NZ Herald : Body in a bag: Doubts over spy's state of mind

Body in a bag: Doubts over spy's state of mind

April 30, 2012

The handlers of body in the bag spy Gareth Williams raised concerns about his state of mind on the day he was found dead inside his flat.

The inquest into Mr Williams' death heard that a senior executive at GCHQ, the Government's secret listening post, told police that the MI6 spy may have reacted badly after being removed from a covert operation.

A transcript of the call revealed that the executive added: We are not sure how he's taken that.

The warning was passed on to officers searching for Mr Williams, who had been missing from work for more than a week.

He was expected at MI6's headquarters at Vauxhall Cross, South London, on Monday August 16, 2010.

But his bosses did not raise the alarm until Friday and waited until after the weekend before deciding to call the police.

Mr Williams' naked body was discovered in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, Central London, on the evening of August 23.

The GCHQ warning has been seized on by Mr Williams' parents as possible evidence of a cover-up about the truth of what happened to their son. The intelligence services have always claimed the spy's death had nothing to do with his secret work.

But the warning message appears to contradict this, as it suggests they were concerned about him after they had told him to withdraw from a secret operation.

Gareth's parents, Ian and Ellen Williams, and sister Ceri, from Anglesey, North Wales, believe the dark arts of an unnamed secret agency may have been involved in his death.

Evidence submitted to Westminster Coroner's Court confirms that Mr Williams, who was on secondment to MI6 from GCHQ in Cheltenham, had been involved in covert operations in the months before he died.

The spy worked in a four-man team as an expert code breaker and shortly before his death had been in contact with two secret agents working in the field in the UK.

On August 11 he returned to London following a six-week visit to the US, where he had been part of a contingent of UK spies sent to a computer intelligence conference, known as the Black Hat.

The coroner, Dr Fiona Wilcox, said on Friday that the Las Vegas conference attracted criminal hackers who attend the briefings to keep up with the latest developments in computer technology.

But it is also used by security agencies from Britain and America to target hackers. The FBI has been reported to have sent teams of undercover agents to the conference to break up hacking cells, and al so to mount clandestine operations to recruit criminal hackers as informants.

If Mr Williams had gone to Las Vegas as part of an active intelligence operation he could have been exposed to dangers from criminal hacking gangs.

But GCHQ insists that its officers in the US faced no greater risk than they did in the UK.

His bosses also say Mr Williams, who was due to end his secondment with MI6 in September 2010, had not been working on an undercover operation at the time he went missing.

The eight-day delay in GCHQ and MI6 telling police he was officially missing has provoked accusations from his family that they knew something horrible had happened to him.

The inquest heard of a transcript of the call, made at 4.41pm on the 23rd by senior GCHQ officer Helen Yelland, in which she said: He was last spoken to on Friday 13th. He was expected into work all of last week and did not appear. Both the landline and mobile phones are not picked up. The mobile is switched off. His sister was expecting to stay with him on Wednesday this week and she has not been able to contact him.

The Metropolitan Police operator asked if there were any concerns, to which Ms Yelland replies: He is going to be coming back to Cheltenham because he's just been pulled back from a job he's supposed to do and we are not sure how he's taken that.

Police suspect another person was involved in Mr Williams' death and experts believe he was likely to have been unconscious or dead when he was placed in the bag.

Forensic experts are still examining Mr Williams' mobile phone after it emerged on Friday that all the data on it had been wiped.

Detective Constable Robert Burrows told the inquest that he was unable to say when the iPhone, which was found in the living room of the flat, had been wiped before or after the spy's death.

The inquest has also heard how traces of the date-rape drug GHB were found in Mr Williams' body.

Forensic scientist Denise Stanworth said the traces were probably naturally occurring, which is common after death, but admitted she could not rule out that it had been taken.

MI6 has apologised for failing to raise the alarm about his disappearance, conceding the error may have hampered police inquiries. The inquest will tomorrow be told the results of an investigation into a second post-mortem examination ordered by the coroner's office in the days after Mr Williams' death.

The spy's family want to know why the police were not informed of this post-mortem examination, as they would have been in an ordinary murder inquiry.

During the inquest, spies from MI6 and GCHQ have given evidence behind screens to protect their identities and Foreign Secretary William Hague has signed an order prohibiting the disclosure of details of Mr Williams' work. The family's barrister, Anthony O'Toole, told the inquest that since MI6 performed such an important job it was even more vital that Mr Williams' team leader known as Witness G should have done more to raise the alarm about the spy's absence from work.

It took Witness G five days before he visited Mr Williams' flat. The team leader has told the inquest he had been preparing to go into the field on a secret operation in the week the Welsh spy went missing.

The coroner has heard the dead spy was considered a world-class intelligence officer by GCHQ. Stephen Gale, Mr Williams' boss in Cheltenham, said the maths prodigy had won two awards for his code-breaking work.

Dr Wilcox has intimated that she is prepared to consider a verdict of unlawful killing if she believes another person was involved in the death.

The family want the coroner to explore the possibility that Mr Williams' flat may have been wiped of other people's DNA and the spy's office computers tampered with.

The electronic equipment was handed to Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command, SO15, on August 27, four days after the death came to light, the inquest heard.

Mr O'Toole noted there was not any statement from any person at GCHQ to say that equipment was not tampered with in the interim period.

But Superintendent Michael Broster, who was responsible for SO15's involvement in the investigation, insisted Mr Williams' workplace had been sealed and taped.

- Daily Mail

EDGE (Boston) : Death of British Spy: Was It Sex Play Gone Wrong Or Espionage?

Death of British Spy: Was It Sex Play Gone Wrong Or Espionage?

by David Stringer | Associated Press | April 29, 2012

A delay in reporting as missing a British spy whose naked and decomposing body was later found locked inside a sports bag frustrated police inquiries into his mysterious death, witnesses told an inquest hearing Thursday.

Gareth Williams, 31, worked for Britain’s secret eavesdropping service GCHQ but was attached to the country’s MI6 overseas spy agency when his remains were found in August 2010 inside the bag and in a bathtub at his central London apartment.

The inquest hearing was previously told the spy’s manager at MI6, formally known as the Secret Intelligence Service, didn’t raise the alarm for a week after Williams first failed to appear for work, complicating the task for investigators.

Members of Williams’ family walked out of the hearing in tears Thursday as a second colleague- an intelligence officer identified only as SIS F - acknowledged that the delay "had some impact on the police investigation."

"We are profoundly sorry about what happened," she told the hearing, speaking from behind a screen to preserve her anonymity. "It shouldn’t have happened and we recognize that the delay in finding Gareth’s body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that."

"I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation," the intelligence officer said.

Forensic expert Denise Stanworth said the delay had meant that toxicology tests conducted on the spy’s body couldn’t be totally reliable in determining whether Williams had been poisoned before his death.

"In terms of many of the drugs, reliable, but in terms of the more volatile substances, not that reliable," Stanworth told the hearing.

Anthony O’Toole, lawyer for the Williams family, told the hearing that relatives believed MI6 colleagues had shown a "total disregard for Gareth’s whereabouts and safety," after failing to alert senior managers and relatives about his disappearance for a week.

He said that relatives also believe police likely lost vital chances to solve the case. So far, detectives have made no arrests and are still not certain exactly how Williams died.

"Because of the decomposition of the body, any forensic evidence that could have been derived from it has disappeared, so the police investigation has in essence been almost defeated," O’Toole said.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox’s inquest hearing must attempt to determine when and how Williams died, and if anyone else could have been involved.

The spy’s colleague SIS F told the hearing that an internal review had concluded that Williams’ death was not connected to his work, which had included operational assignments with MI6.

