Independent : MI6 spy in a bag case: Gareth Williams 'probably' locked himself in holdall by accident

MI6 spy in a bag case: Gareth Williams 'probably' locked himself in holdall by accident

Scotland Yard puts itself at odds with findings of coroner and family of MI6 codebreaker

Cahal Milmo | November 13, 2013

Scotland Yard today put itself at odds with the findings of a coroner and the family of MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams by announcing that he had most probably died by accident when his body was found in a locked bag.

An inquest last year found that Mr Williams, whose remains were discovered inside a sports holdall in a bath with no evidence of his DNA on the padlock used to close it, had "on the balance of probabilities" been killed unlawfully in August 2010 while he was working for the Secret Intelligence Service while on secondment from GCHQ.

The finding by Westminster coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox prompted a reinvestigation by the Metropolitan Police lasting a further 12 months which officers said had been allowed unprecedented access to serving MI6 staff following strong criticism at the inquest of the spying agency's actions following the death of Mr Williams.

But a senior Yard officer announced that despite a re-examination of all evidence and the investigation of new leads no definitive answers had been obtained as to the cause of Mr Williams' death and the "most probable scenario" was that he had died alone in his flat in Pimlico, central London, as the result of accidentally locking himself inside the bag.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt told a press briefing at New Scotland Yard that while there was no evidence to conclusively explain the death of the 31-year-old codes expert, police were now able to draw a different "logical inference" from that of Dr Wilcox, who had found that the death was "likely to have been criminally meditated".

Mr Hewitt said: "With the conclusion of the investigation, the MPS position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died. But the reality is that… there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding."

The Yard said Dr Wilcox had accepted the findings of the investigation but had decided there was insufficient evidence for her to apply to re-open her inquest and consider fresh findings.

But the family of Mr Williams, a maths prodigy from Anglesey, said they believed that the conclusion of Dr Wilcox that foul play was the most likely cause of the GCHQ specialist's death - and that the involvement of the security services could not be ruled out although there was no evidence to that effect - remained valid. Among the lines of inquiry reportedly pursued by police was the theory that Mr Williams may have been murdered in connection with work that had brought him into contact with active MI6 agents.

In a statement, the family said: "We consider that on the basis of the facts at present known the coroner's verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death."

The family were also sharply critical of MI6 after the spying agency failed to investigate his failure to attend work on 16 August 2010. His decomposing remains were not found until a week later inside his MI6-owned flat, where the central heating had been left on despite the summer weather.

The statement said: "We believe that if proper steps had been taken in the same manner as any reasonable employer would have taken, further information relating to the cause of his death might have become apparent and not have been lost due to the length of time before Gareth's body was found."

The Yard said that it had studied videos which emerged following last year's inquest showing how a person could lock themselves inside a sports bag and accepted it is "now proven" that such an event could have happened with the same North Face holdall and padlock in which Mr Williams was found.

Mr Hewitt said he believed that evidence pointed out by Dr Wilcox as significant, such as the absence of any palm prints from Mr Williams on the bath, could be explained by him not having touched it as he got into the bag but he accepted other evidence, such as the absence of the victim's DNA on the padlock, remained unexplained. He added that there was no evidence that Mr Williams' interest in bondage or escapology was linked to his death.

Mr Hewitt said his officers had been allowed to interview 27 MI6 and GCHQ employees after it emerged during the inquest that direct access had not been given to investigators following Mr Williams' death and potential evidence, including memory sticks and a bag found under his desk, had not been made available.

The officer admitted that the Yard "did not get it right" in its arrangements with MI6 but said it had now received full co-operation. He rejected suggestions that the intelligence agency had been able to "pull the wool over my eyes".

The Yard said it was no longer pursuing any active lines of enquiry but the case would remain review. The re-investigation found 10 to 15 traces of DNA which current technology is unable to develop into full profiles. All other DNA and fingerprints in the flat had been eliminated.

[video here]

North Wales Chronicle : Anglesey spy's death "probably an accident" say police

Anglesey spy's death "probably an accident" say police

Geraint Jones | November 13, 2013

AN ANGLESEY spy whose body was found in a holdall probably died alone in an accident, police have concluded.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt yesterday (November 13) revealed that his team disagreed with a coroner coroner’s conclusion that codebreaker Gareth Williams, aged 31, originally of Valley near Holyhead, was probably killed unlawfully.

He said: "With the conclusion of the investigation, the Metropolitan Police's position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.

"But the reality is that for both hypotheses there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding."

Mr Williams was found in a found in the bag in the bath at his flat in Pimlico, central London, on August 23, 2010.

None of his DNA was found on the lock on the bag and his palm prints were not found on the rim of the bath.

However, Mr Hewitt said there was no evidence that the flat had been "deep-cleaned" to remove forensic evidence and no evidence of a struggle or a break-in.

He added: "I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes - I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death."

Mr Williams worked for GCHQ but was on secondment to MI6 when he died.

Police interviewed 27 members of staff from the two agencies as part of their investigation.

They found no evidence in Mr Williams’ personnel and vetting files to suggest his death was in any way related to his work.

Mr Hewitt went on: "He was, without doubt, a private person who was very close to his family and had few other close friends.

“That said, the universal view of colleagues was of a conscientious and decent man with a few well-known hobbies such as his cycling and climbing.

"There is no evidence of any animosity towards Gareth, and it has not been possible to identify anyone with a motive for causing him harm."

Last year coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox found that he was probably killed and it "remained a legitimate line of inquiry" that the secret services may have been involved in the death.

Police said that Dr Wilcox has accepted their findings, but decided that there is insufficient new evidence to justify re-opening the inquest.

Mr Williams's family said in a statement issued through the police: "We are naturally disappointed that it is still not possible to state with certainty how Gareth died and the fact that the circumstances of his death are still unknown adds to our grief.

"We consider that on the basis of the facts known at present the coroner's verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death. "

Huffington Post : Gareth Williams, British Spy, Likely Died In Bag By Accident

Gareth Williams, British Spy, Likely Died In Bag By Accident

By RAPHAEL SATTER | November 13, 2013

LONDON (AP) — A spy whose naked, decomposing body was found inside a padlocked gym bag at his apartment likely died in an accident with no one else involved, British police said Wednesday — a tentative conclusion that is unlikely to calm conspiracy theories around the bizarre case.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said the death of Gareth Williams, whose remains were found inside a bag in his bathtub in August 2010, was "most probably" an accident.

But he conceded that the facts could not be established beyond a reasonable doubt, and Williams' family members said they still believe he was killed.

The police verdict also disagrees with a coroner's inquest, which concluded last year that Williams had probably been killed by another person in a "criminally meditated act."

Hewitt told reporters at Scotland Yard headquarters that a police review had found little evidence of foul play in a death that has spawned a host of theories, from assassination to sexual adventure gone awry.

Williams, a cyberwarfare expert, worked for Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping service and was attached to the overseas espionage agency MI6 when he died.

Hewitt said the police position "is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died."

"But the reality is that for both hypotheses, there exist evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding."

Some have raised the possibility that Williams locked himself in the bag as part of a sex game gone wrong. Investigators found that he had visited bondage and sadomasochism websites, including some related to claustrophilia — a desire for confinement in enclosed spaces.

Police concluded that it could have been possible for Williams to climb inside the sports bag and lock it. However, none of Williams' DNA was found on the lock on the bag and his palm prints were not found on the rim of the bath.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox last year was critical in her inquest verdict of MI6, which failed to pass evidence to investigating police. And she said that while it appeared unlikely that British intelligence agencies were involved in Williams' death, it was a "legitimate line of inquiry."

Hewitt said there was no evidence that the apartment had been cleaned to remove forensic traces and nothing to suggest a struggle or a break-in.

And he dismissed the idea that Britain's secretive intelligence services had carried out a cover-up.

"I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes," he said. "I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death."

He said there was "no evidence to support the theory that Gareth's death was in any way related to his work."

Williams' relatives said in a statement that they were disappointed that the facts were still not clear, but still believed it was likely he had been the victim of foul play.

"We consider that on the basis of the facts known at present the coroner's verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death," the statement said.

CNN : Police: MI6 agent not killed, as previously thought

Police: MI6 agent not killed, as previously thought

MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams' body was found locked in a bag in his apartment in 2010
A coroner's inquest into his death concluded it was likely someone had killed him
But Scotland Yard says it thinks it's most likely no one else was involved in Williams death
However, it says there remains insufficient evidence to be definitive on the case

By Andrew Carey, CNN | November 13, 2013

London (CNN) -- Gareth Williams, the MI6 codebreaker found dead inside an externally locked bag in his apartment in 2010, was probably not killed as previously believed, London's Metropolitan Police said Wednesday, citing a lack of evidence otherwise.

