DAILY STAR SUNDAY : ‘SPY IN BAG’ OFFICER IS TAKEN OFF THE CASE

‘SPY IN BAG’ OFFICER IS TAKEN OFF THE CASE

Jonathan Corke | November 11, 2012

THE detective who tried to solve the “spy in the bag” riddle has been replaced – while colleagues who failed to tell her about evidence in the case have escaped a ­disciplinary rap.

Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire believed a third party was involved in MI6 worker Gareth Williams’ mysterious death two years ago in a central London flat.

But it emerged at the code-breaker’s inquest that evidence had been ­withheld from her for 21 months.

Mr Williams’ body was ­discovered in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his flat in August 2010. Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s counter- terrorism SO15 unit, who liaised with MI6, failed to tell Det Chief Insp Sebire that nine computer memory sticks and a black bag belonging to the 31-year-old had been recovered.

She was only informed of the find at the inquest in May this year.

We can now reveal she was moved off the case after the inquest – and replaced by Det Chief Insp Matt Bonner.

But after our investigation, which the police tried to thwart, we have learned that no Met officer has faced disciplinary proceedings over failings in the probe which emerged at the inquest.

Detective Superintendent Mick Broster of SO15 was slammed by coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox over the way he handled the memory sticks and bag evidence.

The officer said he had been assured by MI6 that the items, which were found in Mr Williams’ work locker, were not relevant to the inquiry.

Sources close to Mr Williams, who was originally from Anglesey, North Wales, fear the case will never be solved and has been badly hampered by police and MI6 failures.

Holyhead and Anglesey Mail : Progress made in MI6 spy death case

Progress made in MI6 spy death case

September 19, 2012

POLICE investigating the death of a spy whose body was found in a holdall are in direct contact with the head of MI6, a senior officer has said.

There is a “very good line of communication” with the intelligence service over Gareth Williams’ mysterious death but the investigation remains “tricky”, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said.

The codebreaker from Valley, was found in the bag which was in the bath at his flat in central London in August 2010, and no significant progress has been made in finding out how he died.

Earlier this year Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe ordered that detectives investigating his death must have direct contact with MI6.

Previously investigators were forced to involve counter-terror colleagues in an attempt to obtain statements and evidence but Mr Hogan-Howe was angered by delays in passing information to a senior investigator.

Mr Rowley said: “We’ve got access to everyone we need to speak to. We’ve got a much clearer arrangement and got a direct line of sight and communications. I can speak personally direct to the head of Six, so we’ve got a very good line of communications. But it remains a tricky case.

“On the one hand, of course you need to respect national security and on the other hand, of course you need to do a penetrating and thorough investigation.

“Squaring that circle is a challenge and what we’ve learned is that the way we tried to square that circle in the first stage of the investigation was not quite right.”

In May coroner Fiona Wilcox said that 31-year-old Williams was “probably” killed and she was sure someone else locked him in the bag. But she said it is “unlikely” that the mystery would ever be solved because of mistakes by investigators.

She also questioned why details of Mr Williams’s private life were leaked to the press.

Mr Rowley said: “Williams is a challenging guy to understand, his personal life and his circumstances, his history. We’ve got to try and understand what was going on and what led to such an unusual and suspicious death. But we’ve got full co-operation.

“People can come to their own conclusions without knowing all the evidence about exactly how the bag was secured. We’re still working on the basis that we expect there was somebody else was present.”

This Is Somerset : MI6 opens up to police for inquiry into spy's mystery death

MI6 opens up to police for inquiry into spy's mystery death

Western Daily Press | September 14, 2012

Police investigating the death of a spy whose body was found in a holdall are in direct contact with the head of MI6, a senior officer has said.

There is a "very good line of communication" with the intelligence service over Cheltenham-based Gareth Williams' mysterious death but the investigation remains "tricky", Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said.

The codebreaker was found naked in the bag in the bath at his flat in central London in August 2010, and no significant progress has been made in finding out how he died, but Mr Rowley said police are still "working on the basis that we expect there was somebody else present".

Earlier this year, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe ordered that detectives must have direct contact with MI6.

Investigators were previously forced to involve counter-terror colleagues in an attempt to obtain statements and evidence but Mr Hogan-Howe was angered by delays.

Mr Rowley said: "On the one hand, of course you need to respect national security and on the other hand, you need to do a thorough investigation.

"Squaring that circle is a challenge and what we've learned is that the way we tried to square that circle in the first stage of the investigation was not quite right."

In May, coroner Fiona Wilcox said that 31-year-old Williams was "probably" killed and that she was sure someone else locked him in the bag.

But she said it is "unlikely" that the mystery would ever be solved because of mistakes by investigators.

Dr Wilcox said several factors hampered inquiries, such as breakdowns in communication by her own coroner's office, a DNA mix-up by forensics and the late submission of evidence by MI6 to police.

She also questioned why details of Mr Williams's private life were leaked to the press. It was suggested he had an interest in bondage and drag queens.

Mr Rowley said the fitness enthusiast, originally from Anglesey, North Wales, was difficult to understand.

"Williams is a challenging guy to understand, his personal life and his circumstances, his history," he said.

"People can come to their own conclusions."

UKPA : Spy death police 'working with MI6'

Spy death police 'working with MI6'

September 13, 2012

Police investigating the death of a spy whose body was found in a holdall in central London are in direct contact with the head of MI6, a senior officer has said.

There is a "very good line of communication" with the intelligence service over Gareth Williams's mysterious death but the investigation remains "tricky", Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said.

The codebreaker was found naked in the bag which was in the bath at his flat in August 2010, and no significant progress has been made in finding out how he died.

Earlier this year Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe ordered that detectives investigating his death must have direct contact with MI6.

Previously investigators were forced to involve counter-terror colleagues in an attempt to obtain statements and evidence but Mr Hogan-Howe was angered by delays in passing information to a senior investigator.

Mr Rowley said: "We've got access to everyone we need to speak to. We've got a much clearer arrangement and got a direct line of sight and communications. I can speak personally direct to the head of Six, so we've got a very good line of communications. But it remains a tricky case.

"On the one hand, of course you need to respect national security and on the other hand, of course you need to do a penetrating and thorough investigation.

"Squaring that circle is a challenge and what we've learned is that the way we tried to square that circle in the first stage of the investigation was not quite right."

In May coroner Fiona Wilcox said that 31-year-old Williams was "probably" killed and that she was sure someone else locked him in the bag. But she said it is "unlikely" that the mystery would ever be solved because of mistakes by investigators.

Dr Wilcox said several factors hampered inquiries, such as breakdowns in communication by her own coroner's office, a DNA mix-up by forensics and the late submission of evidence by MI6 to police.

Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

BBC : MI6 co-operates with police over Gareth Williams death

MI6 co-operates with police over Gareth Williams death

September 13, 2012

Police investigating the death of the MI6 officer Gareth Williams say they are in direct contact with senior staff at the intelligence agency.

The code-breaker from Anglesey, who was 31, was found locked in a sports holdall at his central London flat in August 2010.

One Scotland Yard officer described the unsolved case as "tricky".

In May this year a coroner recorded a narrative verdict, saying it was likely that Mr Williams was killed unlawfully.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said MI6 was providing detectives with information.

National security

"We've got access to everyone we need to speak to," he said. "I can speak... direct to the head of Six, so we've got a very good line of communications. But it remains a tricky case.

"On the one hand, of course you need to respect national security and on the other hand, of course you need to do a penetrating and thorough investigation.

"Squaring that circle is a challenge, and what we've learned is that the way we tried to square that circle in the first stage of the investigation was not quite right."

The naked body of Mr Williams was found in the bag in the bath of his home in Pimlico.

By the time police were alerted to his disappearance, he had not been at work for a week and there was extensive decomposition of his body.

At the inquest the coroner, Fiona Wilcox, said: "Most of the fundamental questions in relation to how Gareth died remain unanswered," including how the bag and body came to be in the bath.

'Challenging guy'

After the verdict, the Metropolitan Police said they intended to re-focus their efforts, based on the evidence heard and the new lines of inquiry that had emerged during the hearing.

Officers said they intended to develop DNA profiles they already possessed, and analyse telephone communications, to try to shed light on Mr Williams's final days.

Assistant Commissioner Rowley said: "Williams is a challenging guy to understand, his personal life and his circumstances, his history.

"People can come to their own conclusions without knowing all the evidence about exactly how the bag was secured. We're still working on the basis that we expect there was somebody else present."

Wales Online : Police "working with MI6" over Gareth Williams spy death investigation

Police "working with MI6" over Gareth Williams spy death investigation

Wales Online | September 13, 2012

Police investigating the death of a spy whose body was found in a holdall are in direct contact with the head of MI6, a senior officer has said.

There is a “very good line of communication” with the intelligence service over Gareth Williams’ mysterious death but the investigation remains “tricky”, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said.

The Welsh codebreaker was found naked in the bag which was in the bath at his flat in central London in August 2010, and no significant progress has been made in finding out how he died.

Earlier this year Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe ordered that detectives investigating his death must have direct contact with MI6.