MI6 had uncovered "no evidence of any specific threat to Gareth and we concluded that there was no reason to think his death was anything to do with his work," the woman told the hearing.

She also rejected suggestions that the spy’s lifestyle could have made him vulnerable.

Police found thousands of pounds (dollars) worth of luxury women’s clothing and shoes in his apartment and discovered that he had visited bondage and sadomasochism websites, including some related to claustrophilia - a desire for confinement in enclosed spaces.

Other witnesses have told the hearing that Williams was not a cross-dresser, but often purchased expensive clothes to give as gifts to female friends.

Williams’ colleague said MI6 had not found any cause for alarm in the spy’s background when he was vetted for his position. "There’s no set template as to what (an employee’s) lifestyle should be. Individuals have lifestyles and sexual choices which are perfectly legitimate," she told the hearing.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Age : Spy could have taken GHB before death

Spy could have taken GHB before death

April 28, 2012

Traces of the date-rape drug GHB were found in the body of MI6 spy Gareth Williams, an inquest heard, as experts said they were unable to rule out poisoning.

Toxicologist Denise Stanworth said the traces found in the post mortem had probably occurred naturally, which is common shortly after death, but it was possible Mr Williams had taken the drug.

A panel of forensics experts that reviewed the post-mortem findings was unable to rule out the use of certain poisons, such as cyanide and chloroform, because the body was so decomposed, the inquest heard.

Miss Stanworth said it was unlikely Mr Williams had been given some ''old-fashioned poison'' but she could not rule out other ''volatile agents''.

The inquest at Westminster Coroners' Court has heard how Mr Williams' naked body was in a padlocked bag in his London flat for more than a week before it was discovered in August 2010.

A number of drugs and poisons were ruled out, but abuse of amyl and alkyl nitrites, such as poppers, and ''lots of substances that could have caused poisoning and death'' could not be detected nine days after death.

The inquest also heard it was impossible to tell whether Mr Williams was alive or dead when he got into the bag.

At one stage, the inquest had to be halted after a member of Mr Williams' family broke down when an MI6 manager disclosed no one had been disciplined over the errors that led to the delay in finding the body.

The meticulous timekeeper had failed to show up for work for a week and missed two meetings but only cursory attempts were made to phone him. It was finally decided he was missing on August 23.

Australian : MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams may have been poisoned

MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams may have been poisoned

Fiona Hamilton | April 28, 2012

THE MI6 spy found padlocked inside a bag may have taken drugs or been poisoned before he died, it was revealed yesterday.

Experts are unable to rule out a range of "volatile agents" or poisons such as cyanide being used on Gareth Williams, 31, whose body had decomposed badly in the week before his colleagues reported him missing.

The codebreaker's inquest was also told that he could have been vulnerable to "hostile and malign" third parties after making unauthorised searches on the agency's sensitive database.

A Secret Intelligence Service witness known only as SIS F said that there were a "small number of searches for which we could not see any clear operational justification".

She told Westminster Coroner's Court there was a "theoretical possibility" that a third party could use that knowledge to "put pressure on Gareth", although there was no evidence that that had occurred. The spy's family have previously suggested that agents specialising in the "dark arts" might have been involved in, or tried to cover up, his death in August 2010.

MI6 offered a "profound apology" to Williams's parents, Ian and Ellen, and his sister, Ceri Subbe, for the failure to raise the alarm about his absence from work. SIS F acknowledged that delays hampered the police inquiry and said that the authorities should have been called within four hours.

The spy's relatives walked out in tears after learning that no disciplinary action had been taken against the MI6 manager who did not report him missing for seven days even though he knew him to be diligent and a meticulous timekeeper.

Anthony O'Toole, representing the Williamses, said that the delays had "horrendous results". As well as material evidence being lost, Williams's family were unable to say goodbye properly because his body was in an "unacceptable state".

Williams had been in the bag for up to nine days and his remains were such that tests for drugs and poisons could not be relied on. The court was told that a "wide range of poisons", anaesthetics and other "volatile agents" might have been used on the spy, who was discovered in the North Face holdall placed in the bath at his flat in Pimlico, Central London. Other substances that could not be ruled out included the legal high amyl nitrate, helium, chloroform and nitrus oxide.

Denise Stanworth, a toxicologist, said that traces of the party drug GHB were found in Williams's bloodstream and urine but had "probably" been produced naturally after he died. Asked how reliable the tests could be, she said: "In terms of many of the drugs, reliable, but in terms of the more volatile substances, not that reliable."

Mr Williams, who was due to leave his MI6 secondment and return to GCHQ in Cheltenham, was found on August 23 but his last known activity took place on August 16.

The investigation into the death has always focused on whether he could have got himself into the holdall, although police believe that a third party was involved.

His Cheltenham landlady had once had to free him after finding him tied up in bed and £26,000 of women's designer clothing and shoes were found in the flat, near MI6 headquarters.

The police have previously disclosed that he visited websites about bondage and claustrophilia.

SIS F said that Mr Williams had passed all vetting processes and she appeared to indicate that such lifestyle preferences would not have rendered him unsuitable for MI6. There was no indication that his death was linked to his work as he was a low-risk officer.

Stephen Gale, his boss at GCHQ who has since retired, said that Mr Williams could have afforded the expensive clothes though they would have taken a "large chunk" out of his salary.

SMH : Date rape drug found in body of MI6 spy

Date rape drug found in body of MI6 spy

Tom Whitehead | April 28, 2012

LONDON: Traces of the date rape drug GHB were found in the body of Gareth Williams, the MI6 spy, an inquest has heard, as experts said they were unable to rule out that he was poisoned.

Small amounts of the Class C drug, which has sedative effects, were found in post-mortem tests.

Denise Stanworth, a toxicologist, told the inquest the traces had probably occurred naturally, which is common shortly after death, but it was possible that Mr Williams had taken the drug.

A panel of forensics experts which reviewed the post-mortem findings was unable to rule out the use of certain poisons, such as cyanide and chloroform, because the body was so decomposed, the inquest heard.

Ms Stanworth said it was unlikely Mr Williams had been given some "old fashioned poison" but she could not rule out other "volatile agents".

The inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court has heard how Mr Williams's naked body was in a padlocked holdall in his London flat for more than a week before it was discovered in August 2010.

While there were no obvious signs of poisoning, the level of decomposition made it impossible to test for certain substances, the hearing was told on Thursday.

A number of drugs and poisons were ruled out, but abuse of amyl and alkyl nitrites, such as poppers, and "lots of substances that could have caused poisoning and death" could not be detected nine days after death, the inquest heard. When asked if the toxicology findings were reliable, Ms Stanworth said: "In terms of many of the drugs, many of the analyses of the drugs, it was reliable. In terms of the more volatile substances, in terms of certain unstable substances, [it was] not that reliable."

The inquest also heard it was impossible to tell whether Mr Williams was alive or dead when he got into the bag.

At one stage, the inquest had to be halted after a member of Mr Williams's family broke down when an MI6 manager disclosed that no one had been disciplined over the errors that led to the code-breaker's body lying undiscovered for so long.

The spy, a meticulous timekeeper, failed to show up for work for a week and should have attended two meetings during that time. But his absence led to only cursory attempts to raise him on the phone. Even when his secret service bosses finally decided he was missing on August 23, it took another four hours before they contacted the police.

A senior manager at MI6, identified only as SIS F, told the hearing from behind a screen: "We are profoundly sorry about what happened. It shouldn't have happened and we recognise that the delay in finding Gareth's body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that."

Despite blaming Mr Williams's line manager for the "breakdown in communication", SIS F said no one had been disciplined over the incident.

A female member of the family, who also sat behind the screen, reacted with shock to the disclosure and the hearing was briefly adjourned.