Taking a different position from a coroner's report last year that said it was likely someone killed Gareth Williams, London's Metropolitan Police said its three-year investigation suggested that Williams most likely locked himself inside the large bag.

"We believe that it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said.

But the Met said that despite its investigation, there remained insufficient evidence to be definitive on how Williams died.

"There are holes in what we understand about the circumstances of Gareth Williams' death," Hewitt said, admitting that some of the evidence is "odd."

This includes the lack of Williams' DNA on the padlock used to lock the large red bag his body was found in and the lack of hand prints on the edge of the bath where it was found, he said.

"What we are left with is either individual pieces of evidence, or a lack of such evidence, that can logically support one of a number of hypotheses," Hewitt said.

The case has gripped the British public since Williams, known for his mathematical genius and code-breaking talent, was found dead at age 31 in August 2010.

Among the theories aired by UK media were that Williams might have died at the hands of foreign intelligence agents or as a result of a kinky sexual encounter gone wrong. Added to that speculation was the discovery of women's clothes, wigs and cosmetics in Williams' apartment.

At the inquest into his death last year, coroner Fiona Wilcox shot down that speculation, saying she thought Williams bought them out of an interest in fashion, rather than any sexual motivation.

Other reports about the "body-in-a-bag spy" detailed how two experts spent days trying to figure out whether Williams could have contorted himself in such a way as to lock himself into the North Face holdall bag, with a key to the padlock inside.

Video of two experts trying to recreate the scene was showing to the court. One had tried 300 times without success, but neither ruled out definitively the possibility Williams could have somehow done it alone.

"It is now proven that it is theoretically possible for a person to lock themselves in that exact holdall, with the same type of lock, and in the configuration in which Gareth was found. It is important to note that this fact was found to be a possibility by the inquest," Hewitt said.

Meanwhile, family members suggested Williams had been murdered by killers versed in the "dark arts" of espionage.

Referring to speculation that Williams' flat might have been forensically cleaned by unknown people responsible for his death, Hewitt said Wednesday that a deep-clean would have removed all traces of Williams' DNA as well that of visitors to his flat.

He said 10 to 15 traces of DNA had been found that were too insignificant to use to build a full profile and said advances in forensic science could "present opportunities for progress." For the time being, however, there are "no active lines of enquiry that it is proportionate to pursue."

Williams' family expressed their regret that mystery still surrounds his death but said they agree with the coroner's verdict "on the basis of the facts at present known."

"We are naturally disappointed that it is still not possible to state with certainty how Gareth died and the fact that the circumstances of his death are still unknown adds to our grief," they said in a written statement.

The family reiterated their disappointment that Williams' employers at MI6 had not checked on his welfare when he failed to attend work on August 16, 2010.

Williams was finally reported missing by a co-worker on August 23, more than a week after the normally punctilious employee had last shown up at work.

"We believe that if proper steps had been taken in the same manner as any reasonable employer would have undertaken, further information relating to the cause of his death might have become apparent and not have been lost due to the length of time before Gareth's body was found," they said.

The family also noted that the Met's investigators "were at last able to interview directly members of (UK intelligence agencies) GCHQ and SIS."

Addressing media, Hewitt disputed a suggestion that police had been "blindsided" in their investigation by intelligence agencies but acknowledged that their method of interaction had improved during the investigation. "We didn't get it right at the beginning," he said.

Initially, he said, the only Met officers to deal with the intelligence agencies were those in SO15 -- or counterterrorism command. The SO15 officers had assessed Williams' vetting and personnel files and found nothing relevant to the case.

After the inquest, the senior investigating officer in the case personally requested and was granted access to the files and came to the same conclusion, Hewitt said.

"The investigation into Gareth's death will remain under review, and any new significant information or evidence will be robustly investigated," he said.

"If it is possible for us to give his family more answers we will do so."

Newstalk : UK spy who died in a bag probably locked himself in, review finds

UK spy who died in a bag probably locked himself in, review finds

November 13, 2013

MI6 agent Gareth Williams probably died after locking himself inside his own holdall, a fresh police review of the case has found.

The naked body of the 31-year-old was discovered in the bag in his central London flat in August 2010, triggering speculation that he had been targeted by foreign agents because of his work.

However, the latest investigation by the Metropolitan Police has found that Mr. Williams, who had a keen interest in escapology, probably died alone in an accident.

The finding directly contradicts the outcome of an inquest last year where the coroner had ruled that Mr Williams, a GCHQ codebreaker on secondment to MI6, had probably been "unlawfully killed".

The inquest had heard that two experts had tried 400 times to lock themselves in a similar bag but had failed. However, days after the inquest had finished, an Army Sergeant showed how it was possible to climb into the North Face holdall and do up the zip before padlocking it shut.

Announcing the findings on Wednesday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said the investigation had included that "on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died".

He said "Three years of extensive investigative activity have developed a very clear profile of Gareth. He was, without doubt, a private person who was very close to his family and had few other close friends. That said, the universal view of colleagues was of a conscientious and decent man with a few well-known hobbies such as his cycling and climbing".

"There is no evidence of any animosity towards Gareth, and it has not been possible to identify anyone with a motive for causing him harm" he added.

Mr. Williams was found inside the bag in the bath at his flat on August 23rd in 2010.

Pathologists said he would have suffocated within three minutes of being locked inside the bag. They said that none of his DNA had been found on the lock on the bag and his palm prints were not found on the rim of the bath.

IBT : Spy in the Bag Gareth Williams’ Death ‘Probably an Accident’

Spy in the Bag Gareth Williams’ Death ‘Probably an Accident’

By Ewan Palmer | November 13, 2013

Police investigating the death of an MI6 spy whose body was found inside a padlocked sports bag in 2010 have declared his death was probably an accident.

Officers discovered former GCHQ worker Gareth Williams naked and locked inside a North Face sports bag in the bath tub of his flat in Pimlico in 2010.

However, the coroner added that there has been "endless speculation but little real evidence" surrounding his death and that it may never be "satisfactorily explained".

An inquest into the spy's death said he probably died from suffocation as a result of being locked in the bag or from an unknown poison which disappeared in his system during decomposition and then placed in the bag.

Metropolitan Police has now said it is "more probable" that no one else was involved in the spy's death, but they could not "fundamentally and beyond doubt" rule out the possibility that a third party was involved.

Dept sst coms Martin Hewitt, who oversaw the investigation from Specialist Crime and Operations, said: "Many questions remain unanswered as to the circumstances of Gareth's untimely death.

"What is clear is that this has been a tragedy for his family, friends and those who knew him. Gareth was a private man, the universal view of whom was as a decent and conscientious colleague.

"After the inquest we reviewed all the evidence gathered up to that point and carried out additional enquiries.

"Learning from the inquest we set up our investigation in a different way, and this has led to greater clarity on some aspects of the case.

"Now at the end of our investigation, based on the evidence, or where we have been unable to find positive evidence, we believe that it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died."

During the investigation into Williams' deaths, investigators found it was theoretically possible for a person to lock themselves inside the bag, with the same type of lock, and in the position the spy was found in.

There was also no evidence that Williams' flat had been subjected to a "forensic clean" following his death and fingerprints and traces of DNA going back years were recovered from the scene.

Met Police added there is "no evidence of any animosity towards [Williams], and it has not been possible to identify anyone with a motive for causing him harm".

William's family said how they are "disappointed" that the full circumstances surrounding his death are unknown and still believe he was killed unlawfully.

To report problems or to leave feedback about this article, e-mail: e.palmer@ibtimes.co.uk
To contact the editor, e-mail: editor@ibtimes.co.uk

The Week : Gareth Williams: MI6 spy's death 'probably an accident'

Gareth Williams: MI6 spy's death 'probably an accident'

Conclusion of three-year police investigation contradicts coroner's theory of unlawful killing

November 13, 2013

GARETH WILLIAMS, the MI6 spy whose body was found naked in a padlocked sports bag, probably died in an accident, Scotland Yard has said.

Last year, a coroner ruled that it was likely Williams, 31, from Anglesey, had been unlawfully killed. But following a three-year investigation, police have now said "it was more probable" that no other person was present when he died in his London flat on 23 August 2010.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said he was satisfied that it was "theoretically possible" Williams could have zipped and padlocked the bag from the inside, although "many questions remain unanswered" as to the circumstances of his death.

Williams had been on a secondment with MI6 from his job as a communications officer at GCHQ in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It had taken a week for MI6 to investigate the code-breaker's disappearance, and a post-mortem examination carried out by a Home Office pathologist failed to determine the cause of death.

Subsequent theories included polonium poisoning by foreign agents, a bizarre sex game gone wrong and a fatal art project called 'Living Spaces' for a course at Central Saint Martins.