Previously investigators were forced to involve counter-terror colleagues in an attempt to obtain statements and evidence but Mr Hogan-Howe was angered by delays in passing information to a senior investigator.

Mr Rowley said: “We’ve got access to everyone we need to speak to. We’ve got a much clearer arrangement and got a direct line of sight and communications. I can speak personally direct to the head of Six, so we’ve got a very good line of communications. But it remains a tricky case.

“On the one hand, of course you need to respect national security and on the other hand, of course you need to do a penetrating and thorough investigation.

“Squaring that circle is a challenge and what we’ve learned is that the way we tried to square that circle in the first stage of the investigation was not quite right.”

In May coroner Fiona Wilcox said that 31-year-old Williams was “probably” killed and that she was sure someone else locked him in the bag. But she said it is “unlikely” that the mystery would ever be solved because of mistakes by investigators.

Dr Wilcox said several factors hampered inquiries, such as breakdowns in communication by her own coroner’s office, a DNA mix-up by forensics and the late submission of evidence by MI6 to police.

She also questioned why details of Mr Williams’s private life were leaked to the press. It was suggested he had an interest in bondage and drag queens.

Mr Rowley said the fitness enthusiast, originally from Anglesey, was difficult to understand.

“Williams is a challenging guy to understand, his personal life and his circumstances, his history. We’ve got to try and understand what was going on and what led to such an unusual and suspicious death. But we’ve got full co-operation,” he said.

“People can come to their own conclusions without knowing all the evidence about exactly how the bag was secured. We’re still working on the basis that we expect there was somebody else was present.”

Isle Of Man dot com : Leading barrister to lecture on-Island next month

Leading barrister to lecture on-Island next month  

September 11, 2012

A unique insight into the workings of a coroner's court will be offered by a London barrister at a lecture organised by the Isle of Man Law Society next month.

 As coroner of Westminster, Dr Fiona Wilcox recently presided over the Gareth Williams 'spy in the bag' case.

 He was the M16 agent whose body was discovered in a holdall at his London flat in August 2010.

Dr Wilcox has Manx connections, is dual-qualified as a barrister and a doctor, and worked at the old Noble's Hospital before her career took her to the UK.

Jane O'Rourke is chief executive at the Law Society.

She says the lecture from an eminent coroner handling high-profile cases will have wide appeal to the public:

the lecture is on October 5 at the Claremont Hotel in Douglas.

Isle of Man Today : Body in bag coroner

Body in bag coroner

August 20, 2012

Dr Fiona Wilcox is to give this year’s Caroline Weatherill memorial lecture.

The distinguished Westminster coroner, whose court handles a high concentration of cases, often challenging and high profile, presided over the Gareth Williams ‘MI6 spy-in-a bag’ case earlier this year.

Dr Wilcox is dual qualified as a barrister and doctor and at one time was a house doctor at the former Noble’s Hospital in Westmoreland Road, Douglas.

The topic of her lecture will be the workings of the coroner’s court and the impact on families involved.

She will address the issue of how lawyers must switch from an adversarial style of advocacy (which is usual in courts) to an inquisitorial mode, as the purpose of the enquiry is to establish the facts concerning a death rather than to apportion blame on any individual.

Organised by the Isle of Man Law Society and sponsored by Appleby, the lecture will take place on Friday, October 5, at 6pm at the Claremont Hotel, Douglas, to be followed by a question and answer session and a short reception.

The annual lecture was established in 2007 in memory of Caroline Weatherill, an advocate with Dickinson Cruickshank who tragically died at an early age in 2006, leaving husband Lawrence, a practising advocate, and four children.

In addition to invited guests, members of the public are welcome to attend. Admission is free, places are limited and bookings must be made by no later than Monday September 24. To reserve a place telephone the Isle of Man Law Society, 662901 or email Lisa Cushnie, lc@iomlawsociety.co.im

This is Gloucestershire : GCHQ overhauls staff procedures after death of Gareth Williams

GCHQ overhauls staff procedures after death of Gareth Williams

July 16, 2012

GCHQ has overhauled its staff procedures following the death of spy Gareth Williams whose body was found locked in a holdall.

The coroner was critical of management failures at MI6 – to which the 31-year-old code-breaker was seconded at the time – that led to a week-long delay before action was taken over his failure to turn up for work.

This has been branded "extraordinary" by an influential committee of MPs and peers, which oversees the work of the intelligence services, given spies are "inevitably at risk due to the nature of the work they are involved in".

The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said: "There is no doubt that determining the cause of death was made more complex by the unnecessary delays in reporting Mr Williams' unexplained absence from work."

The Secret Intelligence Service had apologised for this.

They dedicated a chapter of its annual report into the case of Mr Williams, whose decomposing body was found in the bath of his top-floor flat in Pimlico, London, on August 23 2010. He was curled up in a large holdall, sealed with a padlock. The discovery sparked a painstaking investigation, worldwide media frenzy and several conspiracy theories.

An inquest into his death ruled Mr Williams was "on the balance of probabilities" unlawfully killed.

The committee noted that both MI6 and the Cheltenham intelligence base had reviewed their absence reporting arrangements, including for staff on secondment.

But it concluded: "We consider that the agencies must exercise a far greater duty of care in relation to their employees than other organisations, owing to the nature of the work they are involved in."

The committee also referred to the extensive media coverage given to Mr Williams' death, much of which contained allegations over his personal life.

As well as being "deeply distressing" for his family, the committee also said: "This speculation has also made understanding any implications of Mr Williams' death for the agencies more difficult."

They also revealed it had been a source of real annoyance to GCHQ director Iain Lobban, who told the committee he found the media coverage "deeply frustrating and irritating… I am frustrated by the fact that getting a single truth about activities he may or may not have been involved in… is quite difficult".

The report also showed that security vetting by GCHQ had consistently given Mr Williams a "very low" risk assessment.

GCHQ did not wish to comment further.

Notes From The Borderland : Gareth Williams Timeline

TIMELINE/THE KNOWN FACTS [scroll down]

By Larry O'Hara | June 26, 2012

Some facts below are contested, and others will in time become so. Nonetheless, a basic outline is essential for serious analysis.

2010

March/April: Williams reportedly told both MI6 and GCHQ that he was being followed by two (white) men in their 40s, but was apparently not believed .

May: 'unconfirmed' (and disputed) sighting of Williams at Bar-Code gay bar, Vauxhall (near MI6 HQ)

June-July: Williams has dealings with two couples, who may (or may not) be one and the same

Couple 1, of Caucasian appearance, had brief words with him between four and six times a week in the Patisserie Valerie coffee-shop & similar locations near Holland Park Tube Station .

Couple 2, of Mediterranean appearance, visited his home on one occasion at least, and did not use the intercom system to gain entry to the flat itself: perhaps indicating they had a key .

11th August: returns from a holiday in the USA using Washington's Foster Dulles airport, reportedly spoke to his sister Ceri on the phone the same day . Also visited Patisserie Valerie .

13th August: went & returned alone from watching drag cabaret artiste Jimmy Woo at the Bistrotheque gay club Bethnal Green East London .

14th August: CCTV captures him entering Holland Park Station, wearing cream trousers, red shirt & carrying a white plastic bag at 2.59pm. According to Sian Lloyd-Jones, he rang her that day, and this is the last time she actually spoke to him .

15th August: images show him shopping at Harrods and nearby in Brompton Road SW7, at 2.30pm. Wearing the same clothes--giving the impression he may have stayed out overnight .

18th August: in one account attributed to Ceri, the last day he was known to be alive--they spoke by phone . Another version says, rather, she tried but was unable to contact him. To complicate matters further, it has been reported that Williams failed to attend a meeting at MI6 that day . If both things (contact with his sister/failing to attend Vauxhall Cross) are true, a day of great significance.

23rd August: c.4.40pm, Williams’ body found by two police officers, in the predominant account alerted by MI6 about non-attendance at work that day. The lesser known version is that Ceri alerting the police (and also MI6) led to them visiting. According to Lloyd-Jones, Ceri called her at 11am that day, worried she had got no answer from Gareth over the weekend . Both versions can be reconciled, but it is nonetheless still unclear as to whether the initiative to formally act on Williams missing came from MI6 themselves or they were prompted by Ceri. As will be seen later such 'cognitive dissonance' is of great importance in this case. Thus began the ongoing police investigation ‘Operation Finlayson’.

24th August: Welsh police call at the home of Gareth Williams' parents (who were on holiday) to inform them .

25th August: first inconclusive post mortem carried out by Dr Ben Swift .

26th August: family formally identify mortal remains .

1st September: inquest opened & adjourned

3rd September: the date on which Williams had been due to return to GCHQ (& possible promotion)

6th September: Met Police release selected CCTV images of Williams' movements, and appeal for a mysterious "Mediterranean couple" to come forward.

8th September: inquest re-opened, and then re-adjourned, pending further autopsy (a second had been performed by this time) and information.

