a Metropolitan Police spokesman said all the tests had come back negative.

The spokesman added: "There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.”

Mr Williams, 31, a keen cyclist and maths prodigy from Anglesey, North Wales, was found dead in the MI6 flat where he lived while he was on secondment from GCHQ.

He had returned from a holiday in the US on August 11 and was last seen alive on CCTV footage at Holland Park tube station on August 14 and shopping in Harrods in Knightsbridge the following day.

The post mortem results suggest he died soon afterwards but his body was not found until eight days later when colleagues raised the alarm.

Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday after opening an inquest on September 1.

Mr Williams' body was found by officers who called at his flat after colleagues raised the alarm that he had not been seen for some time.

His family have lashed out at rumours the mathematics prodigy was involved in risky sexual practices, saying they had been "very distressing".

Metro Police : Unexplained and suspicious death

Unexplained and suspicious death

Bulletin 0000002025 | October 28, 2010

The Metropolitan Police Service can confirm that results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

Mr. Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue.

Officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command investigating the death have today, Thursday 28 October, reiterated their appeals for information to identify a man and woman let into the communal front door of his address.

They are described as of Mediterranean appearance, aged between 20-30 years-old, and called at 36 Alderney Street late one evening in June or July, prior to Mr Williams' death.

The police are still keen for the couple to come forward, or receive any information regarding them from members of the public.

Gareth Williams' body was found in his flat at Flat 4, 36 Alderney Street, Pimlico, SW1 on 23 August by uniformed officers. There was no sign of any forced entry to the property, and no signs of disturbance inside.

Mr. Williams was found unclothed, in a zipped and padlocked red North Face holdall which was in an empty bath in the en suite bathroom.

Anyone with information should phone the incident room on 0208 358 0200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

UPI : British spy's death likely due to sex game

British spy's death likely due to sex game

October 28, 2010

LONDON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Toxicology reports on the body of a British spy probably involved in a sado-masochistic game showed no evidence of substance abuse, officials said Thursday.

The naked, decomposing body of MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams, 30, was found locked in a bag in his London apartment Aug. 23, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Authorities think Williams died after climbing into the bag which was then locked from the outside by another person, as part of a sex game from which Williams took pleasure in being rendered helpless, the Daily Mail reported.

Williams probably died from suffocation and dehydration, the Daily Mail said.

Scotland Yard seeks a Mediterranean couple between the ages of 20 and 30, who entered the apartment in June or July, the newspaper reported.

Officers have not ruled out preventing Williams from continuing important work in intercepting and decrypting foreign powers' messages as a motive for his death, the newspaper said.

Wales Online : Tests on MI6 spy Gareth Williams draw a blank

Tests on MI6 spy Gareth Williams draw a blank

Wales Online | October 28, 2010

Tests on the body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams have revealed no traces of any foreign substances that may have led to his death.

No evidence of drugs, alcohol or poisons were found during a battery of tests conducted by toxicologists, sources close to the inquiry said.

The 30-year-old GCHQ code-breaker’s naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat on August 23.

The mysterious circumstances of Mr Williams' death sparked an international frenzy of speculation earlier this year.

Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday after opening an inquest on September 1.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

"There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

"Mr Williams’ death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue."

Scotland Yard detectives, led by Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire, continue to try and identify what led to Mr Williams' death.

They have been hunting for a man and a woman seen calling at the communal door of his Alderney Street home.

Witnesses said the Mediterranean couple, aged in their twenties, were let into the property late on an evening in June or July.

The spokesman said: “The police are still keen for the couple to come forward, or receive any information regarding them from members of the public.”

Mr Williams’ body was found by officers who called at his flat after colleagues raised the alarm that he had not been seen for some time.

There was no sign of any forced entry to the property or a disturbance inside and nothing is believed to be missing.

He was found unclothed, in a zipped and padlocked red North Face holdall in an empty bath in the ensuite bathroom.