Police today said there was no evidence that the MI6 officer had intended to take his own life or that his death was connected to his work. There were about ten to 15 traces of DNA in the flat from which it had not been possible to gain full DNA profiles, but all other DNA profiles and fingerprints had been eliminated. They added that there was no evidence that Williams's flat had been forensically cleaned.

But Williams's family said they stood by the coroner's findings, reports The Times. In a statement they said: "We are naturally disappointed that it is still not possible to state with certainty how Gareth died and the fact that the circumstances of his death are still unknown adds to our grief."

ITV : Police: MI6 spy death remains a mystery

Police: MI6 spy death remains a mystery

by Lucy Manning - UK Editor | November 13, 2013

Reconsidering all the original evidence and following new lines of inquiry, police say there is still insufficient evidence to be definitive on the circumstances of Gareth Williams' death.

They say it is theoretically possible for a person to lock themselves in a bag with the sort of lock used.

They outlined:

There is no evidence to support the theory there was a forensic clean of fingerprints

There is no evidence of a third person in the flat

No evidence of forced entry

Police say they have had full support from security services and there is nothing to support the theory that Mr Williams' death was related to his work.

His interest in womens' clothes fuelled much speculation, they say, but the clothing had no bearing on the circumstances of his death.

Officers say Mr Williams was a very private person, who was close to his family and had few close friends. He was concientious and was a decent man with hobbies.

Police explained no evidence has been identified that could establish the full circumstances of Mr Williams' death beyond reasonable doubt.

They say, on balance, their probable conclusion is that no person was present when he died and there is insuffient new evidence to re-open an inquest.

There are no more active lines of inquiry but police say the case will remain under review.

~~~

Family disappointed over codebreaker's death mystery

The family of Gareth Williams have said they are "naturally disappointed" it is not possible to state with certainty how the codebreaker died.

They said in a statement they back the coroner's verdict that Gareth was probably unlawfully killed over the latest police conclusions.

They said: "We consider that on the basis of the facts at present known the Coroner's verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death."

They added: "We still however remain very disappointed over the failure of his employers at MI6 to take even the most basic enquiries concerning Gareth's welfare when he failed to attend for work on the 16th August, 2010.

"We believe that if proper steps had been taken in the same manner as any reasonable employer would have undertaken further information relating to the cause of his death might have become apparent and not have been lost due to the length of time before Gareth's body was found."

~~~

Police: Wool hasn't been pulled over eyes on spy death

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said MI6 worker Gareth Williams' death was "most probably" an accident, although he admitted: "No evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth's death beyond all reasonable doubt."

Mr Williams, a fitness enthusiast originally from Anglesey, was found in the bag in the bath at his flat in Pimlico on August 23, 2010.

Pathologists said he would have suffocated within three minutes if he was alive when he got inside the 32-inch by 19-inch holdall.

None of his DNA was found on the lock on the bag and his palm prints were not found on the rim of the bath.

However, Mr Hewitt said there was no evidence that the flat had been "deep-cleaned" to remove forensic traces and nothing to suggest a struggle or a break-in.

He said it was "beyond credibility" that the secret services had "pulled the wool" over his eyes.

"I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death."

~~~

'Gaps in understanding' over MI6 spy's death

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, of the Metropolitan Police, says there remains "gaps in understanding" regarding the death of MI6 worker Gareth Williams.

But he has concluded, following two years of investigation, that it is "most probable" that the codebreaker was alone at the time of his death.

[video here]

~~~

No request for spy inquest verdict to be quashed

No request has been made to the Attorney General's office for him to apply to the High Court to have the inquest verdict into the death of Gareth Williams quashed.