26th September: memorial service held at Bethel chapel in Holyhead, attended by family members and Sir John Sawers (MI6 Chief)

28th October: third and to date final post-mortem, by Dr Dick Shepherd, again inconclusive as to cause of death. Police repeat appeal for information on the elusive 'Mediterranean couple'

29th October: start of a slew of stories linking Williams' death to claustrophilia/bondage/sado-masochism in the media.

22nd December: Met Police release highly distinctive e-fits of the elusive 'Mediterranean couple' and publicise Williams' visit to a gay club, browsing bondage web sites & so forth. Police admit he could not have climbed into the bag and locked it without help, and assert that he was therefore not alone in the flat.

26th December: interview given by Sian Lloyd-Jones to the Mail on Sunday puts the cat among the media/spook pigeons.

2011

15th February: coroner Paul Knapman re-opens & adjourns the inquest, delayed again for further toxicological tests.

31st March: the date Knapman gave for a resumption of proceedings, came & went. As did he--retired, replaced by the experienced Dr Fiona Wilcox, who took up her new post before noon on April 1st.

5th April: exemplary 'Week in Week Out' documentary on the Williams case screened in Wales, greeted with deafening silence elsewhere.

25th June/13th August: Daily Mail claim inquest will resume in September (it didn’t)

23rd August Met Police tell BBC Wales this is “still an active investigation”

2012

30th March: pre-inquest review begins, full inquest scheduled to follow three weeks later. Series of claims made by family (they suspect murder by practitioners of ‘dark arts’) and police: the Mediterranean couple no longer important, one DNA trace on body now stated to be from a forensic scientist involved in the investigation.

23rd April: inquest resumes [fuller chronology to follow].

1st May: Fiona Wilcox tells Detective Superintendent Michael Broster he was biased towards MI6, due to keeping evidence from Sebire.

2nd May: Dr Wilcox delivers a narrative verdict stating this was an “unnatural death…mediated by criminality”, and that on the balance of probability Gareth was “unlawfully killed”. Very brave, in the circumstances. Sebire, meanwhile, is “actively pursuing new leads”.

Notes From The Borderland : GARETH WILLIAMS: MURDERED TWICE? (part 1, excerpt)

GARETH WILLIAMS: MURDERED TWICE? (Part 1 of 2)

[Editor's Note: Here is the beginning of a long and very interesting article by Larry O'Hara, from the magazine Notes From The Borderland. Some of the research discussed in the article is supported by video clips available here. A timeline published along with this excerpt is also available here. If you wish to read the rest of the article, contact NFB and buy a copy of the magazine -- or subscribe!]

Larry O'Hara | June 26, 2012

On 23/8/10 the naked body of Gareth Williams, a 31 year-old Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) worker, seconded from Cheltenham to MI6 was found, inside a holdall placed in a bath at his home. The door of flat 4 36 Alderney Street Pimlico was locked from the outside, and despite three post-mortems and police appeals for help, exactly how and why he died remains unclear. On current evidence, and in the view of the coroner, it was almost certainly murder--and Williams’ reputation has certainly taken a hit, with an abundance of lurid and fantastical stories about his life and death still swirling in the media ether. Hence the title: murdered in reality and memory. NFB has taken a keen interest from the start.

At time of writing the inquest has just concluded, coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox declaring that “on the balance of probability Gareth was unlawfully killed“. The inquest itself was startling, not least because new facts came out that even DCI Sebire, in charge of the investigation, had not known earlier. Six aspects are covered in this first article, which chronologically focusses on what happened before the inquest.

(1) Who was Gareth Williams? How important was his work for GCHQ & MI6?

(2) What are the broadly accepted facts of both denouement and resultant investigation? A time-line is useful: as is discernment. In that regard some contested but relevant snippets are included.

(3) Scanning the extensive news coverage, in light of NFB’s basic paradigm of the media as a battleground on which vicious inter-agency turf wars take place. The principal conflict here is the Metropolitan Police (Homicide Squad) versus MI6. I sketch out the phases (to date) in this 'disinformation war'.

(4) Supplementing the previous point, an exploration, via output analysis, of the journalistic spook outriders reporting events, providing dates & references. With the exception of Times/Sunday Times/News of the World journalists whose oeuvre is only available in hard copy or by 'pay to view', most articles specified can be obtained on two excellent sites. The first is devoted specifically to the Gareth Williams case: http://tswktm.blogspot.com. The second has most relevant items (if you search) plus other articles by featured journalists placing their work in context--http://journalisted.com/. As it happens, the sheer profusion of journalistic output has precipitated me to refine and further codify the various types of SPIJ (State-compromised Pseudo-Investigative Journalism). That research will be placed on the NFB web-site in due course.

(5) Having (hopefully) put 'official conspiracy theorists' to the sword, I look at unofficial conspiracy theorists, just as pernicious in spreading disinformation, and at times equally ludicrous.

(6) Some journalists have acquitted themselves honourably, and other commentators raised useful points: all are analysed and given due credit.

Part Two, in NFB11, will cover:

(6) The inquest. In particular we will look at what contradicts and illuminates the earlier narrative. Not just media stories, but inter-agency friction, especially the role of SO15 (anti-terrorist squad) as a lightning rod protecting MI6.

(7) Reasoned conjecture as to the possible involvement of domestic and overseas secret state agencies.

(8) A reprise/summary of suspicious aspects to this case: disinformation peddled, facts/lines of inquiry glossed over, agendas pursued. Sifting should highlight the questions to be answered, and who exactly needs to answer them. This will hopefully help his family and other interested parties achieve ‘closure’.

WHY GARETH WILLIAMS IS IMPORTANT

Detailed biographical speculation need not concern us , but a few points. Welsh in origin, hailing from the lovely island of Anglesey, Gareth was somewhat solitary, his main hobby cycling to a high level of proficiency. A mathematical genius who obtained a PhD at a young age, but 'kept himself to himself'. Regarding this consensus view, two comments.

First, his family would not realistically know all details of his intimate personal life--especially as he had lived away from home for many years.

Second, the image of Gareth as a 'loner' has been propagated by MI6, the very body that prevented homicide police talking directly to actual friends (within SIS/GCHQ) who might have a different story to tell.

Fragments of his career, most uncontested, have emerged, and given the lack of dispute (one source aside, it seems reasonable to put them together chronologically, pending further illumination. Recruited at Manchester University in 2000 he joined GCHQ Cheltenham (the British state's listening/surveillance centre) in 2001. Rather less glamorous than MI6 or MI5, GCHQ is nonetheless indispensable to the UK's intelligence apparatus. Integrally linked with, and subordinate to, the USA's National Security Agency (NSA) , this nexus has done GCHQ no harm since 9/11, as perceived CIA failures at that time led the Bush White House to favour the NSA over the CIA. Williams first assignment of note was a trip to Bulgaria, on behalf of MI5. In 2003 he supposedly spent 6 months at the Menwith Hill listening centre, Yorkshire . In 2006 he worked at Fort Meade Texas, home base of the US 'National Security Agency' (NSA), their GCHQ equivalent, and reportedly visited frequently, up to four times a year, in three to four week stints . It has been suggested that Williams first rose to internal prominence helping monitor/foil the August 2006 'Liquid Bomb Plot'.

He seems to have been an outstanding code-breaker, helping to monitor Taliban communications in Afghanistan (two trips to Kabul claimed) and 'serious crime' suspects at home . A clue to his Afghan role can be gleaned from a 2008 story about the Taliban using Skype calls (rather than land-lines/traditional mobiles) to evade MI6 detection. Apparently, the "British and American governments are investing considerable resources to crack the codes" --Williams was most likely one. Al Qaeda and their allies were not just tackled overseas--he played some part in a recent operation whereby three aeroplanes fitted with listening devices swept over a city the size of Bradford to hoover up all mobile phone conversations for analysis . The Bradford reference is no accident, given its ethnic composition. It has also been claimed that Williams' took part in a "secret eavesdropping mission in Afghanistan...just weeks before his mystery death", using his skill at voice analysis to identity Pakistani-born Briton Abdul Jabbar & Ahmed Sidiqi, both involved in (alleged) recent plots to carry out mass atrocities in Europe . Whether he flew to Afghanistan from the US or UK is not stated. That might be because he visited as part of a ten-strong joint GCHQ/NSA team, according to one report.

