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.