Today, after a two-year investigation, the Metropolitan Police concluded it is "most probable" that no-one else was present when the MI6 codebreaker died. An earlier inquest concluded Mr Williams was "probably" killed unlawfully.

~~~

Police defend MI6 spy death findings

November 13, 2013

Police insist they have not had the wool pulled over their eyes by intelligence services after concluding there was no foul play in the death of codebreaker Gareth Williams.

Following a two-year investigation by the Metropolitan Police, officers concluded it was "most probable" the MI6 worker was alone at the time of his death.

Their conclusions starkly contradict those of Dr Fiona Wilcox, who ruled at an inquest last year that the spy was "probably unlawfully killed".

Mr Williams, 31, was found dead in the locked bag in the bath at his flat in Pimlico, central London, on August 23, 2010.
An expert attempts to get himself inside a similar holdall, as part of a demonstration played during the inquest. Credit: Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

None of his DNA was found on the padlock on the bag and there were no palmprints on the rim of the bath. The heating had been left on in the flat, despite it being summer, and MI6 failed to raise the alarm about his disappearance for more than a week.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes. I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death.

"The Metropolitan Police's position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died."

However he admitted: "No evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth's death beyond all reasonable doubt."

Mr Williams's family still believe that he was unlawfully killed, and released a statement to say that they were "naturally disappointed" about the lack of conclusions in the case.

We are naturally disappointed that it is still not possible to state with certainty how Gareth died and the fact that the circumstances of his death are still unknown adds to our grief.

We consider that on the basis of the facts known at present the Coroner's verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth's death.

– Gareth Williams' family statement.

In May last year at the end of the inquest, Dr Wilcox found that Mr Williams was probably killed and it "remained a legitimate line of inquiry" that the secret services may have been involved in the death.

She said she was sure a third party locked the code-breaker inside the red holdall in which his naked body was found in his bathtub, and that "the cause of his death was unnatural and likely to have been criminally mediated".

Pathologists said he would have suffocated within three minutes if he was alive when he got inside the 32-inch by 19-inch holdall.

Mr Williams worked for GCHQ but was on secondment to MI6 when he died. Police interviewed a total of 27 members of staff from the two agencies as part of their investigation.

His family expressed anger that MI6 took so long to check what had happened to him.

They said: "We still, however, remain very disappointed over the failure of his employers at MI6 to take even the most basic inquiries concerning Gareth's welfare when he failed to attend for work on August 16 2010.

"We believe that if proper steps had been taken in the same manner as any reasonable employer would have undertaken, further information relating to the cause of his death might have become apparent and not have been lost due to the length of time before Gareth's body was found.

"This lack of concern for Gareth's wellbeing remains an overriding feature of our thoughts following the death of a dear son and brother."

Watch Lucy's report on the verdict: [video here]

NYT : Police Say Spy Found in Bag Probably Died by Accident

Police Say Spy Found in Bag Probably Died by Accident

By STEPHEN CASTLE | November 13, 2013

LONDON — The bizarre death of a British intelligence analyst whose body was discovered inside a sports bag in a bathtub was called a probable accident by the London police on Wednesday, an inconclusive ending to one of the most puzzling investigations in recent years.

Gareth Williams, 31, a Welsh-born mathematician involved in code-breaking work, was found dead on Aug. 23, 2010, by police officers who entered his London apartment. His naked body was curled in a fetal position inside a sports bag in an otherwise empty bathtub. In a twist worthy of a spy movie, the bag was padlocked, but the keys to the lock were inside the bag, beneath the decomposing body.

Mr. Williams had evidently led a private existence, with few close friends. But with its tantalizing glimpse into the secretive world of espionage, the “spy in a bag” case drew intense interest from the news media, which speculated that Mr. Williams might have been killed, or might have died as an accidental consequence of an interest in escapology or bondage.

A post-mortem examination failed to identify a cause of death. A coroner’s inquest in 2012 found that someone else was probably involved in the death. However, the police now say they believe that Mr. Williams was most likely alone and locked himself in the bag, though they cannot rule out the possibility that someone else was present.

“From the inquest, we set up our investigation in a different way, and this has led to greater clarity on some aspects of the case,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, who oversaw the police investigation, said in a statement. “Now, at the end of our investigation, based on the evidence, or where we have been unable to find positive evidence, we believe that it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died.”

After three years of investigation, Mr. Hewitt said, “many questions remain unanswered.”

He said there was no evidence that Mr. Williams’s apartment on Alderney Street in the Pimlico neighborhood — close to the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service, where he had been working — had been “deep-cleaned,” a term used for the removal of forensic traces by intelligence operatives. There was also nothing to suggest a struggle or a break-in, he said.

Though the police did not themselves demonstrate that it was possible for a person to lock himself inside a bag, Mr. Hewitt said, they saw video of this being done.

Why Mr. Williams would have done so was not entirely clear. The 2012 coroner’s inquest heard evidence that he had visited websites dedicated to bondage and claustrophilia, which involves seeking sexual thrills from being shut in enclosed spaces.

Mr. Williams’s family said in a statement on Wednesday that they stood by the coroner’s findings — that he was probably the victim of an unlawful killing — rather than those of the police.

“We are naturally disappointed that it is still not possible to state with certainty how Gareth died, and the fact that the circumstances of his death are still unknown adds to our grief,” the family said. “We consider that, on the basis of the facts at present known, the coroner’s verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death.”

A version of this article appears in print on November 14, 2013, on page A8 of the New York edition with the headline: Police Say Spy Found in Bag Probably Died by Accident.

Daily Mail : Fury of spy in the bag's family: As police dismiss MI6 man's death as an accident, parents insist coroner was right and their son WAS unlawfully killed

Fury of spy in the bag's family: As police dismiss MI6 man's death as an accident, parents insist coroner was right and their son WAS unlawfully killed

Gareth Williams found dead in his Central London flat in August 2010
31-year-old's death was ruled to be 'probably' foul play by a coroner
But Scotland Yard announced that he seems to have locked himself in bag
Family believe he was killed and refuse to accept result of investigation
They accuse MI6 of allowing circumstances of death to be 'covered up'

By Rebecca Camber | November 13, 2013

Serious question marks remained in the spy in a bag mystery last night after a three-year police investigation failed to explain his death.

Scotland Yard chiefs said they thought Gareth Williams died alone – but were forced to admit that gaps in the evidence made it impossible to be sure.

His furious parents rejected that verdict and said they stood by a coroner’s ruling that the brilliant codebreaker was probably killed unlawfully. They also accused MI6 of allowing the circumstances of his death to be covered up.

The body of the 31-year-old lay undiscovered in a red holdall in the bath of his Pimlico flat for a week before security service bosses raised the alarm. Significantly, ten to 15 DNA traces found in the apartment are still unidentified, despite the efforts of leading forensic experts.

Police have also been unable to explain why his DNA was not on the lock on the bag and his prints were not found on the rim of the bath.

In a statement, Mr Williams’ parents Ian and Ellen said: ‘We are naturally disappointed it is still not possible to state with certainty how Gareth died, and the fact that the circumstances of his death are still unknown adds to our grief. We consider that on the basis of the facts at present known, the coroner’s verdict accurately reflects the circumstances of Gareth’s death.

‘We still, however, remain very disappointed over the failure of his employers at MI6 to take even the most basic inquiries concerning Gareth’s welfare when he failed to attend for work on August 16, 2010.’

‘If proper steps had been taken in the same manner as any reasonable employer would have undertaken, further information relating to the cause of his death might have become apparent and not have been lost due to the length of time before Gareth’s body was found.’

Mr Williams’ naked body was found on August 23, 2010.

Last year Westminster Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox said it ‘remained a legitimate line of inquiry’ that the secret services may have been involved – and Mr Williams was probably killed unlawfully by a third party.

But Martin Hewitt, a deputy assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan Police, insisted his investigation showed Mr Williams probably locked himself inside the bag without help.

He admitted however that ‘evidential contradictions and gaps in our understanding’ meant no theory – police or coroner’s – could be proved ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’.

Scotland Yard accepted that its investigation had been flawed from the outset.

Detectives were unable to access the spy’s personnel and vetting files and formally interview GCHQ and MI6 staff until after the inquest because all liaison with MI6 was carried out through the counter-terrorism squad.

But Mr Hewitt said it was ‘beyond credibility’ that the secret services had covered up the death.

‘I do not believe that I have had the wool pulled over my eyes,’ he said. ‘I believe that what we are dealing with is a tragic unexplained death.

‘I am absolutely satisfied that every question we have had to ask has been asked, and every person we felt it necessary to talk to we have spoken to.

‘No evidence has been identified to establish the full circumstances of Gareth’s death beyond all reasonable doubt.

‘With the conclusion of the investigation, the Metropolitan Police’s position is that, on balance, it is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present when Gareth died. I’m convinced that Gareth’s death was in no way related to his work.’

Pathologists said the fitness enthusiast would have suffocated within three minutes if he was alive when he got inside the 32in by 19in North Face holdall.

During his inquest in April last year two experts found it impossible to lock themselves into the bag – despite trying 400 times. However, retired Army sergeant William MacKay has since demonstrated it is possible to squeeze inside the holdall and lock it from the inside.

Mr Hewitt dismissed the theory that the flat had been ‘deep-cleaned’ to remove any evidence of a struggle or a break-in.

Following the inquest, police launched a full review of the case, interviewing 27 staff from the security services for the first time.

The spy worked for GCHQ but was on secondment to MI6 when he died.