There is no doubting the high priority work Williams probably undertook--cyber-terrorism & 'terrorism' per se are among the British state's declared highest (Tier 1) security priorities . Since his death, the importance of such work has been reiterated time and again. While such matters are usually reported in the media as the UK/West generally 'defending' itself against external cyber-threats, the reality is more complex, and the top-secret US Presidential Directive 16 of July 2002 explicitly authorises pre-emptive cyber-war against foreign enemies, something Williams would be aware of, perhaps involved in . There is an undoubted overlap between cyber-crime & more traditional illegal enterprises, and defence against Turkish Chinese & Russian organised crime was reportedly something Williams was involved in.. Of these, the Russian is the one most talked about in UK security circles. Although Williams was fast approaching the end of his MI6 secondment, on return to GCHQ he was to head up (or at least play a part in) the new 'Cyber-Security Operations Centre', continuing his work shoring up the City of London cyber-defences . It has been strongly suggested by a ‘security source’ (MI6) that Williams was “working on secret technology to target Russian criminal gangs who launder stolen money through Britain”

How vital an asset Williams was is difficult to assess without knowing how many others were involved--but he certainly had the signs of a technical high flier. Was he, however, operational in the sense of meeting/running field agents, or undertaking missions involving the assumption of fake identities & so forth, moving into James Bond territory? No hint of such has been disclosed by official sources, even though possessing at least four mobile phones is suggestive. Though certainly not conclusive: in drugs trials for instance only 10 phones or more are routinely interpreted as legally significant. An unofficial source, his friend Sian Lloyd-Jones, spoke of him having fake passports and learning new identities while visiting her London flat in January 2010 . Also, a ‘security source’ told two Guardian reporters Williams visited West London for work “monitoring foreign embassies”This contention aside, we can say Williams possessed arcane up-to-date knowledge, that would have been prized by many, whatever 'side' they might be on. There is no reason to dissent from Sir John Sawers, MI6 chief, describing Williams as "hugely talented...he did really valuable work with us in the cause of national security" .

Williams' death is luridly fascinating for the following reasons.

First, it is rare (excluding Northern Ireland) for a British spook (as opposed to asset/sub-contractor) to be killed on home soil--hence the shock.

Second, the multiple state agencies involved: MI6, GCHQ, Met Police & of course, MI5 and overseas services with an interest (the CIA/NSA for starters) make this a complex case.

Third, the mendacity of some 'journo-cops' covering this story is a salutary reminder of the parlous state of 'investigative journalism'. Additionally, the episode affords a chance to elaborate, and codify, NFB’s concept of 'SPIJ' (State Compromised Pseudo-Investigative Journalism), by analysing the different types of journalist-spook relationship.

Finally, the enigma of how he died: a riddle worthy of Sherlock Holmes (or Houdini) inevitably fascinates, not least because of the claustrophobic horror it evokes. Inasmuch as the flat was locked from outside, and stories he climbed into the bag freely outlandish, a true conundrum. The official police position pre-inquest, of a "suspicious and unexplained death" was oxymoronic and ludicrous.

West End Extra : Westminster paid for inquest into death of MI6 agent Gareth Williams without funding help from government

Westminster paid for inquest into death of MI6 agent Gareth Williams without funding help from government

May 25, 2012

WESTMINSTER City Council got no financial help from the government to cover the cost of the Gareth Williams inquest, thought to have cost many thousands of pounds, City Hall confirmed this week.

It said it footed the bill for the inquest into the death of the Pimlico-based MI6 agent, which concluded earlier this month.

ITV : Spy debate continues

Spy debate continues

May 24, 2012

An expert who tried to lock himself inside a bag, during the inquest into the death of an MI6 spy, has dismissed claims that Gareth Williams could have died alone.

It follows claims today by pathologist Dr Richard Shephard that there was 'credible evidence' which police should investigate that it could be done. Peter Faulding told ITV Wales that the only way he could have locked himself inside would have left DNA evidence on the bath, and none was found.

BBC : 'Credible evidence' MI6 spy died alone, says pathologist

'Credible evidence' MI6 spy died alone, says pathologist

[podcast]

By Philip Kemp | Radio 4's The Report | May 24, 2012

A leading pathologist says the possibility MI6 officer Gareth Williams died alone should be re-examined.

Dr Richard Shepherd told the BBC there is "credible evidence" that bags identical to the one Mr Williams was found in can be locked by someone inside the bag.

Expert witnesses at the inquest into Mr Williams' death failed to do so despite making hundreds of attempts.

However, evidence has since been published claiming it can be done.

Dr Shepherd, who conducted one of the post-mortem examinations of Gareth Williams, has previously worked on other high profile cases including the deaths of Princess Diana and the government scientist David Kelly.

He says the police should now re-examine the possibility Mr Williams died alone as part of their on-going investigations.

Speaking to Radio 4's The Report, he said: "Now that we have credible evidence that it is possible to lock the bag from the inside, whilst it doesn't rule out homicide, clearly the chances of this as a solitary sexual act have to be considered in any future investigation by the Metropolitan Police."

The Metropolitan Police said the circumstances of Gareth Williams' death continue to be the subject of a thorough investigation.

Mr Williams was found dead, locked in a bag located in a bath tub in his London flat in 2010. One key question before the inquest into his death was whether he had locked himself in the bag.

At the pre-inquest hearing, coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox said the question was central to her inquiries.

Confined space expert Peter Faulding told the inquest that while he could not rule out that it was possible, "even Houdini would have struggled with this one".

A second expert, William MacKay said he and an assistant had also failed despite making more than a hundred attempts.

Their evidence helped the coroner Dr Wilcox earlier this month come to the conclusion that Mr Williams was probably unlawfully killed.

New evidence emerges

However, journalist Claire Hayhurst claims she managed to lock herself in a similar bag after just five attempts under the guidance of a former soldier, Jim Featherstonhaugh, who claims to have figured out a technique.

"The trickiest part was getting the lock together which is the biggest riddle of it. I spent maybe two-and-a-half hours getting in and out, filming it, and most of that time was spent with me outside the bag desperately drinking water and trying to recover," she told the BBC.

"I'm not super-fit but I've been told I've got a similar build to Gareth.

"I'd agree that someone of exactly the same proportions would be a fairer comparison but I do think me doing it shows that it's certainly possible."

Claire Hayhurst stresses she worked under the supervision of safety experts and says any attempt to recreate the experiment would be highly dangerous.

Confined space expert Peter Faulding told The Report he stood by the evidence he gave to the inquest.

"None of my conclusions were wrong - a young girl zipping a bag doesn't discredit this inquiry whatsoever," he said.

"We were fully aware of other methods of being able to lock the bag but she or nobody could achieve it without leaving her DNA on the bath - and that's the key to this," he added.

It has also been pointed out that Claire Hayhurst did not lock the bag in exactly the same way as the holdall found in Gareth Williams' flat.

At the inquest into his death, Dr Fiona Wilcox said she was satisfied that a third party had been involved in moving the bag containing the MI6 officer into the bathroom of his flat.

Telegraph : Police should still be open to possibility spy in bag died alone, says pathologist

Police should still be open to possibility spy in bag died alone, says pathologist

Police should not rule out the possibility that MI6 spy Gareth Williams locked himself in the sports bag he was found dead in, a pathologist involved in the case has said.

By Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | May 24, 2012

Earlier this month, a coroner concluded Mr Williams was probably “unlawfully killed” after his decomposing naked body was discovered in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat.

Part of the conclusion was based on evidence from confined spaces experts who tried, and failed, more than 400 times to lock themselves in a similar bag.

But shortly after the inquest, journalist Claire Hayhurst showed it was possible in a video.

Dr Richard Shepherd, a pathologist who carried out one of three post mortem examinations on Mr Williams, said that suggest “compelling evidence” that it might have been possible for him to do it as well.

The Metropolitan Police are still investigating the death and Dr Shepherd urged them not to rule out such a scenario.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's The Report programme, the pathologist said: "Now that we have credible evidence that it is possible to lock the bag from the inside, whilst it doesn't rule out homicide, clearly the chances of this as a solitary sexual act have to be considered in any future investigation by the Metropolitan Police."

However, Peter Faulding, one of the experts who tried to lock himself in the bag, said he stood by his evidence to the inquest, when he said even Harry Houdini would have struggled.

Difference also remain between Miss Hayhurst’s attempt and the condition of the bag Mr Williams was found in.

The zip was padlocked in a different way and the inquest was told there was no DNA traces around the bottom of the bath, which experts said would have been there if he had climbed in himself, naked.

Wales Online : M16 officer Gareth Williams' death 'fits with sexual asphyxiation', says inquest pathologist

M16 officer Gareth Williams' death 'fits with sexual asphyxiation', says inquest pathologist

By Julia McWatt, WalesOnline | May 24, 2012

A PATHOLOGIST in the inquest of MI6 officer Gareth Williams has said the case should be re-examined if claims by two individuals that they could shut themselves inside the sports holdall that Mr Williams’ body was found in turn out to be true.

A 16-year-old girl whose father Jim Fetherstonhaugh – a retired sergeant in the Royal Artillery – developed a method of zipping up the identical North Face bag from the inside, and journalist Claire Hayhurst who used Mr Fetherstonhaugh’s method, both said they were successful in their attempts to shut themselves in the bag.

The naked body of Mr Williams, 31, from Anglesey, was discovered padlocked inside the holdall in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, London, on August 23, 2010.

Dr Richard Shepherd, who gave evidence at the inquest last month, told BBC Radio 4: “I think it brings once again to the fore the possibility that this was a solitary act by Gareth. From my point of view, as I look across the deaths associated with sexual asphyxiation, this is one that fits quite neatly into that group of practice, bizarre though it is.

“Certainly, I think this is a significant bit of evidence, which, if shown to be correct does need to be brought again into consideration."

Experts had told Mr Williams' inquest how they had tried unsuccessfully to lock themselves in the bag up to 300 times.