Anthony O'Toole, the lawyer for the family, accused the security agencies of a "total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety". He blamed the delay for denying the family the chance to say goodbye to Mr Williams while his body was in an "acceptable form" and for making it more or less impossible for detectives to establish how he died.

SIS F also disclosed that Mr Williams had carried out several searches of the secret service database without permission. She admitted that if a "hostile or malign" third party knew of his activities, it could "theoretically use that knowledge to put some pressure on Gareth".

Telegraph, London

Daily Mail : Warning call by GCHQ boss to police about Gareth aborting secret mission may hold key to his death

Warning call by GCHQ boss to police about Gareth aborting secret mission may hold key to his death

* Gareth Williams's spy bosses expressed concerns about his state of mind
* He'd been pulled from a case and missing from work for a week

By Robert Verkaik and Stephanie Condron | April 28. 2012

The handlers of ‘body in the bag’ spy Gareth Williams raised concerns about his state of mind on the day he was found dead inside his flat.

The inquest into Mr Williams’s death heard that a senior executive at GCHQ, the Government’s secret listening post, told police that the MI6 spy may have reacted badly after being removed from a covert operation.

A transcript of the call revealed that the executive added: ‘We are not sure how he’s taken that.’

The warning was passed on to officers searching for Mr Williams, who had been missing from work for more than a week.

He was expected at MI6’s headquarters at Vauxhall Cross, South London, on Monday August 16, 2010.

But his bosses did not raise the alarm until Friday and waited until after the weekend before deciding to call the police.

Mr Williams’s naked body was discovered in a padlocked holdall in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, Central London, on the evening of August 23.

The GCHQ warning has been seized on by Mr Williams’s parents as possible evidence of a cover-up about the truth of what happened to their son.

The intelligence services have always claimed the spy’s death had nothing to do with his secret work.

But the warning message appears to contradict this, as it suggests they were concerned about him after they had told him to withdraw from a secret operation.

Gareth’s parents, Ian and Ellen Williams, and sister Ceri, from Anglesey, North Wales, believe the ‘dark arts’ of an unnamed secret agency may have been involved in his death.

Evidence submitted to Westminster Coroner’s Court confirms that Mr Williams, who was on secondment to MI6 from GCHQ in Cheltenham, had been involved in covert operations in the months before he died.

The spy worked in a four-man team as an expert code breaker and shortly before his death had been in contact with two secret agents working in the field in the UK.

On August 11 he returned to London following a six-week visit to the US, where he had been part of a contingent of UK spies sent to a computer intelligence conference, known as the Black Hat.

The coroner, Dr Fiona Wilcox, said on Friday that the Las Vegas conference attracted criminal hackers who attend the briefings to keep up with the latest developments in computer technology.

But it is also used by security agencies from Britain and America to target hackers.

The FBI has been reported to have sent teams of undercover agents to the conference to break up hacking cells, and also to mount clandestine operations to recruit criminal hackers as informants.

If Mr Williams had gone to Las Vegas as part of an active intelligence operation he could have been exposed to dangers from criminal hacking gangs.

But GCHQ insists that its officers in the US faced no greater risk than they did in the UK.

His bosses also say Mr Williams, who was due to end his secondment with MI6 in September 2010, had not been working on an undercover operation at the time he went missing.

The eight-day delay in GCHQ and MI6 telling police he was officially missing has provoked accusations from his family that they knew something ‘horrible’ had happened to him.

The inquest heard of a transcript of the call, made at 4.41pm on the 23rd by senior GCHQ officer Helen Yelland, in which she said: ‘He was last spoken to on Friday 13th. He was expected into work all of last week and did not appear.

Both the landline and mobile phones are not picked up. The mobile is switched off. His sister was expecting to stay with him on Wednesday this week and she has not been able to contact him.’

The Metropolitan Police operator asked if there were any concerns, to which Ms Yelland replies: ‘He is going to be coming back to Cheltenham because he’s just been pulled back from a job he’s supposed to do and we are not sure how he’s taken that.’

Police suspect another person was involved in Mr Williams’s death and experts believe he was likely to have been unconscious or dead when he was placed in the bag.

Forensic experts are still examining Mr Williams’s mobile phone after it emerged on Friday that all the data on it had been wiped.

Detective Constable Robert Burrows told the inquest that he was unable to say when the iPhone, which was found in the living room of the flat, had been wiped before or after the spy’s death.

The inquest has also heard how traces of the date-rape drug GHB were found in Mr Williams’s body.

Forensic scientist Denise Stanworth said the traces were ‘probably’ naturally occurring, which is common after death, but admitted she could not rule out that it had been taken.

MI6 has apologised for failing to raise the alarm about his disappearance, conceding the error may have hampered police inquiries.

The inquest will tomorrow be told the results of an investigation into a second post-mortem examination ordered by the coroner’s office in the days after Mr Williams’s death.

The spy’s family want to know why the police were not informed of this post-mortem examination, as they would have been in an ordinary murder inquiry.

During the inquest, spies from MI6 and GCHQ have given evidence behind screens to protect their identities and Foreign Secretary William Hague has signed an order prohibiting the disclosure of details of Mr Williams’s work.

The family’s barrister, Anthony O’Toole, told the inquest that since MI6 performed such an ‘important job’ it was even more vital that Mr Williams’s team leader – known as Witness G – should have done more to raise the alarm about the spy’s absence from work.

It took Witness G five days before he visited Mr Williams’s flat.

The team leader has told the inquest he had been preparing to go into the field on a secret operation in the week the Welsh spy went missing.

The coroner has heard the dead spy was considered a ‘world-class’ intelligence officer by GCHQ. Stephen Gale, Mr Williams’s boss in Cheltenham, said the maths prodigy had won two awards for his code-breaking work.

Dr Wilcox has intimated that she is prepared to consider a verdict of unlawful killing if she believes another person was involved in the death.

The family want the coroner to explore the possibility that Mr Williams’s flat may have been wiped of other people’s DNA and the spy’s office computers tampered with.

The electronic equipment was handed to Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command, SO15, on August 27, four days after the death came to light, the inquest heard.

Mr O’Toole noted there was not ‘any statement from any person at GCHQ to say that equipment was not tampered with’ in the interim period.

But Superintendent Michael Broster, who was responsible for SO15’s involvement in the investigation, insisted Mr Williams’s workplace had been ‘sealed and taped’.

Pakistan Observer : Poison not ruled out in MI6 spy death

Poison not ruled out in MI6 spy death

April 27, 2012

London—Forensic scientists cannot establish if a British spy was poisoned before being padlocked in a bag because it took his employers MI6 a week to realise he was missing, an inquest has heard. Forensic expert Denise Stanworth told the hearing in London that “we cannot rule out volatile agents” in the death of Gareth Williams two years ago as she was asked how reliable toxicology tests can be nine days after death. The decomposition of the body made it impossible to establish exactly which substances were present in the codebreaker’s body, she said.

Williams’ boss at MI6, Britain’s external intelligence agency, earlier apologised to the 31-year-old’s family for failing to raise the alarm about his disappearance and conceded the error may have hampered police inquiries. Speaking Thursday from behind a screen, the woman — identified only as Witness F — offered a full apology for MI6’s slow response to Williams’s disappearance in August 2010. ”We are profoundly sorry about what happened, she said. ”It shouldn’t have happened and we recognise that the delay in finding Gareth’s body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that. ”I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation.

“Williams’ relatives left the hearing in tears after it was revealed MI6 had failed to realise he was missing. When police finally entered Williams’ flat in Pimlico, central London, they found his naked body padlocked in a red holdall placed in his bath. Police have been unable to establish a cause of death, though they have unearthed no proof that anyone was with him when he died.