Mr Hewitt added: ‘We didn’t get it right at the beginning and the way that we did it was cumbersome and didn’t allow us to do the investigation in the way that we wanted to.

'We recognised that fact and we changed it fundamentally for the subsequent two years of the investigation. I don’t think that process stopped us getting any evidence that we needed to get.’
He said police had re-examined the spy’s telephones and laptops.

The agent had used the internet to search bondage websites before his death but there were no specific searches around getting into a bag, Mr Hewitt said.

He also said a stash of designer women’s clothing found at the flat had no bearing on his death. Although police are not pursuing any more active lines of inquiry, the case will remain under review.

12 crucial questions that still need an answer

The three-year police investigation into Gareth Williams’ death has left a number of crucial questions unanswered, including:

Why did a week elapse before he was reported missing by MI6?

Gareth Williams was meticulous about timekeeping and attendance at work.

Yet despite being based in an office of just four people at MI6 headquarters, it took a week before his employers contacted police to say he was missing.

This potentially allowed evidence to be lost as the body decomposed – or for the scene to be tampered with.

On MI6’s failure to report the codebreaker’s absence, Dr Fiona Wilcox, the coroner who presided over the inquest into Mr Williams’ death, said that evidence given anonymously by Mr Williams’ MI6 line manager, known only as Witness G, had ‘stretched the bounds of credibility’.

Even after Mr Williams’ bosses decided he was missing there was a further four hours delay before raising the alarm.

Why was the death scene so spotless?

When a police officer finally arrived at the flat in Pimlico where Mr Williams lived on August 23, 2010, he was struck by how ‘extremely tidy’ the property was.

His mobile phone and two SIM cards were neatly arranged on a table and a laptop was on the floor. Could the scene have been cleaned up after he died?

The smell of the decomposing body became apparent only when the bathroom door was opened. In the bath was a bulging, padlocked holdall from which it was noticed that red fluid was seeping into the bathtub.

Could he have locked himself in the holdall?

The naked body of 5ft 8in Mr Williams was discovered inside the 32in by 19in North Face holdall. The Metropolitan Police concluded yesterday his death was an accident – he must have placed himself inside the bag, locked it and died from suffocation.

But during the inquest last year Dr Wilcox watched video footage of expert witnesses attempting – and failing – 400 times to perform this feat.

There were no signs that once inside the bag Mr Williams had violently struggled, despite the fact that it could have taken him three minutes to lapse into unconsciousness from the build-up of carbon dioxide within.

In stark contrast to the police, Dr Wilcox concluded a third party placed the bag in the bath and locked it.

Could he have been poisoned?

The coroner found that Mr Williams probably died rapidly from hypocapnia, the fatal accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood.

But she also refused to rule out that he was killed by a mystery poison such as cyanide, insulin, laughing gas, chloroform or amyl nitrate.

None of these could be detected if they had been used because of the terribly decomposed state of his body.

Where were his fingerprints?

Mr Williams’ DNA was not found on the bag’s lock and there were no foot or finger prints left on the bath and tiles – something that would have been expected had he climbed into the holdall while it was in the bath.

Forensic experts said at least one unidentified person may have been in the bathroom between the time the bag was put in the bath and its discovery by police eight days later.

Commenting on the lack of prints, the coroner added: ‘In relation to the prints found within the bathroom, in my view what was more significant was what was not found rather than what was found.’

Elsewhere in the flat there was a similar lack of clues with police finding all the fingerprints belonged to Mr Williams or his close family.

Of the DNA found, ten to 15 traces cannot be developed into full profiles, including those found on a green hand towel in his kitchen.

There was no sign of a break-in, but police found that the front door latch could be reached and raised through the letterbox.

Why was the heating on in mid summer?

Mr Williams, an extremely fit cyclist and lover of the outdoors, died during August, when the central heating would normally be switched off.

The fact that it was on in his top floor flat has raised a suspicion that it is linked to his death – or at least an attempt to destroy evidence by speeding up the decomposition of his body inside a sealed holdall.

The fact that the holdall was placed in a bath meant fluids released from the bag drained away.

Was there a phone call to a killer?

An iPhone left lying on a table in Mr Williams’ flat was one of the key lines of inquiry after the inquest.

The £500 device, one of four owned by the MI6 officer, was ‘restored to factory settings’, in the late evening of August 15, 2010, just hours before Mr Williams died.

A mobile phone operator told police it had not been used over the previous three months.

Investigators believed the phone might have somehow been used to contact whoever might have killed him.

What took MI6 so long?

After the inquest Dr Wilcox said it remained ‘a legitimate line of inquiry’ that the secret services were involved in Mr Williams’ death, noting however that there was no evidence to show that he died at the hands of spies.

But his family remain convinced that MI6 undermined the inquiry, whether deliberately or by unintentional errors.

In the initial investigation, Scotland Yard created a ‘firewall’ between MI6 and the murder squad by insisting all inquiries must go via the force’s counter-terror branch, which has specialist security clearance.

MI6 failed to provide formal, sworn statements to the inquest because the counter-terror branch did not press for anything more than anonymous summaries of informal interviews.

The inquest also heard that Mr Williams’ GCHQ computer was not handed over until six days after his body was discovered and the MI6 one four days later.

Did the police bungle the investigation?

Police missed potentially vital clues by failing to recover Mr Williams’ possessions from a shared locker in his office.

Two counter terrorism officers were criticised for failing to document or seize the items, which include nine computer memory sticks and another bag. Incredibly, they also failed to tell the murder squad about the evidence.

Was there a false trail?

While family and friends portrayed Mr Williams as a very private man of conventional tastes, a different picture emerged following his death.

Police discovered a £20,000 collection of women’s designer clothing and shoes in his flat, and a video on one of his phones showed Mr Williams ‘gyrating’ in nothing more than a pair of women’s calf-length boots while a former landlady told how she had once found him tied to his bedposts wearing only his boxer shorts.

Police also found evidence that Mr Williams looked at bondage websites and visited transvestite clubs and gay bars – but they could not identify a single sexual partner.

The family raised concerns about how such material appeared to be being leaked to the media – so fuelling speculation that Mr Williams was a transvestite who was the victim of a sex game that went wrong.

During the inquest Dr Wilcox concluded that Mr Williams was not a transvestite and that his collection of women’s clothes were probably gifts for friends.

She dismissed claims that Mr Williams had entered the sports bag seeking sexual gratification.

The coroner said: ‘I wonder what the motive was for the release of this material to the media. I wonder whether this was an attempt by a third party to intimate a sexual motive.’

Could he have been blackmailed?

The question of whether Mr Williams’ death connected to his work is complicated by the fact that MI6 obtained a public interest immunity certificate keeping secret details of the work he carried out for them and GCHQ.

They have been keen to paint a picture of Mr Williams as a ‘low risk’ official, whose academic skills kept him deskbound.

But during the inquest it became clear he was a highly skilled computer scientist who had recently met two informants and was ready to be deployed on an active mission.

One manager said he made a ‘small number’ of unauthorised searches on the MI6 database which could have left him open to blackmail.

A Knightsbridge waitress recalled how the reclusive loner regularly came to her café.

When she reported him missing, GCHQ’s human resources chief told a police worker that Mr Williams had been ‘just taken off an operation’ and was unhappy.

Why was he in Las Vegas?

Just days before his death Mr Williams was sent by GCHQ to attend a secretive conference in Las Vegas.

Called DefCon, the event is a magnet for spies from agencies across the world and included classes in opening padlocks without keys, escaping from handcuffs, tampering with objects without leaving traces and confounding drug tests.

IOL News (Zambia) : British spy ‘killed himself by accident’

British spy ‘killed himself by accident’

AFP | November 13, 2013

London - A British intelligence analyst whose naked body was found zipped in a holdall three years ago most likely killed himself by accident, police said on Wednesday.

A fresh review of the so-called “spy in the bag” case has concluded that Gareth Williams, 31, was not murdered but had climbed into the bag without assistance.

“My personal view at the end of the investigation is that what happened was an accident,” Martin Hewitt, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police told reporters.

“I am convinced that Gareth's death was in no way related to his work.”

The police findings contradict the conclusions of a coroner who concluded at an inquest last year that Williams was “probably” the victim of another person.

Hewitt refused to speculate whether Williams' death at his flat in London in August 2010 was linked to his alleged interest in escapology and bondage.

He said: “It is now proven that it is theoretically possible for a person to lock themselves in that exact holdall, with the same type of lock, and in the configuration in which Gareth was found.

“It is important to note that this fact was found to be a possibility by the inquest.”

Williams' naked and decomposing body was found in a padlocked North Face holdall in the bathtub at his flat in the upmarket Pimlico district of London.

He was a codebreaker for the British eavesdropping agency GCHQ who had been seconded to the MI6 foreign intelligence service.

His death sparked a fierce debate about whether he had been murdered because of his work. No one has been arrested over the death.

Al Jazeera : UK spy found dead in locked bag 'not murder'

UK spy found dead in locked bag 'not murder'

Police say MI6 worker Gareth Williams, whose body was found in a padlocked bag, died accidentally and on his own.

November 13, 2013

A British spy whose naked, decomposing body was found padlocked in a bag in his bath probably died accidentally on his own, police in the UK have said, rejecting conspiracy theories that his death was the work of foreign agents.

The Metropolitan Police's deputy assistant commissioner, Martin Hewitt, said on Wednesday that investigations suggested it was likely Gareth Williams, a code-breaker working for MI6, had not been murdered.

"Most probably, it was an accident," Hewitt said. "I'm convinced that Gareth's death was in no way linked to his work."

In May last year, a coroner concluded that Williams was probably killed unlawfully by another person.

Williams, 31, worked as a code breaker at the GCHQ but was on a three-year secondment to MI6, which deals with foreign espionage matters. His remains were found inside a zipped and padlocked red hold-all at an intelligence service "safe house" close to MI6's headquarters.