But Mr Fetherstonhaugh adopted a method by which a holdall can be zipped up and locked from the inside without assistance. It is said to be the reverse of a trick used by airport thieves to steal from locked bags, that are flexible with sides that can be pinched together.

His daughter Izzy, 16, who at 5ft 3ins was 3ins shorter than Mr Williams, fitted inside the bag.

He told swns.com: "She is 5ft 5 and he was 5ft 8 but when you're in the foetal position inside that height doesn't make much difference.

"She had a bit of a struggle pulling the bag but she wouldn'y have been as strong as him. I could easily see that he would be able to do it.

"She did it on the floor and it would have been much easier for him in the bath because he could put pressure on the sides to manoeuvre himself in.

"Once you show people how you do it, their jaws drop."

Ms Hayhurst, a reporter for swns.com, who is 5ft 4in tall and of a slight build similar to Mr Williams tested the method, and was eventually able to do it in less than three minutes.

The coroner had concluded Mr Williams' death was "unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated".

Telegraph : MI6 spy Gareth Williams may have locked himself in bag, pathologist suggests

MI6 spy Gareth Williams may have locked himself in bag, pathologist suggests

MI6 spy Gareth Williams may have locked himself in the sports holdall in which he was found dead in his flat, a pathologist who examined his body has suggested.

By Murray Wardrop | May 24, 2012

Dr Richard Shepherd said the theory that the 31-year-old died after locking himself inside the bag should be re-examined after an Army veteran and a journalist appeared to demonstrate it is possible.

The question was central to the inquest into his death. However, coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox concluded that on the "balance of probabilities" Mr Williams was unlawfully killed by a mysterious third party after experts claimed even world-famous escapologist Harry Houdini "would have struggled" to squeeze himself into the North Face holdall.

Earlier this month, Jim Fetherstonhaugh, a retired sergeant in the Royal Artillery, and journalist Claire Hayhurst carried out experiments which appeared to show Mr Williams could have acted alone.

Dr Shepherd described their successful attempts to carry out the same feat as “significant” and said he had always believed that Mr Williams’s death may have occurred during a bizarre game.

The pathologist, who carried out a third post mortem examination of the spy’s body, said: “I think it brings once again to the fore the possibility that this was a solitary act by Gareth.

“From my point of view as I look across the deaths associated with sexual asphyxias this is one that fits quite neatly within that group of practice, bizarre though it is.

“Certainly, I think this is a significant bit of evidence, which, if shown to be correct does need to be brought again into consideration.”

Mr Williams, a maths prodigy, was on secondment to MI6 from GCHQ when his body was found in August 2010. His badly decomposed remains were nside the bag which was placed in the bath at his flat in Pimlico, west London.

The inquest heard that two experts had tried in vain more than 400 times to lock themselves inside an identical holdall

Peter Faulding, a former Parachute Regiment reservist and expert in confined rescues, said he tried 300 times to lock himself inside the 81cm by 48 cm holdall but failed every time.

He told the inquest: “I can't say it was impossible but I think I even Houdini would struggle with that one. My personal belief is that it could not be done."

William MacKay and a colleague tried and failed 100 times but said he could not rule out that a genius might have managed it.

But Mr Fetherstonhaugh, 49, discovered a method by which a holdall can be zipped up and locked from the inside without assistance.

He got his 16-year-old daughter and a 23-year-old female journalist to test the theory and found both managed to lock themselves inside a bag ths same as that in which Mr Williams's body was found.

However, Mr Faulding today dismissed the claims, telling the BBC: “None of my conclusions are wrong. A young girl zipping a bag doesn’t discredit this inquiry whatsoever.

“We were fully aware of other methods of being able to lock the bag but she or nobody could achieve it without leaving her DNA or trace on the bath and that’s the key to this.”

Mr Fetherstonhaugh's technique is the reverse of a well-known trick used by airport thieves to steal from locked bags, as long as they are flexible and the sides can be pinched together.

His daughter Izzy, who at 5ft 5ins was 3ins shorter than Mr Williams, easily fitted inside the bag in the foetal position before partially closing it.

She drew her legs up to her body and was able to draw the two zip pulls together while leaving a gap for her hands to protrude through and close the padlock.

She then tensed her body and the zip simply sealed itself leaving her successfully shut inside the bag holding the key to the padlock.

But crucially, the procedure is said to be much easier in a bath where the occupant of the bag can push against the sides for assistance.

Mr Fetherstonhaugh, of Shrewton, Wilts, said of Mr Faulding’s attempts: "The man on TV tried it 300 times and I was amazed he couldn't do it.

"I've told my friends and show them and their jaws drops - it is so obvious, maybe people are thinking too much into it.”

To test his technique Claire Hayhurst, a reporter for South West News, who is 5' 4" tall and of slight build similar to Mr Williams, zipped herself into the bag without assistance.

She repeated the task a number of times on video and was eventually able to do it in less than three minutes.

Gulf News : ‘I lost my youth in prison because of police blunder'

‘I lost my youth in prison because of police blunder'

Sam Hallam released after eight years in jail

Daily Mail, May 21, 2012

London: A shocking picture of the police blunders that caused a London teenager to spend nearly eight years wrongfully imprisoned for murder was revealed on Saturday for the first time.

Sam Hallam, just 17 at the time of his arrest in 2004, was freed on Wednesday by the Court of Appeal after it heard fresh evidence which demolished every aspect of the prosecution case.

In an interview on Saturday, Hallam also revealed that the police officer in charge of his botched case, Mick Broster, was the same detective whose subsequent investigation into the mysterious death of "body in the bag" MI6 agent Gareth Williams was strongly criticised by a coroner earlier this month.

Hallam, now 24, said: "When I was first arrested, I assumed I'd be home in a day or two, because I had faith in the system, and they had no credible evidence.

"Instead I went to prison and lost my youth, all because of the mistakes and errors made by the police and the courts. "They had the evidence all along that proved I wasn't lying.

"The Met must think Mick Broster is doing something right, because they promoted him, but he's not. Although the Williams case was also really important, he just went on making mistakes. There seems to be a pattern here.

"I'm not surprised he botched the ‘body in the bag' spy case. He's the one who stole eight years of my life for a murder I couldn't have done."

Hallam was convicted on the strength of flimsy witness statements, amongst other weak evidence.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the force had nothing to add to a statement issued on Thursday, in which it expressed "regret: that Hallam had been wrongly imprisoned.

Express : DETECTIVE CRITICISED OVER TWO MAJOR CASES

DETECTIVE CRITICISED OVER TWO MAJOR CASES

By Danny Boyle and Roddy Ashworth | May 20, 2012

THE detective in charge of a botched murder case that saw a man wrongfully jailed also led the investigation into the death of MI6 agent Gareth Williams, it emerged last night.

Sam Hallam was freed last week after spending more than seven years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

Mr Hallam was 18 when he was the victim of mistaken identity following the killing of a trainee chef in a gang attack at Clerkenwell, London.

Superintendent Mick Broster(corr) was heavily criticised for his handling of Mr Hallam’s case and for the probe into Mr Williams’s mysterious death by a coroner earlier this month.

Mr Hallam, 24, told a Sunday newspaper: “He’s the one who stole my youth for a murder I couldn’t have done.

“They had the evidence all along that proved I wasn’t lying.”

Daily Mail : I'm not surprised the detective in the 'Body In The Bag' spy case botched it. He's the one who stole eight years of my life for a murder I couldn't have committed

I'm not surprised the detective in the 'Body In The Bag' spy case botched it. He's the one who stole eight years of my life for a murder I couldn't have committed

By David Rose | May 19, 2012

Sam Hallam's wrongful life sentence triggered his grief-stricken father's suicide. Finally cleared last week, he tells his deeply shocking story.

A shocking picture of the police blunders that caused a London teenager to spend nearly eight years wrongfully imprisoned for murder is revealed today for the first time.

Sam Hallam, just 17 at the time of his arrest in 2004, was freed last Wednesday by the Court of Appeal after it heard fresh evidence which demolished every aspect of the prosecution case.

In an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, Sam also revealed that the police officer in charge of his botched case, Mick Broster, was the same detective whose subsequent investigation into the mysterious death of ‘body in the bag’ MI6 agent Gareth Williams was strongly criticised by a coroner earlier this month.

Sam, now 24, said: ‘When I was first arrested, I assumed I’d be home in a day or two, because I had faith in the system, and they had no credible evidence.

‘Instead I went to prison and lost my youth, all because of the mistakes and errors made by the police and the courts.

‘They had the evidence all along that proved I wasn’t lying.

‘The Met must think Mick Broster is doing something right, because they promoted him, but he’s not. Although the Williams case was also really important, he just went on making mistakes. There seems to be a pattern here.’

‘I’m not surprised he botched the “body in the bag” spy case. He’s the one who stole eight years of my life for a murder I couldn’t have done.’

Mr Broster, who was a detective chief inspector at the time of Sam’s arrest but subsequently promoted to superintendent, was heavily criticised in a three-year probe into Sam’s case.