AFP

Express : BODY-IN-BAG SPY MAY HAVE BEEN POISONED SAYS EXPERT

BODY-IN-BAG SPY MAY HAVE BEEN POISONED SAYS EXPERT

Gareth Williams may have been poisoned or drugged before being left in a sports holdall

By Cyril Dixon | April 27, 2012

MI6 officer Gareth Williams may have been poisoned or drugged before being left in a sports holdall placed in his bath, an inquest heard yesterday.

The revelation came as a secret service chief told how “profoundly sorry” spy bosses were for taking a week to realise he was missing.

Mr Williams’ superiors did nothing to trace the code-breaker for seven days after he failed to attend a meeting at MI6 headquarters.

Denise Stanworth, a toxicology expert, told the inquest that the delay meant blood and urine tests on his body were not conclusive.

She said although there was no sign of “old-fashioned” poisons, they could not be ruled out.

Although there were traces of the party drug GHB and alcohol in his blood, both were probably produced naturally after death.

“If someone had taken GHB close to the time of death you would expect the urine level to be much higher. I can’t completely rule out ingestion of GHB but it would seem unlikely.

“In my opinion it’s far more likely to be post-mortem production.”

When asked how reliable tests could be, Ms Stanworth added: “In terms of many of the drugs, reliable, but in terms of the more volatile substances, not that reliable.”

Ms Stanworth, who reviewed the toxicology, said it was “highly unlikely that he was administered with an old-fashioned poison but they cannot rule out volatile agents”. She said it was impossible to say if there were traces of the legal high poppers.

But she agreed with Westminster coroner Fiona Wilcox that if he had taken them, it “could have caused loss of consciousness or death”.

Yesterday’s apology to Mr Williams’ grieving family, including his mother Ellen Williams and sister Ceri Subbe, was delivered by a Secret Intelligence Service officer identified only as “SIS F”.

Speaking from behind a 10ft screen to protect her identity, she said: “We are profoundly sorry about what happened.

It shouldn’t have happened and we recognise that the delay in finding Gareth’s body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that.

“I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation.”

Family members rushed out of court in tears as the apology came, and the inquest had to be adjourned while they were comforted. Anthony O’Toole, the family’s lawyer, accused MI6 of showing “total disregard for Gareth’s whereabouts and safety” after he went missing in August 2010.

Mr Williams, 31, failed to turn up on August 16 for the meeting, and his naked body was found rotting in the bag at his flat in Pimlico, central London, on August 23. He was curled up in the foetal position, and the red North Face holdall had been padlocked from the outside.

The hearing continues.

Telegraph : MI6 spy Gareth Williams could have locked himself in bag, inquest hears

MI6 spy Gareth Williams could have locked himself in bag, inquest hears

MI6 spy Gareth Williams may have been able to get into a holdall and lock it from the inside, an inquest heard.

By Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | April 27, 2012

Despite experts failing to complete the bizarre task more than 100 times, a specialist said it could not rule out that someone with training could achieve it.

William MacKay, an expert in “unusual occurrences” and confined spaces, said some people can do “amazing things and Mr Williams may be one of those”.

In the fifth and most dramatic day of the inquest of Mr Williams, video footage of attempts to recreate climbing in to a holdall and lock it was shown to the hearing.

The inquest at Westminster Coroners’ Court is investigating Mr Williams’ death, whose decomposing, naked body was found in a padlocked holdall in his bath at his flat in Pimlico in August 2010.

The issue of whether Mr Williams could lock himself in the bag is central to the inquiry and has fuelled theories that a third party was involved.

Mr MacKay said none of his or his colleagues attempts worked but they came “reasonably close” at times.

Asked if it was possible, he said: “Without a lot of training probably not.”

Asked again by coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox if that meant it could not be done, he said: “I would not like to say that.

“There are people who can do amazing things and Mr Williams may well be one of those persons.”

On Thursday, the inquest heard how small traces of the date rape drug GHB were found in Mr Williams’ body.

Experts were also unable to rule out a series of poisons, including cyanide, anesthetics and chloroform, because the body was so badly decomposed it was not possible to accurately test for them.

Forensic scientist Denise Stanworth said the traces of GHB were “probably” naturally occurring, which is common after death, but admitted she could not rule out it had been taken.

She added that "we cannot rule out volatile agents" as she was asked how reliable toxicology can be nine days after death.

Ms Stanworth also said it was impossible to say if there was any sign of the legal high poppers, acknowledging that the drug "could have caused loss of consciousness or death".

MI6 also apologised for failing to raise the alarm about his disappearance, conceding the error may have hampered police inquiries.

Relatives walked out on the inquest in tears as a senior spy said the secret service was "profoundly sorry" for delays in noticing he was missing for a week.

The family's lawyer accused MI6 of showing "total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety" before he was found dead in his London home on August 23, 2010.

Speaking from behind a screen, Mr Williams' boss offered a full apology for MI6's slow response to Mr Williams's disappearance in August 2010.

The woman - named only as SIS F - said: "We are profoundly sorry about what happened.

"It shouldn't have happened and we recognise that the delay in finding Gareth's body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that.

"I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation."

SIS F blamed Mr Williams' line manager for the "breakdown in communication" but said disciplinary action was not taken.

When officers finally entered Mr Williams's flat in Pimlico, central London, they discovered among his possessions some £20,000 of high-end women's clothing and shoes.

Examination of his home computer showed he had also visited websites about claustrophilia - the love of enclosure - and bondage and sadomasochism, the inquest has heard.

Mr O'Toole told the witness of speculation "that revelations about Gareth's private life might have rendered him unsuitable for SIS work".

SIS F replied that it was a "sensitive area" of questioning as it related to vetting issues but indicated his lifestyle and sexual preferences would not in themselves have posed a problem.

"I can't respond directly to the questions over Gareth because that goes to what knowledge we did or didn't have of him," she said.

"There's no set template as to what (an employee's) lifestyle should be. Individuals have lifestyles and sexual choices which are perfectly legitimate.

"Our concern in the vetting process is to identify whether anything in the individual's background, lifestyle, creates a risk for him."

The hearing continues.

Telegraph : MI6 spy inquest: Gareth Williams was 'dead or unconscious before he went into the bag'

MI6 spy inquest: Gareth Williams was 'dead or unconscious before he went into the bag'

MI6 spy Gareth Williams was "dead or unconscious" when placed in a sports bag because not even Harry Houdini could have locked himself in it, his inquest heard on Friday.

By Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | April 27, 2012

Peter Faulding, a former Parachute Regiment reservist and expert in confined rescues, said he was convinced another person was involved in putting Mr Williams in to a North Face holdall and padlocking it.

He said the idea of him doing it himself was in "unbelievable scenarios" and that even the world's greatest escapologist would have struggled.

His revelations will further fuel theories that the 31-year-old codebreaker may have been killed and dumped in a bag in the bath.

The inquest at Westminster Coroners' Court is investigating Mr Williams' death, whose decomposing, naked body was found in a padlocked holdall in his bath at his flat in Pimlico in August 2010.

The maths prodigy had been on secondment to MI6 from GCHQ when he died.

The issue of whether Mr Williams could lock himself in the bag is central to the inquiry and has fuelled theories that a third party was involved.

In the fifth and most dramatic day of the hearing, video footage of attempts to recreate climbing in to an 81cm by 48 cm holdall and locking it was shown to the court.

Mr Faulding, who is of similar height and build to Mr Williams, tried to climb in to a bag inside a bath and lock it himself 300 times and failed every time.

He said: "I have never been able to get this case out of my head.

"My conclusion is that he was either placed in the bag unconscious or he was dead before he was put in the bag."

When asked if it was impossible for him to have got in unaided he said: "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."