His body had laid undiscovered for a week. Tests found no traces of alcohol, drugs or poison in his body. Detectives found no palm prints on the side of the bath nor any traces of his DNA on the padlock.

Hewitt admitted the original police investigation had been flawed, and after the inquest they pursued new lines of inquiry. But detectives found no evidence anyone had been in the flat when he died.

He rejected suggestions the flat could have undergone a "forensic clean" to remove traces of any killers.

Despite the fact that there had always been doubt that someone could have locked themselves in a bag, as a number of experts tried and failed, Hewitt said they now believed this was what Williams had done, though he had not intended to kill themselves.

"It's theoretically possible for someone to do that. It is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present," said Hewitt.

Source: Reuters

NBC : British spy found padlocked in bag in bathtub died accidentally, police say

British spy found padlocked in bag in bathtub died accidentally, police say

By Michael Holden, Reuters | November 13, 2013

LONDON -- A British spy, whose naked, decomposing body was found padlocked in a bag in his bathtub, probably died accidentally on his own, police said on Wednesday, rejecting conspiracy theories that his bizarre death was the work of foreign agents.

In May last year, a coroner concluded that Gareth Williams, who was working for Britain's external intelligence service MI6 when he was found dead at his home in August 2010, was probably killed unlawfully by another person.

His spy background and the fact that expensive, unworn women's clothes were found at his flat provoked a wide range of "weird and wonderful" theories, London Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said, but further investigations now suggested it was more likely he had not been murdered.

"Most probably, it was an accident," Hewitt told reporters. "I'm convinced that Gareth's death was in no way linked to his work."

Williams, 31, worked as a code breaker at the Government Communications Headquarters but was on a three-year secondment to MI6, which deals with foreign espionage matters.

The remains of the math prodigy were found curled up inside a zipped and padlocked red hold-all at the London flat -- an intelligence service "safe house" -- close to MI6's headquarters.

His body was badly decomposed after remaining in the bag in the August heat for a full week until he was discovered. Tests found no traces of alcohol, drugs or poison in his body.

Detectives found no palm prints on the side of the bath nor any traces of his DNA on the padlock.

Instead, they found make-up, a long-haired wig and unworn women's clothes and shoes worth around 20,000 pounds ($31,900). They also found images of transvestites, a picture of Williams wearing only boots, and evidence of visits to sexual bondage websites on his computer.

"This is a case where there's been enormous theorizing and speculating...and weird and wonderful stories," Hewitt said.

Hewitt admitted the original police investigation had been flawed and after the inquest they pursued new lines of inquiry.

But detectives found no evidence anyone had been in the flat when he died. Hewitt rejected suggestions the flat could have undergone a "forensic clean" to remove traces of any killers.

He ruled out any suggestion that Williams interest in women's clothing or his work as a spy had played a part, and said they did not believe he had meant to take his own life.

Despite the fact that there had always been doubt that someone could have locked themselves in a bag -- a number of experts tried and failed -- Hewitt said they now believed this was what Williams had done.

"It's theoretically possible for someone to do that. It is a more probable conclusion that there was no other person present," said Hewitt, who agreed Williams's interest in escapology might have been a factor.

He could not categorically rule out anyone else being involved and said any new evidence would be followed up.

In a statement, Williams's family said they still believed the coroner's conclusions more accurately reflected what had happened, and repeated their anger that MI6 had failed to report Williams missing for days after he did not show up at work.

Hewitt denied suggestions Britain's spies had simply staged an elaborate cover-up.

"I do not believe I have had the wool pulled over my eyes."

Vancouver Sun : Don't confuse him with James Bond: U.K. spy in a bag ‘killed himself by accident’

Don't confuse him with James Bond: U.K. spy in a bag ‘killed himself by accident’

By Tom Whitehead | The Daily Telegraph | November 13, 2013

The MI6 spy found dead in a bag three years ago most likely locked himself inside, police are expected to announce Wednesday.

A fresh Scotland Yard review of the so-called “spy in a bag” case has concluded that Gareth Williams was able to climb into a sports bag unaided and there is little evidence of foul play, The Daily Telegraph understands.

The findings will contradict the conclusions of a coroner who last year said Williams had “probably” died at the hands of another.

It also raises the prospect of police closing or scaling back the investigation and ending, at least officially, the mystery that has prompted so many conspiracy theories.

BODY NAKED, DECOMPOSING

The naked, decomposing body of Williams, a codebreaker on secondment to MI6 from GCHQ, Britain’s signals intelligence agency, was found in a padlocked sports bag in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, London, in August 2010.

Despite an intensive police investigation, no one has been arrested and the circumstances surrounding his death have remained a mystery.

Following an eight-day inquest last year, coroner Dr. Fiona Wilcox concluded that Williams was probably “unlawfully killed” in a criminal act, after experts found it impossible to climb into a similar bag and lock it unaided.

Wilcox said his death most likely involved a third party and that he was either poisoned or suffocated.

She also said the possibility that a member of the intelligence services was involved in the math prodigy’s death remained a “legitimate line of inquiry” for police.

CORONER SPARKED REVIEW

The Metropolitan Police announced an urgent review of the case in the wake of the coroner’s findings, including concerns over how some evidence was handled by MI6 and counter-terrorism officers during the two-year investigation.

But it is understood the review has concluded that it was possible for Williams, whom the inquest heard had an interest in escapology, to lock himself in the bag unassisted, and that this was the most likely scenario.

A senior Whitehall source said: “It seems as though the coroner made a mistake in ruling out evidence that Williams could have climbed into the holdall without outside help.

“If it can be demonstrated that Williams was able to climb into the holdall unassisted, then all the other fanciful conspiracy theories start to fall apart.”

400 ATTEMPTS

On behalf of the coroner, two experts tried 400 times to lock themselves into the bag, and one claimed that even Harry Houdini “would have struggled” to squeeze himself inside.

But days after the inquest, a retired Army sergeant showed how it was possible to climb into a similar North Face bag and lock it from the inside.

The renewed investigation involved officers reinterviewing MI6 officers and taking their DNA samples.

However, The Daily Telegraph disclosed last year how detectives increasingly believed Williams probably locked himself in the bag and died accidentally.

Detectives were able to repeat the sergeant’s experiments with the lock in different positions, which matched how Williams was found.

A source close to the inquiry said at the time: “They have been unable to find any trace of anyone who should not have been in the flat, and have every reason to believe that Gareth may have climbed into the bag himself and had been unable to get out.”

© Copyright (c) The Daily Telegraph

Metro Police : Identification of Gareth Williams

Identification of Gareth Williams [PDF]

I note you seek access to the following information:

I have a freedom of information request relating to the identification of Gareth Williams who was found in a Sports bag in a bath in London SW1 in August 2010.

My question can be answered by email. It is this:

It has been variously reported that
a) the body was identified by the parents of Gareth when they came back from a holiday in Canada.
b) the body was identified by a photo of Gareth supplied by the family.

I would like to know
-- on what date the body was formally identified
-- where the body was when formally identified
-- how the formal identification was made
-- who made the formal identification, whether by photographic comparison or visual sight.

DECISION

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

The subject of identification of Mr Williams was dealt with by HM Coroner Fiona Wilcox from Inner West London Coroners Office during the inquest into Mr Williams death between the 23rd April 2012 and 2nd May 2012.

Identification of Mr Williams was made on 25th August 2010 by a coroners officer comparing a recent photograph which had been supplied by the family of the deceased.

Kindly note that further requests for information on this subject may attract the following exemptions:

Section 21 - Information reasonably accessible by other means
Section 30 - Investigations

The inquest of Mr Williams was a public one and as such the coroner's transcript is a matter of public record. The media were present at the inquest and details of matters pertaining to Mr Williams' death have been widely reported in the press.

Specialist Crime & Operations

Crime Library : Gareth Williams: The Dead Spy in The Sports Bag

Gareth Williams: The Dead Spy in The Sports Bag

By Bruce Gain | January 4, 2013

One of the first things police noticed on entering the London apartment of the missing man, was the smell of death, exacerbated by the sweltering temperature. It was the middle of August in 2010, and someone had turned up the heat and shut the windows.

The smell was coming from the bathroom, where a large sports bag lay in the tub. Inside the bag, which was locked from the outside, was the badly decomposed body of missing British MI6 spy Gareth Williams.

Investigators did not have much to go on. There were few traces of DNA in the apartment that did not belong to Williams and his family. A suspect would have to have had professional training to know how to enter and leave an apartment without leaving any fingerprints or DNA evidence. Since the body had had over a week to decompose in the sweltering apartment, determining whether he had been poisoned or had suffocated inside the bag was impossible. Traces of alcohol and the date rape drug GHB were found in his body, but according to coroner Dr. Fiona Wilcox, the decomposition process could have produced those chemicals naturally.

Lacking any fingerprints, investigators could not confirm whether someone had stuffed Williams into the bag or not. They speculated that Williams, with his expert spy training, had managed to crawl inside the bag and lock it himself, but the evidence was in conclusive. In fact, the mystery surrounding how Williams got into that bag is at the center of the case.

Police, however, suspected foul play. The mere fact that Williams was a spy aroused their suspicions. Investigators pondered the possibility that, because of his connections to M16 as well as other agencies, including the U.S.’s NSA (National Security Agency), Williams had been the victim of a professionally orchestrated hit.

Investigators also learned that Williams might have led a secret life, possibly involving cross-dressing and the S&M scene in London. Police naturally probed Williams’ private life and sexual interests, the behavior of Williams’ colleagues and superiors at MI6 in the wake of his death drew criticism. Most notably, they did not report him missing for a week. Intentionally or not, these errors committed during the course of the investigation wound up impeding it, leading many to conclude that at the very least MI6 knew more about the circumstances surrounding Williams’ death than the secretive organization was willing to reveal.