A first post mortem examination could not identify a cause of death and police sent off numerous intimate samples for further tests.

Mr Williams, of Anglesey, North Wales, was last seen alive on August 15, eight days before he was found dead in the £400,000 property.

Police have released CCTV footage of him entering Holland Park Underground station at about 3pm the previous day.

The cycling fanatic was on a one year secondment to MI6, based in nearby Vauxhall Cross, from his work at the GCHQ listening post in Cheltenham.

His family have lashed out at rumours the mathematics prodigy was involved in risky sexual practices, saying they had been “very distressing”.

Anyone with information should contact the incident room on 020 8358 0200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Daily Mail : MI6 spy Gareth Williams had 'no traces of foreign substances' in his body which was found zipped in a sportsbag

MI6 spy Gareth Williams had 'no traces of foreign substances' in his body which was found zipped in a sportsbag

By Daily Mail Reporter | October 28, 2010

Tests on the body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams have revealed no traces of any foreign substances that may have led to his death.

No evidence of drugs, alcohol or poisons were found during a battery of tests conducted by toxicologists, sources close to the inquiry said.

The 31-year-old GCHQ code-breaker's naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat on August 23.

The mysterious circumstances of Mr Williams' death sparked an international frenzy of speculation earlier this year.

Police have been mystified since cycling enthusiast Mr Williams was found dead inside his £400,000 two-bedroom flat in Pimlico, half-a-mile from the MI6 HQ in Westminster.

The initial reaction of the police constable who discovered his body was: ‘This is a murder scene.’

There were also rumours that Mr Williams was the victim of a professional ‘hit’. Other theories included the suggestion that he had been murdered by Russian agents.

Tests on his body were ordered to establish whether he was poisoned, as happened when Polonium 210 radiation was used to murder exiled Russian secret agent Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006.

Initial toxicology tests showed no traces of alcohol or rec­reational drugs in Mr Williams’ system.

The MI6 agent’s family have angrily accused the Government of running a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign to blacken his name after reports that he was gay and a cross-dresser.

Police denied claims that gay magazines, bondage gear and the phone numbers of gay escort men were found in the apartment near his body.

Police also dismissed allegations of irregularities in his finances and that a top-secret laptop computer had gone missing from his flat.

Crucially, there was no evidence of violence and no cuts or bruises on Mr Williams’ body, suggesting there had been no struggle.

Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday after opening an inquest on September 1.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

'There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

'Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue.'

Telegraph : MI6 spy found dead in a bag: Toxicology tests on body spy prove negative

MI6 spy found dead in a bag: Toxicology tests on body spy prove negative

By Martin Evans and Duncan Gardham | October 28, 2010

Tests on the body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams have revealed no traces of drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that may have led to his death, sources said today.

The 30-year-old GCHQ codebreaker's naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat on August 23.

Toxicologists carried out a battery of tests looking for any trace of drugs, alcohol or poisons, but sources close to the inquiry have revealed all have proved negative.

No further tests are planned at this stage and therefore it remains likely that Mr Williams died as a result of a sadomasochistic sex game gone wrong.

Having ruled out almost every other possibility, officers believe he probably died after climbing into the bag which was then locked by another person.

It is unclear whether he did so on instructions from the other person or was locked in at his own request, but detectives believe that he was probably involved in some sadomasochistic game in which he got a kick from being helpless.

It is likely that once locked and left in the bag, he died from a combination of causes including suffocation and dehydration, which have been difficult to identify in a post-mortem.

The red North Face holdall was made from a laminate material and had reinforced seams, making it both hot and almost impossible to escape from. The top floor flat is likely to have heated up in the August weather, causing Mr Williams to pass out.

The bag was padlocked from the outside and officers believe the other person was supposed to return to the flat to release him but when they did so, they found him dead.

Scotland Yard is still seeking a Mediterranean couple aged between 20 and 30, who were let into the spy’s flat in Alderney Street, Pimlico, central London, late one evening in June or July.