He added: "I believe he was placed in there. I am satisfied from the evidence that I have seen from no DNA around the bath, the way it was locked, the shower screen placed back and the door closed my belief is that he was placed in there by a third party."

A bag similar to the one in which the body of Mr Williams was found

Mr Faulding, an expert in mine rescue and the man who helped dig out the tunneling protestor Swampy, suggested Mr Williams was then put in the bath 'to reduce body fluid or decomposition'.

He said it would have been "very very easy" for a single person to lift Mr Williams in to the bath and there would have been marks in or around the bath if he had done it himself, which there was not.

The inquest heard that if Mr Willliams had been alive when he went in to the bath, he would have been dead within 30 minutes.

Oxygen levels dropped to 17 per cent and the temperature rose by 10 per cent within five minutes.

Earlier, another expert in "unusual occurrences" and confined places suggested Mr Williams may have been able to do it himself but it was very unlikely.

William MacKay and a colleague tried and failed 100 times although they came "reasonably close" at times.

He tried different scenarios of climbing in and locking it from the inside or first locking it then splitting the zip, climbing in and then trying to re-zip it.

However, Mr MacKay's attempts did not involve a bath.

Asked by coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox if that meant it could not be done, he said: "I would not like to say that.

"There are people who can do amazing things and Mr Williams may well be one of those persons."

On Thursday, the inquest heard how small traces of the date rape drug GHB were found in Mr Williams' body.

Experts were also unable to rule out a series of poisons, including cyanide, anesthetics and chloroform, because the body was so badly decomposed it was not possible to accurately test for them.

Forensic scientist Denise Stanworth said the traces of GHB were "probably" naturally occurring, which is common after death, but admitted she could not rule out it had been taken.

MI6 also apologised for failing to raise the alarm about his disappearance, conceding the error may have hampered police inquiries.

Relatives walked out on the inquest in tears as a senior spy said the secret service was "profoundly sorry" for delays in noticing he was missing for a week.

The hearing continues.

Telegraph : MI6 spy inquest: 'even Houdini could not have locked himself in the bag'

MI6 spy inquest: 'even Houdini could not have locked himself in the bag'

MI6 spy Gareth Williams was “dead or unconscious” and placed in a sports holdall by another person, his inquest heard today.

By Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | April 27, 2012

Expert Peter Faulding tried to climb in to a bag inside a bath and lock it himself 300 times and failed every time.

He said: “My conclusion is he was placed in the bag unconscious or was dead when he was put in the bag.”

He also raised the idea the bag was placed in the bath so “bodily fluids” could drain away.

The inquest at Westminster Coroners’ Court is investigating Mr Williams’ death, whose decomposing, naked body was found in a padlocked holdall in his bath at his flat in Pimlico in August 2010.

The issue of whether Mr Williams could lock himself in the bag is central to the inquiry and has fuelled theories that a third party was involved.

In the fifth and most dramatic day, video footage of attempts to recreate climbing in to a holdall and lock it was shown to the hearing.

Mr Faulding said he “cannot get this case out of my head” adding: “I cannot say it is impossible but I think even Houdini would struggle with this one.”

Crucially, he concluded: “I believe he was placed in the bag by a third person.”

He said had Mr Williams attempted it alone there would have been marks in or around the bath, which there was not.

Earlier, another expert in “unusual occurrences” and confined places suggested Mr Williams may have been able to do it but it was very unlikely.

William MacKay and a colleague tried and failed 100 times although they came “reasonably close” at times.

However, it appeared Mr MacKay’s attempts did not involve a bath.

Asked if it was possible, he said: “Without a lot of training probably not.”

Asked again by coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox if that meant it could not be done, he said: “I would not like to say that.

“There are people who can do amazing things and Mr Williams may well be one of those persons.”

On Thursday, the inquest heard how small traces of the date rape drug GHB were found in Mr Williams’ body.

Experts were also unable to rule out a series of poisons, including cyanide, anesthetics and chloroform, because the body was so badly decomposed it was not possible to accurately test for them.

Forensic scientist Denise Stanworth said the traces of GHB were “probably” naturally occurring, which is common after death, but admitted she could not rule out it had been taken.

She added that "we cannot rule out volatile agents" as she was asked how reliable toxicology can be nine days after death.

Ms Stanworth also said it was impossible to say if there was any sign of the legal high poppers, acknowledging that the drug "could have caused loss of consciousness or death".

MI6 also apologised for failing to raise the alarm about his disappearance, conceding the error may have hampered police inquiries.

Relatives walked out on the inquest in tears as a senior spy said the secret service was "profoundly sorry" for delays in noticing he was missing for a week.

The family's lawyer accused MI6 of showing "total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety" before he was found dead in his London home on August 23, 2010.

Speaking from behind a screen, Mr Williams' boss offered a full apology for MI6's slow response to Mr Williams's disappearance in August 2010.

The woman - named only as SIS F - said: "We are profoundly sorry about what happened.

"It shouldn't have happened and we recognise that the delay in finding Gareth's body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that.

"I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation."

SIS F blamed Mr Williams' line manager for the "breakdown in communication" but said disciplinary action was not taken.

When officers finally entered Mr Williams's flat in Pimlico, central London, they discovered among his possessions some £20,000 of high-end women's clothing and shoes.

Examination of his home computer showed he had also visited websites about claustrophilia - the love of enclosure - and bondage and sadomasochism, the inquest has heard.

Mr O'Toole told the witness of speculation "that revelations about Gareth's private life might have rendered him unsuitable for SIS work".

SIS F replied that it was a "sensitive area" of questioning as it related to vetting issues but indicated his lifestyle and sexual preferences would not in themselves have posed a problem.

"I can't respond directly to the questions over Gareth because that goes to what knowledge we did or didn't have of him," she said.

"There's no set template as to what (an employee's) lifestyle should be. Individuals have lifestyles and sexual choices which are perfectly legitimate.

"Our concern in the vetting process is to identify whether anything in the individual's background, lifestyle, creates a risk for him."

The hearing continues.

Belfast Telegraph : Mother breaks down as MI6 says sorry for failures over 'body-in-bag' spy death

Mother breaks down as MI6 says sorry for failures over 'body-in-bag' spy death

Kim Sengupta | April 27, 2012

MI6 yesterday offered a public apology to the family of Gareth Williams for the failure to investigate the disappearance of the intelligence officer whose body was later found in a padlocked bag in his London flat.

Mr Williams's mother, Ellen, broke down in tears after a Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) official – called Witness F – told an inquest into his death that her son's immediate boss, who admitted he had not followed procedure, had not faced any disciplinary action.

Witness F said: "We are profoundly sorry about what happened. It shouldn't have happened and we recognise delay in finding Gareth's body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that. I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation."

The inquest at Westminster Coroners' Court heard the delay meant it could not be ruled out that Mr Williams was poisoned. Traces of a drug matching the party drug GHB was found in his blood. Forensic scientist Denise Stanworth said because up to nine days had passed after his death before his body was found "we cannot rule out volatile agents".

She added it was impossible to say if there was any sign of the legal high "poppers", acknowledging the drug "could have caused loss of consciousness or death". She also stressed, however, the symptoms are likely to have appeared naturally after Mr Williams' death.

Anthony O'Toole QC, for the family, accused MI6 of a "total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety". He blamed the delay for preventing the family from saying goodbye to Mr Williams while his body was in an "acceptable form" and for making it more or less impossible for police to establish how he died.

"Because of the decomposition of the body, any forensic evidence that could have been derived from it has disappeared, so the police investigation has in essence been almost defeated," he said. It emerged at yesterday's hearing that Mr Williams, 34, a cipher expert, had carried out unauthorised searches on the MI6 website and this, according to Witness F, could have "theoretically" put him at risk from "hostile and malign" forces.