Because the prosecution finally gave in last week and dropped its opposition to his appeal, much of the fresh evidence unearthed in the investigation from the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) and Thames Valley Police was never disclosed in court.

But the Mail on Sunday has obtained exclusive details of the case.

‘Chaotic' inquiries didn't follow leads

We CAN reveal:

* Mr Broster and his deputy, Detective Inspector Chris Jones, did not follow national police guidelines on how to sift and record evidence. Their own case files suggest they did not read vital witness statements. Yet Mr Broster declined to be interviewed by Thames Valley Police, and failed to answer some written questions.

* According to the Thames Valley officer who led the new probe, the Met investigation was ‘chaotic’ and ‘uncontrolled’. Flimsy, unreliable evidence pointing to Sam was pursued, while other, apparently more credible suspects were eliminated, with no reason being recorded. One was a youth found with the possible murder weapon, who was later jailed for seven years for possessing a sub-machine gun and dealing crack and heroin.

* Sam could have been released last year, but had to stay in prison because the Crown Prosecution Service repeatedly insisted it intended to contest his appeal – then changed its mind halfway through the hearing last week. Yet the CPS was given all the fresh evidence last July, while prosecution barrister David Hatton advised that the CPS might have to ‘reconsider its position’ many months ago.

The delay had tragic consequences. It meant Sam was unable to visit his grandmother, Audrey, before she died of cancer in February. The Prison Service refused to let him attend her funeral.

Sam’s other grandmother, Dolly Cohen, also died since his trial, and in 2010, his father Terry took his own life, aged 56, because ‘he just couldn’t take any more’.

Sam’s mother, Wendy Cohen, said the suicide was direct result of the pressures of dealing with their son’s wrongful imprisonment.

Sam turned down offers of payment from other newspapers to talk exclusively to The Mail on Sunday, the newspaper which has championed his cause.

In his interview, Sam said he found the deaths of his father and grandmothers ‘too painful to discuss’.

A slight, shy man, he became visibly emotional when the subject came up. ‘I’m only just starting to grieve,’ he said. ‘I’m finding it very difficult. When I was walking out of the court last week, I was dazed and terrified. I was hyperventilating, and I thought my legs were going to give way.’
Case built on flimsy evidence

Sam has always insisted he was nowhere near the fight between rival gangs on October 11, 2004, in Hoxton, East London, in which Essayas Kassahun, 20, a trainee chef, was hit on the head by a sharp object. He fell into a coma and died two days later.

‘I knew some of the people on both sides, from school and just from living in the area,’ Sam said yesterday. ‘They weren’t friends, but it’s a close community: everyone knows who everyone is. But all the people who did know me said the same thing: that I wasn’t there.’

Presiding over last week’s appeal, Lady Justice Hallett pointed out that although the six other youths who stood trial for the attack all admitted they were present, only Sam ever said he was not involved at all.

There was no forensic or CCTV evidence that suggested he was lying. As for the identification evidence that did put him there, it was, the judge added, ‘flaky’, based at best on the ‘fleeting glimpses’ snatched by two witnesses, Phoebe Henville and Bilel Khelfa.

‘I only knew Phoebe by sight, but not to talk to,’ Sam said. ‘Bilel was at my school, but not in my year.’

He added that he was not even aware that the fight had happened for two days afterwards.

But his nightmare began shortly after Kassahun died on October 13, when Henville, who was with her friend Sarah Beattie, pointed to Sam in a street around the corner from his home.

He said: ‘A few minutes later I ran into them again, and one of them said to me, “Are you proud of yourself? He’s dead now.” I didn’t know what they were talking about.’

Recalling these events, Sam broke down for a moment, holding his face in his hands. ‘I’m sorry’ he said. ‘I just hate going over it. I went over it all so many times when I was still inside. Now I wish I could start to forget it.’

A rumour was going around the area that the first name of one of the murderers was Sam, and when they encountered Mr Hallam, Beattie told Henville that his name was Sam Hallam.

Henville had already been interviewed by police once, making no mention of him. But now she made a new statement, claiming she had recognised him as one of the killers.
Back at home: Sam Hallam outside his house in Hoxton with his mother Wendy Cohen - he spent more than seven years behind bars for a murder he insists he did not commit and had his conviction quashed by judges today

Khelfa, a close friend of Kassahun, had also been interviewed by detectives for hours.

Despite being desperately keen to help find the attackers, he mentioned nothing about Sam, nor anyone who resembled him.

But after talking to Henville, he too changed his story, claiming he had seen Sam standing over Kassahun with a baseball bat with a screw or nail protruding from its end.

He claimed he only mentioned this now because although his friend was lying in a coma, previously he had not taken the police investigation seriously – something that Lady Justice Hallett found ‘incredible’.

‘Verdict was the worst day of my life’

Sam was arrested on October 20. But he had faith that he would soon be cleared, given that he had never been in trouble with the police. At the time, he was working for his father in his kitchen-fitting business: ‘We were so close. I was his little helper, his handyman,’ he says proudly.

But although he was shocked to be charged and remanded in custody, he was sure the jury would find him not guilty – especially when Khelfa said in the witness box that Sam had not been at the fight at all, and even Henville admitted she was doubtful.

‘When Bilel retracted his statement and Phoebe said she wasn’t sure, I thought it was going to be thrown out,’ Sam said.

‘Everything was in my favour. I thought the case had collapsed. On the last day I packed all my stuff and took it to court because I thought I was going home.’

But his faith was misplaced. A year after the murder, Sam and another man, Bullabeck Ringbiong, were convicted.

‘It was the worst day of my life,’ Sam said. ‘When they announced the verdict, it felt as if my life was over. I couldn’t stand up. Everything went blurry, and I was shaking.

‘And then my own lawyers told me I had no grounds of appeal. So I thought, “That’s it.” ’

He was sent to Feltham Young Offenders Institution, a notoriously violent and insecure place in West London. ‘It was a tough environment,’ he said with a shudder. ‘Every day was awful. There may have been worse days and better days, but even the best days were terrible.’

‘From the start, this all smelled wrong’

Somehow, he managed to raise his hopes for his first, unsuccessful appeal in 2007, which was based on a legal argument that the evidence had been too weak to put before a jury.

By then, he had been transferred to a prison in Aylesbury, and Wendy went to visit him the day after it was dismissed.

‘It’s all been horrible, but that was the most horrible time of all,’ she said. ‘I still don’t know how he was holding himself together.’

Paul May, a veteran campaigner against miscarriages of justice, was already advising the family. After the failed appeal, he helped to organise a campaign for Sam.

He traced new witnesses who said he had not been at the fight, and in 2008, submitted an application to the CCRC. There it landed on the desk of investigator Glenn Mathieson. ‘From the start, the case smelled wrong,’ he said. ‘There was so little evidence.’

He obtained the entire case file from the Met, and as he worked through it, spotted an opening: crucial documents, which the police and CPS had failed to disclose to the defence.

They revealed that although there was indeed a rumour that a Sam had been at the murder, the police had initially been given the name of a different Sam entirely.

Mr Mathieson established not only that this person was real, he had close links with Ringbiong, the other man convicted of the murder.

His discovery prompted the CCRC to ask Thames Valley to carry out a full investigation. The conclusions reached by its team, led by Detective Chief Inspector Steve Tolmie, were devastating.

Yesterday Mr Tolmie, himself a seasoned murder squad chief told The Mail on Sunday. ‘The incident was chaotic, with a large number of young people, poor lighting, and poor quality CCTV.

‘The investigation required someone to take charge and ownership, and to give it a clear direction. That did not happen.’

Police flouted evidence guidelines

One reason was that Mr Broster was leading a further 14 major inquiries, most of them murders, at the same time – something Mr Tolmie described as ‘not acceptable for anyone’.

He said: ‘In the early stages, a case like this should take up 100 per cent of your time: you can’t afford to be dealing with anything else. That should be taken into account by the bosses – they should ensure you clear your calendar for as long as it takes.’

Mr Tolmie explained that long-standing national guidelines, which are drilled into detectives during their training and set out in thick manuals, are supposed to ensure the ‘quality control’ which was so conspicuously lacking in Sam’s case.

For example, every witness statement, interview or other inquiry document comes with a front ‘control sheet’, which the senior investigating officer and his deputy are meant to sign when they review the document. In the Hallam file, there are more than 800 such control sheets – not one of which was signed by Mr Broster or Mr Jones.

‘I suppose they could say they did check the documents but didn’t sign them,’ Mr Tolmie said. ‘But why would they do that?

‘This is the way you avoid errors. You simply have to be in control of the statements. The evidence suggests they weren’t.’

They also broke the rule that requires a log to be kept of all the documents which might have to be disclosed to the defence.

And after the first 48 hours, they failed to keep a ‘policy book,’ where they should have recorded all their decisions and the reasons why they took them.
Why was another suspect released?

One of the gaps in the record concerns a man called Tyrone Isaacs, who was arrested by the original inquiry. When interviewed, he made no comment.

At his home, police found a broomstick with a nail in it and a mobile phone without a back, of the same type as one stolen during the fight from Louis Colley, who was attacked with Kassahun but not killed.