The Welsh Math Genius

British intelligence had made good use of Williams’ talents as a cryptologist and computer network expert. His intellectual aptitude became apparent while he was still growing up in Wales, where he excelled in school, and began taking university classes while still in high school. Williams graduated from Bangor University at the age of 17.

He got his Ph.D. in computer science at the University of Manchester, and joined the UK Government Communications Headquarters in 2001. Few details were revealed about his role at the agency other than that he specialized in “applications of emerging technologies.”

Based in Cheltenham, Britain, at first, Williams spent his downtime pursuing his favorite activities: cycling and hiking. He then moved to the London flat where his body was found, and joined MI6’s operations. According to testimony from his family, however, Williams was not happy with his assignment in London: He did not like the hectic pace of city life, nor did he appreciate M16’s macho, cloak-and-dagger culture. He requested and was granted permission to transfer back to Cheltenham to take up his former post at GCHQ, and was scheduled to make the move just a few days after his death.

Court testimony also revealed that Williams was actively involved in gathering intelligence about terrorist activities, which he did by penetrating and monitoring computer and voice networks. Just a few weeks before his death, it was revealed that Williams was responsible for preventing a major jihadist attack on British soil.

According to the Daily Express, Williams intercepted phone calls that matched the voice prints of a terrorist database, composed of Al-Qaeda members and other terrorists. Williams would later travel to Afghanistan with members from the GCHQ and the U.S.’ NSA. It was uncovered that the terrorist group was preparing to launch a major attack against targets in Berlin, London, and Paris and planned to destroy cultural and historical landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Brandenburg Gate, and Buckingham Palace. The attack was reportedly thwarted by arrests, and by a U.S. drone strike that killed Abdul Jabbar, a Pakistan-born British national. According to the Daily Express, Williams was responsible for saving thousands of lives in Europe.

An S&M Connection?

Williams’ roll in saving lives while serving his country at M16 might have made him a hero, but that is not what the tabloid press chose to focus on. Instead, during the weeks and months after Williams’ body was found, much attention was paid to Williams’ private life, details of which were leaked to the British press.

By all accounts, Williams was very private; he kept mostly to himself, had few close friends and few people outside of his work knew him. However, there were some aspects of his life outside the agency that police theorized could have played a role in his death.

Besides his passion for cycling and hiking, William was a prodigious collector of women’s clothing. Police found over £20,000 worth of women’s apparel at his London flat, a major investment for Williams who earned hardly twice that much in a year. Investigators concluded that the clothing collection, most of which was not his size, reflected his personal interest in fashion itself, an interest he pursued by attending classes at a local fashion design institute in his free time.

Other details police uncovered about Williams’ private life prompted investigators to suspect that he may have been a transvestite, possibly involved with the local S&M bondage community. Witnesses reported seeing him, on occasion, at transvestite clubs and gay bars, according to the Daily Mail. Police found a video on one of his cell phones of him dancing naked, wearing only women’s boots. However, police never found evidence that Williams had gay relationships. In fact, they never found evidence that he had relationships of any kind, with women or men. His friends and relatives continued to insist that he was heterosexual.

One incident that lent credibility to the theory that Williams was interested in sexual bondage, came from his landlady. She told investigators that on one occasion, while renting a floor of her house, Williams had once cried to her out for help. She and her husband responded, discovering Williams tied to his bed, wearing only underwear. He explained that he was trying to see if he was able to free himself after being tied up. The landlady reported that she suspected Williams was seeking sexual thrills by tying himself up.

While there continues to be much speculation by police and the media that Williams was involved in a sexual stunt that resulted in his death, his family and friends think otherwise. Wilcox, who released her verdict in late 2012, cast further doubts that Williams was killed during a sexual misadventure.

If someone had entered the apartment without force, it indicated that Williams had let that person in, and that it was a colleague. Williams would have only trusted a colleague to enter the flat, which had served as housing for MI6 officers before Williams moved there.

Wilcox also questioned MI6’s intentions for mishandling the case. Suspicious were raised from the beginning, when the agency waited for over a week to alert police that Williams had not reported to work, despite the extremely sensitive nature of that work.

Other details smacked of a professional hit. The bag, for example, had been placed in the bathtub, which would have facilitated the draining of bodily fluids as the corpse decomposed. Turning up the heat in the apartment helped to speed decomposition, making it more difficult to determine cause of death.

MI6 found and removed USB memory sticks that Williams had, in violation of protocol, brought home from work. The agency, however, did not share the contents of the USB keys with police, citing security concerns. MI6 officials also did not communicate the possible reasons why Williams breached the agency’s security rules by taking classified data from the agency to his apartment in the first place.

An Elaborate Cover Up?

If the bizarre nature of his death was part of a setup staged by a professional from the intelligence community, it would almost certainly not be the first time such an incident occurred. Many M16 and other spies have turned up dead in the aftermath of what looked like embarrassing sexual encounters. According to the Daily Mail, there have been more than 17 deaths of British agents who have died under suspicious circumstances during the past 50 years. Of those deaths, a third died while engaging in what appeared to have been bizarre sexual acts. The motive in staging these sex scenes was to prevent investigators from discovering the truth, according to the Daily Mail.

In one incident in 1990, Jonathan Moyle, a British journalist and editor of Defence Helicopter World, was found dead in his hotel room in Chile, hanging naked in his closet with a pillowcase over his head. British officials initially claimed that he had asphyxiated himself as a way to heighten his pleasure during sex. He was officially in Chili to investigate an arms deal for his magazine, but years later, British intelligence divulged that the 3-year former RAF officer was actually working undercover for MI6 seeking intelligence about an arms deal between Chile and Iraq. It took an aggressive legal campaign spearheaded by the family against the British Secret Service before officials reluctantly agreed to apologize and acknowledged that Moyle was probably murdered.

British politician and former BBC newscaster Stephen Milligan also died under suspicious circumstances in 1994. Milligan, believed to have ties to the British intelligence community, was found dead in his London flat tied to a chair wearing only women’s leggings and suspenders. There was a cord wrapped around his neck and a bag over his head. Part of an orange was stuffed in his mouth. Despite the sexual implications of the circumstances, the true circumstances of Milligan’s death remain a mystery.

Many Questions, More Answers … And More Questions

In her official verdict, coroner Fiona Wilcox downplayed the possibility that Williams was killed during a sex encounter and said that his death was likely “criminally premeditated.” She also concluded that Williams was probably “killed unlawfully,” and while she did not have conclusive proof, the coroner also said that a member or members of the MI6 or GCHQ could have been involved.

Gareth Williams’ family remains adamant that MI6 at least knows more about his death than the agency’s members are willing to reveal. They have openly questioned how the rumors, that the family continues to deny, of the sordid details of Williams’ his private life could have been mysteriously leaked to the newspapers. The family claims that Williams has been the target of a smear campaign.

John Sawers, head of MI6 and GCHQ, offered a “profound apology” to Williams’ family for the delay in taking action after Williams was reported missing. However, MI6 officials have denied that his death was the result of the espionage-related “black arts.” Family members, however, remain unconvinced and are using legal channels to get the British secret service as well as the police to reveal more about what they may have uncovered about the case.

After the coroner concluded that Williams was killed and did not die by sexual misadventure, police at Scotland Yard stated that they have exhausted all of their leads, and that Williams ‘probably locked himself in holdall’ willingly, because they keys were found inside. Also a retired Army sergeant, William MacKay, demonstrated for police how Williams could have done it.

Police however continue to assure the public that they haven’t given up yet. So the mysterious death of Gareth William’s will most likely remain hot topic for 2013.

The Australian : Spy in bag reportedly had mysterious links to Kazakh oil oligarch

Spy in bag reportedly had mysterious links to Kazakh oil oligarch

see also: Courier Mail | Daily Telegraph (Au) | News dot Com | Herald Sun

by: Staff reporter | December 31, 2012

THE MI6 code breaker who was found dead inside a sport's bag in a London flat had reportedly been in contact with the son of a Kazakh oil oligarch.

Police in the UK are investigating Gareth Williams' contact with Furkat Ibragimov, the son of a Kazakh billionaire, in the months leading up to his death Britain's Daily Telegraph reports.

The 25 year old is one of four sons of oil baron Alijan Ibragimov, listed in the 400 richest people in the world, and lives in London where he has invested millions in oil and a health drink company. Just how they met and if Mr Ibragimov knew Mr Williams worked for MI6 is not known, though the pair are thought to have a mutual friend in Miss Elizabeth Guthrie.

Miss Guthrie met Mr Williams in the last year of his life and shared a flat with his old school friend, she is also said to be close with Mr Ibragimov and calls him 'Shark', The Telegraph reported.

News of a new police investigation into the 31-year-old's death comes just days after a Scotland Yard review of the case found he most likely locked himself in the bag where his body was found. A fresh investigation came after Westminster Coroner, Dr Fiona Wilcox, said earlier this year she could not rule out the involvement of the security services in the death.

Witnesses at the coronial inquest were questioned about any possible link between Mr Williams and Mr Ibragimov.

Miss Guthrie told the coroner that Mr Williams "never mentioned" Mr Ibragimov to her.

But a MI6 officer who gave evidence behind a screen and was identified only as F, refused to answer when asked if Mr Williams knew or was in contact with anyone from the central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan where Mr Ibragimov's father was born. F said she was unable to provide answers to those questions on security grounds.

The Telegraph also reports that Williams was involved in field activities with MI6 and there are suggestions he may have been followed after meeting with undercover agents for the intelligence service.