However, Witness F maintained that evidence of Mr Williams's sexual practices, which included him visiting 'claustrophilia' and bondage and sadomasochism websites, and the discovery of £20,000 worth of female designer clothing at his home would not have made him a security risk. Mr O'Toole told Witness F of speculation "that revelations about Gareth's private life might have rendered him unsuitable for SIS work". Witness F responded "There's no set template as to what (an employee's) lifestyle should be. Individuals have lifestyles and sexual choices which are perfectly legitimate."

At an earlier hearing Mr O'Toole said the family believed Mr Williams may have been executed by secret agents specialising in the "dark arts" with a cover-up organised to ensure his killers did not face justice. But Witness F insisted an internal review found there was "no evidence of any specific threat to Gareth and we concluded there was no reason to think his death was anything to do with his work".

Witness F said Mr Williams was "a fully deployable, highly talented officer" who had passed exams to carry out difficult covert work six months before he was found dead in August 2010. He had only been deployed in the UK, and not in Afghanistan or Russia as some media reports had claimed. He was on secondment with MI6 in London when he died but he had requested to return to his role at GCHQ, which had been accepted.

The inquest continues.

Metro : Test delays add to mystery of spy Gareth Williams' death

Test delays add to mystery of spy Gareth Williams' death

By Tariq Tahir | April 26, 2012

An expert witness could not rule out the possibility a spy found dead in a locked bag was poisoned – as it took MI6 a week to realise he was missing.

Forensic specialist Denise Stanworth said although no ‘volatile agents’ were found in Gareth Williams’ system, the finding was inconclusive as he was not examined until nine days after he died.

She told an inquest it was also possible he had taken party drug GHB, as traces of it were found in his system. But as GHB – the chemical gamma-hydroxybutyrate – occurs naturally in blood and urine, the delay examining the body made it difficult to tell if he had taken it or not.

‘If someone had taken GHB close to the time of death you would expect the urine level to be much higher,’ she said.

MI6 has previously apologised at the inquest for the delay in noticing the disappearance of Mr Williams, 31, who was found in the bathtub of his home in Pimlico, central London, in August 2010.

The lack of forensic evidence adds to the mystery surrounding his death.
M16 admits his secret intelligence work could have brought him into contact with a ‘hostile party’, but there is also a suspicion he got inside the locked bag for a thrill.

He visited websites about claustrophilia – the love of enclosure – and his landlady once found him tied to his bed. The hearing at Westminster coroner’s court continues.

Guardian : MI6 offers 'profound apology' for delay in reporting Gareth Williams missing

MI6 offers 'profound apology' for delay in reporting Gareth Williams missing

Inquest told delay had 'horrendous' consequences for police investigation into MI6 officer's death

Caroline Davies | April 26, 2012

The Secret Intelligence Service has offered a "profound apology" over delays in reporting MI6 officer Gareth Williams missing, as his inquest heard decomposition meant tests could not establish whether certain drugs or poisons were in his system.

Relatives of the 31-year-old, found dead in a padlocked bag in his flat, broke down as their lawyer said the delay had had "horrendous" consequences for the police investigation leaving it "in essence, almost defeated".

His mother, Ellen, was led sobbing from the court as the inquest heard her son's MI6 line manager, who failed to report him missing from work for seven days, had not faced disciplinary action.

Westminster coroner's court heard decomposition meant any possible presence of a number of substances and anaesthetic agents – such as amyl and alkyl nitrates (or poppers), chloroform, helium, and others which "could have caused poisoning and death" – would not have been detected in the body when the postmortem examination was conducted.

Williams's top-floor flat in Pimlico was extremely hot when his body was finally found on 23 August 2010, seven days after failing to turn up for work. Toxicology tests were conducted two days later.

They revealed alcohol and traces of the "date-rape" drug GHB in his blood and urine, but a panel of experts said both, which occur naturally, were "more likely to be down to decomposition". Forensic scientist Denise Stanworth said that although ingestion could not be completely ruled out, it was "more likely to be due to postmortem production" .

She thought it unlikely poisons had been administered, because of the lack of side effects such as vomit, but told the hearing it could not be ruled out.

The expert panel, which examined the test results, said it could not be established "whether Gareth was alive or dead when he entered the bag".

An SIS internal review had found no link between his death and the intelligence work Williams carried out for MI6 or for GCHQ, from where he was on secondment.

Speaking from behind a screen, a senior MI6 officer known only as F, denied "dark arts" were behind his death, but did concede "theoretically" that a "malign or hostile party" could have put pressure on him.

She apologised to his family as their lawyer, Anthony O'Toole, accused SIS of showing "a total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety".

"We are profoundly sorry about what happened. It shouldn't have happened. We recognise that the delay has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with Gareth's death."

"I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation," she said.

She was asked if aspects of Williams's private life – the inquest has heard of his £20,000 collection of women's clothes, and that he accessed websites about claustrophilia, bondage and sadomasochism – might have "rendered him unsuitable for SIS work".

She replied it was "a sensitive area" of questioning as it related to vetting issues, but in general lifestyle and sexual preferences would not in themselves have posed a problem.

Williams, whose job was "developing practical applications for emerging technologies" was described as a "fully deployable highly talented officer", said F.

There was no reason to think foreign intelligence services or security organisation represented a threat to him. His security assessment was that he was "low risk", said F. His work had never taken him to Russia or Afghanistan, contrary to media speculation, the inquest heard. He had been on operational deployment only in the UK.

Contrary to media reports, the flat he was living in was "not an SIS safe house", said F, who understood it had been rented through his employers at GCHQ.

SIS did not carry out an independent internal investigation into his death. But 12 months later, they conducted a "comprehensive internal review".

"It confirmed we had no evidence of any specific threat to Gareth arising out of his work for SIS," said F. It concluded there was no reason to think his death was in any way connected with his job.

His role was to "think up and design technology" to support other operators. "He had a highly skilled, very able technical brain," said F.

"Everyone in SIS found him a very pleasant individual, a good colleague, respected for his talents. An intensely private individual," said F. She added Williams did not socialise with colleagues out of work. "He liked to keep his work life very separate from the rest of his life."

The hearing continues.

UKPA : Spy poisoning 'cannot be ruled out'

Spy poisoning 'cannot be ruled out'

April 26, 2012

Scientists cannot rule out that spy Gareth Williams was poisoned before being dumped in a bag because it took MI6 a week to realise he was missing, an inquest has heard.

Traces of a drug matching the party drug GHB appeared in his bloodstream - but forensic expert Denise Stanworth said it "probably" appeared naturally after he died. She added that "we cannot rule out volatile agents" as she was asked how reliable toxicology can be nine days after death.

Ms Stanworth also said it was impossible to say if there was any sign of the legal high poppers, acknowledging that the drug "could have caused loss of consciousness or death".

MI6 had earlier apologised for failing to raise the alarm about his disappearance, conceding the error may have hampered police inquiries.

Relatives walked out on the inquest in tears as a senior spy said the secret service was "profoundly sorry" for delays in noticing he was missing.

The family's lawyer accused MI6 of showing "total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety" before he was found dead in his London home on August 23, 2010.

Mr Williams, who was largely teetotal, had 78mg per 100ml of alcohol in his blood when toxicology tests were carried out on his decomposed body.

Ms Stanworth said the traces of GHB was "likely to be post-mortem production". When asked how reliable tests could be, she added: "In terms of many of the drugs, reliable, but in terms of the more volatile substances, not that reliable."

MI6 earlier denied "dark arts" were behind his death, despite saying a malign or hostile party could have "theoretically put some pressure on to Gareth".

The inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court was adjourned until Friday.

Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

Sky : Spy Inquest: MI6 'Profoundly Sorry' For Delay

Spy Inquest: MI6 'Profoundly Sorry' For Delay

By Mark Stone | April 26, 2012

An MI6 officer has apologised for failing to raise the alarm about the disappearance of spy Gareth Williams whose body was found in a padlocked sports bag in his London flat.

Relatives of Mr Williams walked out of the inquest into his death in tears after they heard the secret service witness say she was "profoundly sorry" for the pain it had caused.

The senior MI6 intelligence officer, known only as witness 'F', said that Mr Williams' line manager, known as witness 'G', did not report that Mr Williams had been missing for a week.

The family's lawyer accused MI6 of showing "total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety" before he was found dead in his London home on August 23, 2010 - 12 days after he failed to turn up to work.

Witness 'F' said that witness 'G' had not been the subject of any disciplinary action despite the delay.

Mr Williams' naked and decomposing body was found in the large holdall in the bath of his home in Alderney Street, Pimlico.

Some 20-months on his death still remains a mystery.

Giving evidence from behind a screen to protect her identity, witness 'F' said there was no evidence to suggest that Mr Williams' death was connected to his work.

She said when he had been vetted to work - both with GCHQ , the government listening station, and MI6 - he was rated very low risk.

No foreign intelligence agency was aware of Mr Williams or the job he did, so there was no threat to him and neither was he ever a target, she said.

His work was based in the UK, she said, dismissing reports that he had been to Russia and Afghanistan.

The GCHQ codebreaker was working at MI6, where he was just a few days away from finishing a year-long secondment.

Relatives of the 31-year-old have demanded to find out if his death was covered up by secret services - and why the alarm was not raised when he failed to turn up to work.

Officer 'F' told the inquest she had "no knowledge" of a cover-up.

She said no secret agents went into Mr Williams' flat before or after his body was found - and neither had counter-terrorism police or other agencies.

Asked if Mr Williams' flat was an MI6 "safehouse", the witness replied: "It was not."

Toxicologist Denise Stanworth told the inquest that Mr Williams was probably not poisoned or drugged when he died.

But she said she could not "rule out volatile agents" because toxicology tests on Mr Williams were carried out nine days after his death.

The inquest is operating under some unusual restrictions. As well as some of the witnesses appearing from behind screens, some of the witnesses are restricted over what they can say.

Witness 'F' declined to answer specific questions about the vetting process which cleared Mr Williams to work at MI6.

She also hesitated before answering questions about whether intelligence officers should report contact with foreign nationals from certain countries.

When asked whether friendships with US nationals needed to be reported to MI6 bosses, witness 'F' said: "I am not sure I can answer that." She paused and then said that no reporting of US friendships was required.

But when asked about contact with a Kurdish national needed to be recorded, she refused to answer the question.

Mr Williams is thought to have had possible contact with Kurdish man through his friend Elizabeth Guthrie.

Journalists, photographers and editors covering the inquest were also warned again today about not identifying any members of SIS.

On Wednesday, the inquest heard that Mr Williams had once been found tied to his bed, calling for help.

He was working at GCHQ headquarters in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, at the time and had to be untied by his landlady.

Scotland Yard told the hearing on Monday that investigations were on-going and that there was still a "real possibility" of criminal charges over the death.

Mr Williams' sister, Ceri Subbe, revealed that her brother had been due to return to the West Country a week after his body was discovered.

He had complained of "friction" at work and was unhappy with life in the capital, she said.

Daily Mail : Party drug popular in clubbing and gay scene found in body of death riddle spy, inquest told

Party drug popular in clubbing and gay scene found in body of death riddle spy, inquest told

* Gareth Williams had traces of alcohol and date rape drug GHB in his body
* But levels likely to have been created naturally after death, says toxicologist
* Court earlier told how illicit searches on MI6 files left him open to blackmail
* But senior manager says no evidence he was targeted by foreign powers
* She apologies for 'communication breakdown' which meant 31-year-old was not reported missing for a week
* Codebreaker's family walk out of hearing in tears as spy chief gives evidence
* Bosses 'didn't call police for four hours' after officially deeming him missing
* May have been in fragile state of mind as 'he had just been taken off a job'

By Chris Greenwood | April 26, 2012

An illegal party drug was found in tests on body-in-the-bag spy Gareth Williams, an inquest heard yesterday.

Scientists said their investigation revealed a small trace of GHB, a dangerous sedative popular in the clubbing and gay scene.

They also refused to rule out poisoning because Mr Williams’s body was so decomposed that a host of potential killing agents including cyanide, insulin and chloroform would have been undetectable.

The spy’s family fear the failure of MI6 bosses to raise the alarm for seven days after he went missing deprived police of opportunities to solve the riddle of his death in August 2010.

His body quickly began to decay after being padlocked inside a sports holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat in central London.

His curled-up, naked body was found uninjured and he did not try to escape.

The fourth day of the inquest into his death also heard the high-flying code-breaker’s eccentric private life was no barrier to his secret work.

A senior MI6 officer suggested his superiors knew about his collection of women’s designer clothing, love of transvestite comedy and visits to bondage websites.

Speaking from behind a screen, a top official, known only as SIS F, said Mr Williams was known for his ‘world class’ work at GCHQ, the Government listening post.

The family’s lawyer Anthony O’Toole asked SIS F whether ‘revelations about Gareth’s private life might have rendered him unsuitable’ for MI6.

She replied: ‘There is no set template for what their lifestyle should be.

'Individuals have lifestyle and sexual choices and preferences which are perfectly legitimate.’

The inquest heard Mr Williams made a ‘small number’ of illicit searches on the MI6 database that could have left him vulnerable to blackmail by foreign agents.

But colleagues said there was no evidence he was targeted by a foreign power.

His family fear the ‘dark arts’ of the secret services may have been involved in his death or in a cover-up.

The MI6 officer apologised for the failure to act when punctual and reliable Mr Williams did not show for work.

Family members stormed out of the hearing sobbing after Mr O’Toole accused the secret service of ‘total disregard’ for his safety.

Denise Stanworth, a forensic scientist, said samples from Mr Williams’s body had been subjected to almost every test imaginable for evidence of suspicious substances and none was found.

Speaking about the party drug, she said she could not completely rule out that the spy had taken GHB but in her opinion it was unlikely.

She said it was far more likely to have been produced naturally following death.

The inquest continues.

Telegraph : Date rape drug found in the body of spy Gareth Williams

Date rape drug found in the body of spy Gareth Williams

Traces of the date rape drug GHB were found in the body of Gareth Williams, the MI6 spy, an inquest heard on Thursday, as experts said they were unable to rule out poisoning as the cause of death.

By Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | April 26, 2012

Small amounts of the Class C drug, which has sedative effects, were found in post mortem tests.

Denise Stanworth, a toxicologist, told the inquest that the traces had probably occurred naturally, which is common shortly after death, but it was possible that Mr Williams had taken the drug.

A panel of forensics experts which reviewed the post mortem findings was unable to rule out the use of certain poisons, such as cyanide and chloroform, because the body was so decomposed, the inquest heard.

Miss Stanworth said it was unlikely that Mr Williams had been given some “old fashioned poison” but she could not rule out other “volatile agents”.

The inquest at Westminster Coroners’ Court has heard how Mr Williams’s naked body was in a padlocked holdall in his London flat for more than a week before it was discovered in August 2010.

While there were no obvious signs of poisoning, the level of decomposition made it impossible to test for certain substances, the hearing was told.

A number of drugs and poisons were ruled out, but abuse of amyl and alkyl nitrites, such as poppers, and “lots of substances that could have caused poisoning and death” could not be detected nine days after death, the inquest heard.

When asked if the toxicology findings were reliable, Miss Stanworth said: “In terms of many of the drugs, many of the analyses of the drugs, it was reliable. In terms of the more volatile substances, in terms of certain unstable substances, [it was] not that reliable.”