“They haven’t come forward and we have to ask ourselves why that would be,” one source said.

Officers have been unwilling to ascribe motives to the killing before investigating all the options, which included the possibility that Mr Williams was murdered to prevent him continuing vital work into intercepting and decrypting messages sent by foreign powers.

Detectives from Scotland Yard’s Homicide Task Force investigating the case say they did not find any other signs of a sexual fetish at Mr Williams’s flat, although investigations continue into his internet and telephone use.

They have been keen not to jump to conclusions in the interests of pursuing all possible leads but they now believe he took off his own clothes and see a sex game as the most likely scenario.

So far investigators have failed to positively identify whether someone else was in the flat around the time of the death but further fingerprint and DNA analysis is being conducted.

One source close to the inquiry told the Daily Telegraph: “We began with a variety of less probable scenarios, eliminating each one until we ended up with the most likely. “Human beings are funny things and they have all kinds of predilections. These bags have warnings about keeping them away from children because they can cause suffocation.”

Mr Williams, 31, a keen cyclist and maths prodigy from Anglesey, North Wales, was found dead in the MI6 flat where he lived while he was on secondment from GCHQ.

He had returned from a holiday in the US on August 11 and was last seen alive on CCTV footage at Holland Park tube station on August 14 and shopping in Harrods in Knightsbridge the following day.

The post mortem results suggest he died soon afterwards but his body was not found until eight days later when colleagues raised the alarm.

CCTV cameras are not routinely fitted to the homes of the 2,200 spies employed by MI6, sources said.

New York Times : Tests Find No Drugs, Poison in Slain UK Spy's Body

Tests Find No Drugs, Poison in Slain UK Spy's Body

October 28, 2010

LONDON (AP) — Police investigating the unexplained slaying of a British intelligence official say tests on his body indicate no traces of drugs or poisons that may have led to his death.

Detectives are trying to establish how Gareth Williams, a 30-year-old official at Britain's eavesdropping and code-breaking agency GCHQ, died. Williams' naked and decomposing body was discovered inside a locked sports bag in his central London apartment on Aug. 23.

Police say Thursday toxicology tests show no evidence of any drugs, alcohol or poisons indicating the cause of death.

They have been hunting for a man and a woman seen calling at the communal door of Williams' apartment in June or July.

The death has sparked speculation and theories ranging from assassination to a sex game gone wrong.

Canadian Press : No drugs, poison found in body of British spy mysteriously slain

No drugs, poison found in body of British spy mysteriously slain

October 28, 2010

LONDON — Police investigating the unexplained slaying of a British intelligence official say tests on his body indicate no traces of drugs or poisons that may have led to his death.

Detectives are trying to establish how Gareth Williams, a 30-year-old official at Britain's eavesdropping and code-breaking agency GCHQ, died. Williams' naked and decomposing body was discovered inside a locked sports bag in his central London apartment on Aug. 23.

Police say Thursday toxicology tests show no evidence of any drugs, alcohol or poisons indicating the cause of death.

They have been hunting for a man and a woman seen calling at the communal door of Williams' apartment in June or July.

The death has sparked speculation and theories ranging from assassination to a sex game gone wrong.

Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Guardian : MI6 spy Gareth Williams had no trace of drugs or poison in body

MI6 spy Gareth Williams had no trace of drugs or poison in body

Toxicology tests on man found dead in holdall in London flat come back negative

October 28, 2010

Tests on the body of the MI6 spy Gareth Williams have revealed no traces of drugs, alcohol or poisons, the Metropolitan police said.

The 31-year-old's naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, central London, on 23 August. He had also worked for GCHQ, the government's code-breaking agency.

The negative toxicology tests give detectives no clear indication about what occurred and deepen the mystery.

A statement from Scotland Yard said: "There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but inquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death"

Officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command appealed again for further information to help identify a man and woman who were let into the communal front door of his address.