A forensic lab found ‘a small dark hair’ and ‘debris that could include skin flakes’ around the nail on the broomstick. Unfortunately, by the time Thames Valley had it examined in 2009, it proved impossible to isolate a DNA sample, to see if this matched Kassahun.

Isaacs was released and the stick was returned to him, and the absence of a policy book meant no one could explain why this decision was taken. Just 14 months later, Isaacs was arrested and later convicted of possessing an Mac-10 submachine gun, two handguns and ammunition.

Similarly, the lack of records made it impossible to discover why the Met never examined Sam’s mobile phone. Had they done so, he would not have been convicted, because it contained photos that disproved the prosecution’s claim that he had concocted a false alibi.

They claimed this was evidence of his guilt to corroborate the ‘flaky’ identifications.

The Met claimed it could not ‘interrogate’ his phone because it was a new model, but as Lady Justice Hallett pointed out, all they needed to do was switch it on, press menu, and then go to photos.

They also had Sam’s number, which meant they could have established whether he was at the fight using ‘cell site analysis’ – a technique they employed with regard to other suspects.

'Even in prison, no one doubted me'

Last Thursday, just before the court handed down its judgement, Sam encountered Mr Tolmie and shook his hand.

‘It’s a moment I will always remember,’ Mr Tolmie said. ‘I’m used to investigating a crime in order to lock someone up.

‘The more I looked into this, the clearer it became that something wasn’t right. Justice has now been done.’

For Sam, the only good thing about going to prison was that ‘I don’t think I met anyone there who ever doubted me. Even the guards came out and wished me luck when I left to go to the appeal.’

From the moment the CCRC and Thames Valley began to investigate, his hopes were renewed. ‘Just to have someone looking at it was very encouraging,’ he said.

‘When I first met them and Steve Tolmie, they told me they were only doing their jobs. But it was my life, my freedom, and I cannot thank them enough.’

In July last year, the CCRC referred the case to the Court of Appeal. The Mail on Sunday’s Live magazine was given unprecedented access to the four-hour meeting which took that decision, and published an article in September.

Even though the CPS were made aware of the new evidence at the time, they persisted in their intention to fight the appeal right until the last minute.

Outside the court that released her son, Wendy said: ‘I knew this would happen, he should never have been in there. My family has gone through hell, it is like we were all being tortured.

Finally free, Sam told The Mail on Sunday that he ‘doesn’t yet know how I’ve changed, and until I settle down, I’m not going to. And for now, I don’t have a clue what I’m going to do’.

He added: ‘In prison, you know when dinner time is, when you’re going to bed, when you’re getting up. Now I have choices, and I don’t know what I’ll be doing in ten minutes, let alone tomorrow.’

Back home, surrounded by his family and the five close friends who continued to visit him every month of his incarceration, he says he is ‘starting to feel better’.

‘I thought it was going to feel strange, sleeping in a proper bed,’ he said. ‘It didn’t. Last night I had a bath, for the first time in more than seven years. It was wonderful.’

At the same time, he had missed so much. ‘When I was arrested, my little sister Daisy was eight. Now she’s a young woman, about to go to college. So much has changed.’ He added that he was determined to seek retribution from those who caused his ordeal.

‘The original police investigation was shockingly inept,’ his solicitor, Matt Foot, said yesterday. ‘The Mail on Sunday has now shown it was even worse than we imagined. We shall be exploring all the options to hold the police and those responsible to account for this dreadful miscarriage of justice.’

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the force had nothing to add to a statement issued on Thursday, in which it expressed ‘regret’ that Sam had been wrongly imprisoned.

Commander Simon Foy, in charge of all Met homicide cases, said he was unable to make more detailed comments.

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HOW THE BLUNDERING OFFICER IS A CONSULTANT ON THE SIDE

Superintendent Mike Broster has been touting for consultancy work, despite being heavily criticised over his handling of the Sam Hallam and Gareth Williams cases.

The 49-year-old is using the high-level security clearance that allowed him to interview MI6 and GCHQ officers in the ‘body in the bag’ inquiry as a selling point to possible employers who view his profile on the LinkedIn website.

He makes clear he is available for ‘consulting offers, job inquiries and business deals’, alongside his CV setting out his experience.

On the site for professional contacts, Mr Broster boasts of his ‘proven track record in achievement at the highest level’ – even though the coroner in the Williams case and official investigators in the Sam Hallam case criticised him over the handling of evidence and witness statements.

The detective is leaving the Metropolitan Police later this year, where he is currently serving with the counter-terrorism command.

On his LinkedIn profile, he says: ‘I currently lead and direct a number of teams involved in counter-terrorism investigations and have led on a number of recent high-profile inquiries.

He adds that he had ‘vast experience of working with partner agencies nationally and internationally [and] of homicide and serious crime investigations both within London and nationally, reactively and proactive’.

At the inquest into the death of MI6 officer Gareth Williams, Westminster coroner Fiona Wilcox said Mr Broster’s failures had hampered the inquiry and questioned his impartiality, a charge he denied.

After the investigation which led to the wrongful jailing of Sam Hallam, he was criticised for not following reasonable lines of enquiry and not being in control of all the evidence.

A Met spokesman said Mr Broster’s website was a private matter and that police officers are allowed to perform secondary jobs with the permission of the Met Commissioner.

Salisbury Journal : Army sergeant comes up with 'spy in the bag' solution

Army sergeant comes up with 'spy in the bag' solution

Elizabeth Kemble | May 16, 2012

AN army sergeant from Shrewton has demonstrated how an MI6 code breaker found dead inside a padlocked holdall, could have climbed in himself.

Gareth Williams, 31, was found dead at a Security Services flat in London on August 2010.

Earlier this month an inquest concluded Mr Williams’ death was "unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated" after an expert witness tried and failed to lock himself inside a similar bag.

But Sgt Jim Fetherstonhaugh remained intrigued by what has become known as the “spy in the bag” case and decided to experiment himself.

He got hold of a bag identical to the one used in the case and asked his 16-year-old daughter, Izzie, to climb inside.

They discovered that by drawing the two zips together a gap opened up enabling Izzie to put her hands through the spaces and padlock the zips together.

To completely close the bag, she then stretched out until the bag became taut and the zip closed itself.

Sgt Fethersonhaugh said: “I have always known locking bags like this with a padlock was never secure – it’s just a deterrent, if anything, as you can always get access to the bag by grabbing hold of the material on either side and pulling it apart.

“If you can pull back the zip on the outside then you can do the same from the inside.”

While Izzie is about 3ins shorter than Mr Williams at 5ft 5ins, her father said the method of padlocking the holdall would remain the same.

Sgt Fetherstonhaugh media informed the Met Police via the force’s 101 number but has yet to hear back from them.

“That chap at the inquest said he had tried it 300 times and it was impossible - it’s not,” he said. “Of course it would be more of a hindrance if you’re bigger but it was just to prove you can do it.

During the inquest two experts in confined space rescue or “unusual occurrences” tried and failed to climb into a bag unaided and lock it leading to one concluding that even famed escapologist Harry Houdini would have struggled.

Police investigations are continuing into the case.

This Is Somerset : Army veteran claims to have solved spy in a bag mystery

Army veteran claims to have solved spy in a bag mystery

May 10, 2012

Body in the bag spy Gareth Williams could have easily locked himself inside the holdall in which he died, an Army veteran claimed yesterday.

The inquest into the MI6 agent's death heard how a number of experts unsuccessfully attempted to lock themselves inside a bag up to 300 times.

But Jim Fetherstonhaugh, 49 – a sergeant in the Royal Artillery for 22 years – discovered a simple method by which a holdall can be zipped up and locked from the inside without assistance.

The technique is the reverse of a well-known trick used by airport thieves to steal from locked bags, as long as they are flexible and the sides can be pinched together.

Intrigued by the mysterious case of the MI6 agent, based at Cheltenham, he asked his daughter Izzy, 16, to climb inside an identical North Face bag to test his theory.

The teenager, who at 5ft 5in was 3in shorter than Gareth, easily fitted inside the bag in the foetal position before partially closing it.

She drew her legs up to her body and was able to draw the two zip pulls together while leaving a gap for her hands to protrude through and close the padlock.

Izzy then tensed her body and the zip simply sealed itself leaving her successfully shut inside the bag holding the key to the padlock.

But crucially, the procedure is said to be much easier in a bath where the occupant of the bag can push against the sides for assistance.

Jim, of Shrewton, Wiltshire, served around the world as a sergeant with the 33 Regiment, Royal Artillery, for 22 years until he retired five years ago and has been a reservist ever since.

He claims that, despite Mr Williams being taller than his daughter, this would not have made much difference.

He said: "The man on TV tried it 300 times and I was amazed he couldn't do it.

"I've told my friends and show them and their jaws drop – it is so obvious, maybe people are thinking too much into it.

"She is 5ft 5in and he was 5ft8in but when you're in the foetal position inside that height doesn't make much difference. She had a bit of a struggle pulling the bag but she wouldn't have been as strong as him. I could easily see that he would be able to do it. She did it on the floor and it would have been much easier for him in the bath because he could put pressure on the sides to manoeuvre himself in. Once you show people how you do it, their jaws drop. I wonder if the services do know this method – but they don't want it known."