The inquest also heard it was impossible to tell whether Mr Williams was alive or dead when he got into the bag.

At one stage, the inquest had to be halted after a member of Mr Williams’s family broke down when an MI6 manager disclosed that no one had been disciplined over the errors that led to the codebreaker’s body lying undiscovered for so long.

The spy, a meticulous time-keeper, failed to show up for work for a week and should have attended two pre-arranged meetings during that time.

But despite the sensitive nature of his job, his absence led to only cursory attempts to raise him on the phone.

Even when his secret service bosses finally decided he was missing on August 23, it took another four hours before they contacted the police.

A senior manager at MI6, identified only as SIS F, told the hearing from behind a screen: “We are profoundly sorry about what happened. It shouldn’t have happened and we recognise that the delay in finding Gareth’s body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that.”

Despite blaming Mr Williams’s line manager for the “breakdown in communication”, SIS F said no one had been disciplined over the incident.

A female member of the family, who was also sat behind the screen, reacted with shock to the disclosure and the hearing was briefly adjourned.

Anthony O’Toole, the lawyer for the family, accused the security agencies of a “total disregard for Gareth’s whereabouts and safety”.

He blamed the delay for denying the family the chance to say goodbye to Mr Williams while his body was in an “acceptable form” and for making it more or less impossible for detectives to establish how he died.

SIS F also disclosed that Mr Williams had carried out several searches of the secret service database without permission. She did not explain what the searches involved, but admitted that if a “hostile or malign” third party knew of his activities, it could “theoretically use that knowledge to put some pressure on Gareth”. However, she said there was no evidence that a breach in security had occurred.

She dismissed family concerns that “dark arts” had been involved in his death, saying that no security officers had been to the flat.

The inquest continues.

AFP : Poison not ruled out in MI6 spy death

Poison not ruled out in MI6 spy death

April 26, 2012

LONDON — Forensic scientists cannot establish if a British spy was poisoned before being padlocked in a bag because it took his employers MI6 a week to realise he was missing, an inquest has heard.

Forensic expert Denise Stanworth told the hearing in London that "we cannot rule out volatile agents" in the death of Gareth Williams two years ago as she was asked how reliable toxicology tests can be nine days after death.

The decomposition of the body made it impossible to establish exactly which substances were present in the codebreaker's body, she said.

Williams' boss at MI6, Britain's external intelligence agency, earlier apologised to the 31-year-old's family for failing to raise the alarm about his disappearance and conceded the error may have hampered police inquiries.

Speaking Thursday from behind a screen, the woman -- identified only as Witness F -- offered a full apology for MI6's slow response to Williams's disappearance in August 2010.

"We are profoundly sorry about what happened, she said.

"It shouldn't have happened and we recognise that the delay in finding Gareth's body has made it even harder for the family to come to terms with his dreadful death and we are truly sorry for that.

"I also appreciate the delay had some impact on the police investigation."

Williams' relatives left the hearing in tears after it was revealed MI6 had failed to realise he was missing.

When police finally entered Williams' flat in Pimlico, central London, they found his naked body padlocked in a red holdall placed in his bath.

Police have been unable to establish a cause of death, though they have unearthed no proof that anyone was with him when he died.

His family have said they believe secret agents versed in the "dark arts" tried to cover up his death.

But the five-day inquest, due to end on Friday, is looking into whether he could have entered the bag alone, after speculation he might have done so as part of a sex game.

Examination of his home computer showed he had also visited websites about claustrophilia -- the love of enclosure -- and bondage and sadomasochism, the inquest has heard.

High-end women's clothing and shoes worth some £20,000 ($32,400, 24,500 euros) were found in the immaculate flat.

Copyright © 2012 AFP. All rights reserved.

BBC : MI6 spy death inquest: 'No drugs or poison found' in body

MI6 spy death inquest: 'No drugs or poison found' in body

April 26, 2012

MI6 officer Gareth Williams was probably not drugged, drunk or poisoned when he died, a toxicologist has told the inquest into his death.

But Denise Stanworth said she could not rule this out because of the time which had elapsed between his death and the post-mortem examination.

Mr Williams' body was found locked in a holdall at his London flat on 23 August 2010 - a week after his death.

His boss at GCHQ in Cheltenham earlier hailed him as "something of a prodigy".

Giving evidence, forensic scientist Ms Stanworth said some anaesthetics, solvents and the substance amyl nitrate may not have been detectable, because his body was left for so long.

It took a week for MI6 to investigate Mr Williams' disappearance, meaning the post-mortem exam was carried out nine days after he died.

A small amount of alcohol, and traces of the sedative GHB were found, but both were likely to have been produced by his body as it decomposed after death.

An extensive search for "old-fashioned poison" came back negative, although Ms Stanworth said volatile agents could not be ruled out.

For understandable reasons spies do not like to come out from the shadows.

But over the past two days a procession of intelligence officers have had to account for their actions in public, albeit behind screens.

On Thursday, a senior official at MI6 acknowledged the one-week delay in finding Gareth Williams' body caused more grief for the family, and had an impact on the police investigation.

The body was too badly decomposed to provide forensic clues.

A GCHQ official has said action should have been taken on the first day of absence in line with policy.

It still is not clear why the policy was not followed.

It appears too that Gareth Williams' line manager at MI6 has not been disciplined for this.

Mr Williams' former boss at government listening agency GCHQ earlier described him as a "world-class" intelligence officer.

Stephen Gale said Mr Williams had joined GCHQ aged 21 with a first class degree in mathematics and PhD in computer sciences. "It was quite remarkable that he had achieved those levels of qualifications at such a young age," he said.

The agency paid for him to gain further qualifications in advanced mathematics at Cambridge University.

Mr Gale said: "Colleagues recall a young man who was very close to his father - he spoke about their climbing trips together.

"They remember him as a keen cyclist. One colleague said it was like a red bullet flying around the place."

Mr Williams was on a three-year secondment with MI6 in London but wanted to return to his role at GCHQ.

Profoundly sorry

On Thursday morning, an MI6 officer denied the secret service was involved in a cover-up over the codebreaker's death.

The officer - Witness F - gave evidence anonymously from behind a screen.

She apologised to Mr Williams' family on behalf of MI6, saying they were "profoundly sorry" for the delay in reporting the spy missing.

Witness F admitted that HR policy was not followed and that it "clearly took too long" to notice the codebreaker's absence from work.

She blamed Mr Williams' line manager - Witness G - for a "breakdown in communication", but said he should not face disciplinary action.

Mr Williams' relatives walked out of the inquest in tears during Witness F's evidence, and their lawyer Anthony O'Toole said the agency had shown a "total disregard for Gareth's whereabouts and safety".

Mr O'Toole blamed the delay for preventing the family from saying goodbye to Mr Williams while his body was in an "acceptable form", and for making it more or less impossible for detectives to establish how he died.

Bondage websites

During her evidence, Witness F denied that officers from the secret service entered Mr Williams' flat, before or after the discovery of his body.

She said that MI6 had not tampered with any electronic evidence on Mr Williams' computer, and denied the secret service had leaked information to the media that the codebreaker visited bondage and sadomasochistic websites.

Mr O'Toole asked Witness F whether speculation about Mr Williams' private life might have made him unsuitable for intelligence agency work.

She indicated his sexual preferences would not, in themselves, pose a problem: "There's no set template as to what [an employee's] lifestyle should be. Individuals have lifestyles and sexual choices which are perfectly legitimate.

"Our concern in the vetting process is to identify whether anything in the individual's background, lifestyle, creates a risk for him."

An internal secret intelligence services' review in 2011 found no link between the codebreaker's death and his work.