They are described as of Mediterranean appearance, aged between 20 and 30 years old and called at 36 Alderney Street late one evening in June or July, prior to the spy's death.

Williams, a cycling fanatic and accomplished mathematician, was on secondment from GCHQ in Cheltenham to MI6 at their headquarters in Vauxhall, on the banks of the Thames.

His body was found in his temporary residence in Pimlico by uniformed officers. There was no sign of any forced entry to the property, and no signs of disturbance inside.

The Westminster coroner, Dr Paul Knapman, is due to review the case in private next Wednesday after opening an inquest on 1 September.

Williams, from Anglesey, North Wales, was last seen alive on 15 August, eight days before he was found dead. Police have released CCTV footage of him entering Holland Park tube station in west London at about 3pm the previous day.

His family have dismissed suggestions that he had been involved in risky sexual practices as untrue and distressing.

Sky News : No Poison Or Drugs Found In MI6 Spy's Body

No Poison Or Drugs Found In MI6 Spy's Body

Huw Borland, Sky News Online | October 28, 2010

The death of an MI6 code-breaker remains a mystery after tests found no traces of poison, drugs or alcohol in his body.

The decomposing remains of 30-year-old Gareth Williams were discovered in a padlocked holdall in the bath at his Pimlico flat on August 23.

Police have been trying to establish a cause of death but a series of toxicology tests did not reveal any foreign substances in his body.

The mysterious circumstances of Mr Williams' death sparked an international frenzy of speculation earlier this year.

Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday after opening an inquest on September 1.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue."

Scotland Yard detectives have been hunting for a man and a woman seen calling at the communal door of his Alderney Street home.

Witnesses said the couple, who were apparently in their 20s and looked like they may have come from a Mediterranean country, were let into the property late on an evening in June or July.

Mr Williams' body was discovered by officers who went to his flat after colleagues said he had not been seen for some time.

There was no sign of any forced entry to the property or a disturbance inside and nothing is believed to be missing.

He was found unclothed, in a zipped and padlocked red North Face holdall in an empty bath, in the ensuite bathroom.

Mr Williams, originally from Anglesey, North Wales, was last seen alive on August 15, eight days before he was found dead in the £400,000 property.

Police Professional : MI6 officer - No sign of drugs or poison

MI6 officer - No sign of drugs or poison

By Dilwar Hussain | October 28, 2010

A toxicology test on the body of Gareth Williams, found in a suitcase in his home in London, has shown no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) confirmed the results on October 28.

There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

Officers from the homicide and serious crime command investigating the death of GCHQ officer have reiterated their appeals for information to identify a man and woman let into the communal front door of his address.

The 30-year-old’s death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue.

His body was found in his flat in Pimlico in August by uniformed officers. There was no sign of any forced entry to the property, and no signs of disturbance inside.

Mr. Williams was found unclothed, in a zipped and padlocked red North Face holdall which was in an empty bath in the en suite bathroom.

He was seconded to MI6 at the time of his death and much speculation has been made that the murder was connected to his work although detectives say no evidence exists to confirm this.

AFP : Spy's death still a mystery after tests draw blank

Spy's death still a mystery after tests draw blank

October 28, 2010

LONDON — Tests on the body of a spy found dead in the bathtub of his London flat in August have discovered no evidence of any drugs, alcohol or poison that might have killed him, police said Thursday.

A "comprehensive" series of tests have failed to explain the death of Gareth Williams, 30, and it remains a mystery, police said in a statement -- although they insisted they were still treating his case as suspicious.

"The Metropolitan Police Service can confirm that results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death," they said.

"There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

"Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue."

Williams is thought to have been dead for two weeks when his naked, decomposing remains were found on August 23 at his home near the headquarters of secret intelligence service MI6, where he worked.

An inquest heard last month that he had been padlocked inside a bag but had not been stabbed and there were no obvious signs of strangulation.