A similar technique is known to be used to steal from locked holdalls, where the end of the bag can be squeezed together to create 'slack' in the zip. This creates enough room for an opening in the zip without unlocking the padlocks.

Mr Fetherstonhaugh contacted the Met Police via the force's 101 number and he was provided with a serial number but they have yet to respond to him. A spokesman for the force refused to comment yesterday.

The revelation raises questions over the coroner's findings, which concluded Mr Williams' death "unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated".

Mr Williams' former landlords told the inquest how they once found him handcuffed alone to a bed, suggesting he had a fetish for restraint.

Scotland Yard's commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe this week said he has ordered a review of the investigation into the death of Mr Williams.

International Business Times : MI6 Spy In The Bag Gareth Williams: Army Veteran Shows Getting Inside The Sports Bag And Locking Self Is Easy

MI6 Spy In The Bag Gareth Williams: Army Veteran Shows Getting Inside The Sports Bag And Locking Self Is Easy

By Drishya Nair | May 10, 2012

The compelling case of MI6 spy Gareth Williams, found dead and padlocked in a bag in 2010, is yet to be solved. A veteran army officer demonstrated how Williams could have zipped himself inside the sports bag without any help and perhaps been suffocated to death.

A retired sergeant in the Royal Artillery, Jim Fetherstonhaugh, 49, says it is not only highly possible that Williams locked himself in the bag without any aid, but it is also a very simple and easy task to perform (including padlocking oneself).

Many MI6 agents, after Williams' death, tried more than 300 times to lock themselves up in similar sports bags but failed.

"The man on TV tried it 300 times and I was amazed he couldn't do it. I've told my friends and show them and their jaws drops - it is so obvious, maybe people are thinking too much into it," Fetherstonhaugh said.

But the army veteran claims to have discovered a way in which one can get inside a bag, zip it and even lock it with a padlock, without any assistance.

The technique discovered by Fetherstonhaugh is apparently the reverse of a popular trick used by airport thieves to steal from locked bags as long as they are flexible and the sides can be pinched together, reports Mail Online.com.

Fetherstonhaugh, after discovering this method, called the police but has got not any response yet.

The ex-army sergeant was intrigued ever since Williams' mysterious circumstances of death hit headlines. To examine his theory, he asked his 16-year-old daughter Izzy to climb inside a similar North Face bag without any assistance.

Izzy, who stands 5ft 5ins (3ins shorter than Gareth) managed to easily fit inside the bag. She could not only draw the zip together but was also able to padlock herself.

The procedure can be carried out much more easily in a bathtub, since the occupant can push against the sides of the tub for assistance.

According to Fetherstonhaugh, when one is in a foetal position in the bag, the height of a person does not make too much of a difference, so the fact that Williams was 3 ins taller than Izzy wouldn't matter much.

"She is 5ft 5 and he was 5ft 8 but when you're in the foetal position inside that height doesn't make much difference. She had a bit of a struggle pulling the bag but she wouldn't have been as strong as him. I could easily see that he would be able to do it," the army veteran said.

Now the question arises as to why the experts were unable to do the same. It seems, according to experts, there wasn't enough room to manoeuvre when the bag was kept in the bathtub.

It has been two years since Williams' death and despite extensive investigation, the case does not seem to be getting anywhere.

Police believe that at the time of the 31-year-old's death, a member of either MI6 or GCHQ was in the flat.

At the inquest, coroner Fiona Wilcox told Westministers coroner's court that it was "highly unlikely" that Williams got inside the red holdhall on his own.

There are no foot or fingerprints from the scene of death and fifteen of Williams' colleagues have already been swabbed for DNA samples.

In a recent development in the case, a green towel from a shelf in Williams's kitchen with traces of human residue was found. It could lead to a breakthrough in the case.

Williams' former landlords had reported of an incident at the inquest about how William had once handcuffed himself to a bed alone and needed assistance to free himself later. This points to a possible fetish for restraint that Williams might have harbored.

Las Vegas Sun : UK police to take DNA from spies in body probe

UK police to take DNA from spies in body probe

The Associated Press | May 10, 2012

Britain's top police officer says spies will be asked to give DNA samples in a bid to solve the mystery of an agent whose body was found padlocked inside a sports bag in his bathtub.

Last week an inquest concluded that Gareth Williams had probably been killed by another person in a "criminally meditated act."

Coroner Fiona Wilcox was critical of the MI6 spy agency, which failed to pass evidence to investigating police.

Williams, 31, worked for Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping service. He was attached to MI6 when his remains were found in August 2010.

Metropolitan Police Commisioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said Tuesday that detectives would conduct voluntary mass DNA screening of MI6 employees.

He said police needed to ensure "all areas of his life were fully explored."

Camden New Journal : Feature: A spook story that’s stranger than fiction

Feature: A spook story that’s stranger than fiction

by JOSH LOEB | May 10, 2012

The death of MI6 agent Gareth Williams was not the result of a sex game.

He was not a transvestite.

And aspects of his personality suggest he may have had Asperger’s syndrome or something similar.

These are my personal views, but having attended all seven days of evidence at the inquest into his death, which concluded last week, I have more of an insight than most.

The inquest was like no other. Stairwells at Westminster Coroner’s  Court were bristling with guards wearing high-visibility vests, who eyed reporters suspiciously; and members of the public – shifty old ladies who looked like they’d read too many spy thrillers scuttled in and out.

No one knows what Gareth did for MI6; because of concerns about national security, details of his work were not divulged in court.

What everyone knows is that the 31-year-old was found dead inside a padlocked holdall in a bath at his Alderney Street flat in Pimlico on August 23, 2010.

He was naked and was lying on his back, curled up in the partial foetal position.

There were no signs of a break-in or struggle, and there was no evidence of his footprints or fingerprints on the bathroom tiles or sides of the bath.

Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox said Gareth’s death – his family asked for him to be referred to by his first name throughout the proceedings – was “unnatural and is likely to have been criminally mediated”.

In other words, an unknown person or persons had a hand in it, though Dr Wilcox said she believed Gareth had been complicit to some extent.

She accepted evidence from a pathologist that, given the position in which Gareth’s body was found and the lack of marks or bruising, it was virtually impossible someone could have manhandled him into the bag either after he was deceased or if he were still alive and resisting.

The evidence suggests he got into that holdall either willingly or having been coerced, and died within it. Someone else placed the lock and lifted the bag into the bath.

Gareth apparently only ever let vetted people inside his flat, so the third party was either someone he knew or someone who had entered uninvited.

So, what of the theory that he died during a sex game?

Prior to the inquest, stories appeared in the tabloids suggesting Gareth had an interest in claustrophilia, the love of confined spaces, but this was not borne out in evidence.

He had a collection of female clothing – surely an indication he liked to dress up as a woman?

Well, more likely not, actually.

From the evidence it seems pos­sible that Gareth was a high-functioning autistic, which may have made him easy to manipulate.

He had virtually no friends and was a prodigious whiz with maths and computers.

An intellectually brilliant oddball, when a subject gripped his attention, it consumed his every thought.

Such was the case with fashion. He had enrolled on a fashion course, and experts who analysed his computers said 50 per cent of his internet browsing time consisted of him looking at websites about women’s clothes.

Compare this with 0.1 per cent of the time he spent looking at sites about bondage and you hardly walk away with an image of a slavering pervert.

Tellingly, Gareth appears never to have looked at material of an outright pornographic nature. One acquaintance said: “I did not think of him as being sexual at all.”

Prior to Gareth’s latest, all-consuming interest, he had been obsessed with maps, and he was mad on cycling, of which he had an encyclopedic knowledge down to the lowest sprocket.

He also exhibited a preoccupation with cleanliness sometimes associated with obsessive compulsive disorder.

None of the women’s fashion items Gareth owned showed much evidence of having been worn.

Most were found in their packaging.

He owned no female undergarments, nor a realistic wig – the wig found at his flat was florescent orange.

All this suggests he was not a transvestite.

The annexe of Marylebone Council House, the building that hosted the inquest, is located just steps from Sherlock Holmes’s fictional home in Baker Street, but perhaps even someone of the calibre of Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective might lack the ability to unravel what has already become known as The Alderney Street Mystery.

However, what if important clues were hidden in moments that have gone unreported?

On the third day of evidence, Dr Wilcox asked “F” – one of the secret service spooks giving evidence anonymously and behind a screen – whether, if Gareth had been in contact with anyone from the central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan, he should have reported this to service’s vetting team. ­“F” said she could not answer for security reasons.

Cryptically, the coroner asked another witness whether Gareth had been in touch with someone by the name of Ibragimov.

And it emerged Gareth had told this witness that he would produce a fake degree certificate for a friend of hers as part of a prank.

I don’t know if these moments are of any relevance. They went unreported because they seemed to lead nowhere.

But who knows?

They might provide the army of amateur detectives now speculating about this most haunting case with another piece of the puzzle.