He died just days before completing a one-year secondment to MI6 from GCHQ, the electronic "listening post" which monitors communications for intelligence purposes, located in Cheltenham.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.

UKPA : Tests on spy's body draw blank

Tests on spy's body draw blank

October 28, 2010

Tests on the body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams, who was found in a London flat, have revealed no traces of any foreign substances that may have led to his death.

No evidence of drugs, alcohol or poisons were found during a battery of tests conducted by toxicologists, sources close to the inquiry said.

The 30-year-old GCHQ code-breaker's naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat on August 23.

The mysterious circumstances of Mr Williams' death sparked an international frenzy of speculation earlier this year. Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday after opening an inquest on September 1.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

"There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death. Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue."

Scotland Yard detectives, led by Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire, continue to try and identify what led to Mr Williams' death. They have been hunting for a man and a woman seen calling at the communal door of his Alderney Street home. Witnesses said the Mediterranean couple, aged in their twenties, were let into the property late on an evening in June or July.

Mr Williams' body was found by officers who called at his flat after colleagues raised the alarm that he had not been seen for some time. There was no sign of any forced entry to the property or a disturbance inside and nothing is believed to be missing.

He was found unclothed, in a zipped and padlocked red North Face holdall in an empty bath in the ensuite bathroom. A first post mortem examination could not identify a cause of death and police sent off numerous intimate samples for further tests. Mr Williams, of Anglesey, North Wales, was last seen alive on August 15, eight days before he was found dead in the £400,000 property.

Anyone with information should contact the incident room on 020 8358 0200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

BBC: MI6 man Gareth Williams's cause of death still unknown

MI6 man Gareth Williams's cause of death still unknown

October 28, 2010

Tests on the body of an MI6 worker found naked in a holdall in a London flat have failed to establish how he died, Scotland Yard has said.

Gareth Williams, 30, from Holyhead on Anglesey, was found dead in the bathroom of his Pimlico flat in August.

Police said all tests on the body for drugs, alcohol and poisons had proved negative. No further tests are planned.

Mr Williams, a mathematician, worked at the government's GCHQ listening post. He was on secondment to MI6.

He may have been dead two weeks before he was found, the Metropolitan Police said.

A Met spokesman said: "Results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

"There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but inquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

'Complete mystery'

"Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and inquiries into the circumstances continue."

BBC Home Affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said: "His cause of death remains a complete mystery.

"In an investigation like this you never quite know what the police have got to go on they are not telling you about.

"There are strong suggestions his laptop is missing so possibly it may link to his work."

The case will be reviewed in private by coroner Dr Paul Knapman on Wednesday.

An inquest was opened on 1 September.

Mr Williams graduated with a first class degree in maths from Bangor University at just 17.

In 2000, he took a postgraduate certificate in mathematics at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, before beginning work at GCHQ.

Officers who entered the flat where his body was found discovered a mobile phone and several mobile phone Sim cards laid out.

It is not known what work he was doing for MI6.

Independent : Tests on spy's body draw blank

Tests on spy's body draw blank

PA | October 28, 2010

Tests on the body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams have revealed no traces of any foreign substances that may have led to his death.

No evidence of drugs, alcohol or poisons were found during a battery of tests conducted by toxicologists, sources close to the inquiry said.

The 30-year-old GCHQ code-breaker's naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat on August 23.

The mysterious circumstances of Mr Williams' death sparked an international frenzy of speculation earlier this year.

Coroner Dr Paul Knapman is due to review the case in private next Wednesday after opening an inquest on September 1.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

"There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

"Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue."

Scotland Yard detectives, led by Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire, continue to try and identify what led to Mr Williams' death.

They have been hunting for a man and a woman seen calling at the communal door of his Alderney Street home.

Witnesses said the Mediterranean couple, aged in their twenties, were let into the property late on an evening in June or July.

The spokesman said: "The police are still keen for the couple to come forward, or receive any information regarding them from members of the public."

Mr Williams' body was found by officers who called at his flat after colleagues raised the alarm that he had not been seen for some time.

There was no sign of any forced entry to the property or a disturbance inside and nothing is believed to be missing.

He was found unclothed, in a zipped and padlocked red North Face holdall in an empty bath in the ensuite bathroom.

A first post mortem examination could not identify a cause of death and police sent off numerous intimate samples for further tests.

Mr Williams, of Anglesey, North Wales, was last seen alive on August 15, eight days before he was found dead in the £400,000 property.

Police have released CCTV footage of him entering Holland Park Underground station at about 3pm the previous day.

The cycling fanatic was on a one year secondment to MI6, based in nearby Vauxhall Cross, from his work at the GCHQ listening post in Cheltenham.

His family have lashed out at rumours the mathematics prodigy was involved in risky sexual practices, saying they had been "very distressing".

:: Anyone with information should contact the incident room on 020 8358 0200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Oye Times : Gareth Williams death unexplainable in London, England

Gareth Williams death unexplainable in London, England

by Len Humes | October 28, 2010

The Metropolitan Police Service can confirm that results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death.

There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

Mr. Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue.

Officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command investigating the death have today, Thursday 28 October, reiterated their appeals for information to identify a man and woman let into the communal front door of his address.

They are described as of Mediterranean appearance, aged between 20-30 years-old, and called at 36 Alderney Street late one evening in June or July, prior to Mr Williams' death.

The police are still keen for the couple to come forward, or receive any information regarding them from members of the public.

Gareth Williams' body was found in his flat at Flat 4, 36 Alderney Street, Pimlico, SW1 on 23 August by uniformed officers. There was no sign of any forced entry to the property, and no signs of disturbance inside.

Mr. Williams was found unclothed, in a zipped and padlocked red North Face holdall which was in an empty bath in the en suite bathroom.

TVNZ : Top UK spy makes first public speech

Top UK spy makes first public speech

Reuters | October 28, 2010

Britain's top spy, making the first public speech by a serving espionage chief, said today an inquiry into intelligence failings on Iraq showed sources of information had to be rigourously evaluated.

Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) chief John Sawers, addressing academics, officials and editors in a live televised appearance, said he was confident his service would take steps to ensure its recommendations were implemented.

Improving intelligence collection, co-ordination and analysis has been a major focus for Western governments since the September 11, 2001, attacks and the 2003 Iraq invasion, events involving profound faults in intelligence collection and analysis.

A British inquiry in 2004 by a former top civil servant, Lord Butler, said it was a "serious weakness" that caveats from intelligence chiefs were not spelt out in a September 2002 dossier which set out the government's case for disarming Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Former US President George Bush launched the Iraq invasion citing a threat of weapons of mass destruction from Saddam Hussein's government.

No such weapons were ever found.

Sawers, speaking to the Society of Editors media group, said: "The Butler Review following Iraq was a clear reminder, to both the agencies and the centre of government, politicians and officials alike, of how intelligence needs to be handled.

"The SIS Board recently reviewed our implementation of Lord Butler's recommendations to make sure we have implemented them fully in spirit as well as substance. I am confident that they have been.

"Sources of intelligence have to be rigourously evaluated and their reports have to be honestly weighed alongside all other information. Those who produce it, and those who want to use it have to put intelligence in a wider context."

The Butler report urged steps to ensure effective scrutiny and validation of human intelligence sources and to make sure this was properly resourced and organised.

Sawers, a career diplomat, had previously been the ambassador to the United Nations, the Foreign Office's political director, and also worked as an envoy in Baghdad and as foreign affairs adviser to former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

His speech, delivered at the London offices of Thomson Reuters, is a step towards greater openness for SIS, also known as MI6.

The move to more public accountability is a big cultural shift for a service that 20 years ago was so secret the government would not publicly avow its existence, even if it still enjoys more anonymity than its close US ally, the Central Intelligence Agency.

The pressure on intelligence officials to be more transparent has many roots - pressure from lawmakers to prevent abuses and improve performance, public concern over surveillance by police and local government, and a need by all arms of the intelligence community to make their work known so as to widen the avenues of recruitment.

Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors, said: "Wherever possible the public should be told what is being done in their name. The default switch should be set to release information unless there is an extremely good reason for withholding it.

"We are glad to provide a platform that will encourage greater openness which will help to build confidence and respect for our intelligence services in their vital work in protecting national security."

SIS, which gathers secret intelligence overseas, was first publicly acknowledged by the government in the 1990s.

The opening up of Britain's intelligence community gathered pace in 2006 when the then-head of the MI5 domestic security service, Eliza Manningham-Buller, appeared in public to make a speech to academics and journalists at a university campus.

This Is Gloucestershire : Dead GCHQ spy Gareth Williams had stopped UK gun rampage

Dead GCHQ spy Gareth Williams had stopped UK gun rampage

October 11, 2010

GCHQ spy Gareth Williams helped prevent a Mumbai-style gun rampage in Britain just weeks before he died, according to a Sunday Express source.

The 31-year-old, who lived in Prestbury for ten years, uncovered the plot during a eavesdropping mission in Afghanistan, the paper reported yesterday.

Mr Williams, whose body was found in bag in the bathroom of his rented flat in London, played a key role in intercepting phone calls from British jihadists at a training camp before matching their voice prints to those on a data bank.

He made several trips to Afghanistan as part of a team of GCHQ specialists.

Police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with his death, which remains a mystery.

Express : DEATH MYSTERY SPY GARETH WILLIAMS WAS TERROR PLOT HERO

DEATH MYSTERY SPY GARETH WILLIAMS WAS TERROR PLOT HERO

Gareth Williams helped thwart a Mumbai-style gun rampage in ­Britain

By Gordon Thomas and James Fielding | October 10, 2010

MI6 SPY Gareth Williams helped thwart a Mumbai-style gun rampage in ­Britain just weeks before his mystery death, the ­Sunday ­Express can reveal today.

The 31-year-old, whose body was found in a sports bag in his flat two months ago, uncovered the plot in a secret eavesdropping ­mission in Afghanistan.

He played a pivotal role in intercepting phone calls from British jihadists at a training camp before matching their voice prints to those on a data bank.

Details of the Al Qaeda threats emerged last weekend and involved coordinated gun massacres on the streets of London, Paris and Berlin. Transport hubs and landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower and the Brandenburg Gate were all listed as potential targets.

Mr Williams made several trips to Afghanistan as one of a 10-strong team of specialists from GCHQ, the Government’s listening post and the NSA, the US equivalent.

He was “cherry-picked” for the job because of his specialist skills using voice analysis software. The codebreaker, on a year’s ­secondment to MI6 in ­London from GCHQ in Cheltenham, Gloucs, could identify ­accents picked up in phone conversations with terror suspects from the Midlands, Manchester and Rochdale, Lancashire.

He pinpointed at least one voice print to Pakistani-born Briton Abdul Jabbar, who was known to UK security services. Jabbar was killed in a US drone strike earlier this month after GCHQ alerted the US to his whereabouts.

Information gleaned by Mr Williams also led to the arrest of the ­suspected ringleader, Admed Sidiqi, captured in Kabul in July.

Sidiqi, a German ­national from Hamburg, is being held at a US airbase where he has provided details about the attacks.

Though Mr Williams helped save the lives of thousands in Europe, terror alerts are high.

A source said: “The professionalism and skill of operatives like ­Gareth helped to thwart a disaster but we don’t have a total ­insight into what is unfolding.

“We are still aware of ‘sleeper cells’ ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.”

Up to 20 British-born militants are in the lawless border tribal lands between Afghanistan and Pakistan.