MI6 is fully co-operating with this new investigation after it was criticised for failing to pass on vital information into previous probes and witnesses, friends and acquaintances have been re-interviewed.

Photographs, videos and outfits kept in the MI6-owned flat said to be related to Mr Williams' supposed interest in bondage are being re-examined to see if they were staged.

"This remains an active investigation and officers continue to explore a number of lines of inquiry. Officers retain an open mind in relation to the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Williams," a Scotland Yard spokesperson said.

Perth Now : Spy in bag reportedly had mysterious links to Kazakh oil oligarch

Spy in bag reportedly had mysterious links to Kazakh oil oligarch

December 31, 2012

THE MI6 code breaker who was found dead inside a sport's bag in a London flat had reportedly been in contact with the son of a Kazakh oil oligarch.

Police in the UK are investigating Gareth Williams' contact with Furkat Ibragimov, the son of a Kazakh billionaire, in the months leading up to his death Britain's Daily Telegraph reports.

The 25 year old is one of four sons of oil baron Alijan Ibragimov, listed in the 400 richest people in the world, and lives in London where he has invested millions in oil and a health drink company. Just how they met and if Mr Ibragimov knew Mr Williams worked for MI6 is not known, though the pair are thought to have a mutual friend in Miss Elizabeth Guthrie.

Miss Guthrie met Mr Williams in the last year of his life and shared a flat with his old school friend, she is also said to be close with Mr Ibragimov and calls him 'Shark', The Telegraph reported.

News of a new police investigation into the 31-year-old's death comes just days after a Scotland Yard review of the case found he most likely locked himself in the bag where his body was found. A fresh investigation came after Westminster Coroner, Dr Fiona Wilcox, said earlier this year she could not rule out the involvement of the security services in the death.

Witnesses at the coronial inquest were questioned about any possible link between Mr Williams and Mr Ibragimov.

Miss Guthrie told the coroner that Mr Williams "never mentioned" Mr Ibragimov to her.

But a MI6 officer who gave evidence behind a screen and was identified only as F, refused to answer when asked if Mr Williams knew or was in contact with anyone from the central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan where Mr Ibragimov's father was born. F said she was unable to provide answers to those questions on security grounds.

The Telegraph also reports that Williams was involved in field activities with MI6 and there are suggestions he may have been followed after meeting with undercover agents for the intelligence service.

MI6 is fully co-operating with this new investigation after it was criticised for failing to pass on vital information into previous probes and witnesses, friends and acquaintances have been re-interviewed.

Photographs, videos and outfits kept in the MI6-owned flat said to be related to Mr Williams' supposed interest in bondage are being re-examined to see if they were staged.

"This remains an active investigation and officers continue to explore a number of lines of inquiry. Officers retain an open mind in relation to the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Williams," a Scotland Yard spokesperson said.

Sun : Bag spy had links to son of oligarch

Bag spy had links to son of oligarch

By RYAN PARRY | December 31, 2012

SPY-in-the-bag Gareth Williams was in contact with the son of a Kazakh oligarch before his death, it was claimed yesterday.

Cops believe the spook and Furkat Ibragimov — son of billionaire Alijan — spoke in the months before the computer analyst was found dead at an MI6-owned flat.

The link raises questions over whether he was actively working for the intelligence services.

An inquest failed to find the cause of death and left open the possibility of murder after his naked body was found in a locked North Face bag in Pimlico, central London, in August 2010.

A fresh probe by police was launched after the inquest but it is unclear if detectives have yet quizzed Mr Ibragimov.

How the pair met is still unknown, and there is no suggestion wealthy Mr Ibragimov — based in London — is a suspect.

Scotland Yard said last night: “This remains an active investigation.”

Mirror : Gareth Williams: Body-in-bag spy's links to Kazakh oligarch's son and two MI6 agents

Gareth Williams: Body-in-bag spy's links to Kazakh oligarch's son and two MI6 agents

Rachael Bletchly | December 31, 2012

Detectives believe the 31-year-old may have been murdered by foreign spies after covert meetings with the spooks

Dead spy Gareth Williams had links to the son of a Kazakh billionaire as well as two MI6 secret agents, a police probe has revealed.

Detectives believe the 31-year-old, found dead in a bag, may have been murdered by foreign spies after covert meetings with the spooks.

They also want to know whether he was ­“encouraged” to befriend Furkat Ibragimov, 25, son of an oligarch.

There is no suggestion he played any part in the death.

The leads emerged after an inquest in May ruled he may have been murdered because of his intelligence work.

MI6 has revealed he was “involved with two agents in the field” rather than only being a computer analyst.

His body was found in his flat in Pimlico, Central London, in August 2010.

Police have not ruled out a theory he died during a sex game but his family said he was not involved in bondage.

Scotland Yard said the inquiry remained open.

Nigeria News : Body-in-the-bag MI6 spy Gareth Williams and his mystery links to Kazakh oligarch

Body-in-the-bag MI6 spy Gareth Williams and his mystery links to Kazakh oligarch

* Gareth Williams 'in contact with Furkat Ibragimov, son of Kazakh billionaire'
* Ibragimov's father involved in oil and mining and in world's top 400 richest
* Police 'probing claims Williams could have been asked to befriend Ibragimov'
* Codebreaker mysteriously found dead in central London flat in August 2010

By Mark Duell | December 30, 2012

The 31-year-old MI6 spy found dead inside a locked bag in his flat was in contact with a Kazakh oligarch’s son before his mysterious death, it was claimed today.

Gareth Williams - whose naked and decomposing body was found in August 2010 in Pimlico, central London - was allegedly in touch with Furkat Ibragimov, 25, the son of a billionaire from Kazakhstan.

Police are said to be probing their relationship amid claims that Mr Williams could have been encouraged by British intelligence forces to befriend Mr Ibragimov in the months before he died.

Officers have re-questioned Mr Williams’s friends and family, reported The Sunday Telegraph. It was also revealed today that the spy was engaged in more MI6 field work than previously thought.

There is no suggestion Mr Ibragimov - whose father Alijan is one of the world’s 400 richest people - played a part in the death. But it’s not known whether detectives have yet spoken to father or son.

Alijan Ibragimov is known in Kazakhstan as part of the ‘Trio’, along with business partners Alexander Mashkevich and Patokh Chodiev, who are behind an empire of oil, gas, mining and banking.

His London-based son Furkat Ibragimov, who invests in oil, had a mutual friend with Mr Williams of Missa Elizabeth Guthrie, daughter of a US tycoon. She befriended the spy in the year before he died.

Miss Guthrie had shared a flat with Mr Williams’s school friend Sian Lloyd-Jones, a fashion stylist.

Secret court papers revealed that Furkat Ibragimov and Miss Guthrie were friends and business partners - and that she allegedly asked Mr Williams if he could make a fake degree certificate.

But she told the inquest into Mr William’s death that he had ‘never mentioned’ Mr Ibragimov, reported The Sunday Telegraph. Last week police claimed the spy probably locked himself inside the bag.

The inquest found he could have been the victim of foul play, as the coroner expressed doubts that he could have locked the bag himself.

However, investigators discovered that it is possible to lock the type of holdall he was found in from the inside, and now say it is likely that no one else was involved in Mr Williams' death.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox ruled earlier this year that it was unlikely Mr Williams could have locked himself into the holdall which contained his body and whose keys were also locked inside the bag.

Experts testified that they had tried to lock themselves inside the bag more than 400 times, and said even famed escapologist Harry Houdini would have had difficulty doing so.

But just a few days after Dr Wilcox delivered her verdict, a retired sergeant revealed that the feat was possible, casting doubt on the assertion that someone else must have been involved in the death.

Police refined the experiment to mirror the exact way the bag had been locked - and agreed that Mr Williams could have secured the holdall himself, reported the Daily Telegraph.

The mysterious circumstances surrounding Mr Williams's death sparked speculation that he could have been assassinated by the security services.

His MI6 colleagues did not report him missing for a week, and failed to hand over key evidence from their office, which raised concerns that there could have been a cover-up.

However, others pointed to an apparent interest in bondage and cross-dressing as a more likely explanation for his death.

Mr Williams was once found by his landlord tied to his own bed wearing only underwear, while he apparently kept £20,000 worth of women's clothes in his flat.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘This remains an active investigation and officers continue to explore a number of lines of inquiry.

'Officers retain an open mind in relation to the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Williams.'

Mr Ibragimov was abroad and could not be reached. Miss Guthrie was unavailable for comment.

Alaska Dispatch : Mystery of MI6 worker found naked and dead in locked sports bag may be solved

Mystery of MI6 worker found naked and dead in locked sports bag may be solved

Freya Petersen | December 30, 2012

Gareth Williams, the MI6 worker found naked and dead inside a padlocked bag in the bath at his London apartment in 2010, probably did it to himself, Scotland Yard has found.

The finding counters speculation that Williams was the victim of a hit by the security services, which Westminster Coroner Fiona Wilcox said earlier this year remained a "legitimate line of inquiry."

The Telegraph reported that a review of the case by Scotland Yard's murder squad — which re-interviewed Williams' colleagues from MI6 and taken DNA samples over the last seven months — concluded that he probably died alone.

"They have been unable to find any trace of anyone who should not have been in the flat and every reason to believe that Gareth may have climbed into the bag himself and been unable to get out," a source close to the inquiry said.

Williams, 31, a cryptology expert according to Fairfax New Zealand, had worked for Britain's eavesdropping service GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) but was temporarily attached to MI6, the UK's spy agency, when he was found dead just a few days after returning from a trip to the US.

Described as an introverted math genius, he had an unorthodox sexual history, according to evidence given at the coroner's hearing.

His landlord testified that she once found him handcuffed to his bed, embarrassed and asking for help.

Meantime, forensic experts reportedly found about $32,000 worth of luxury women's clothing, shoes and wigs in his apartment.

Williams was also found to have been visiting bondage and sadomasochism websites, including several related to claustrophilia - a desire for confinement in enclosed spaces.

He was discovered in the fetal position inside the red holdall, with two keys to the padlock also inside the bag.

However, after hearing from two specialists who unsuccessfully attempted to lock themselves in an identical bag, Wilcox said he was probably killed and it "remained a legitimate line of inquiry" that the secret services may have been involved in the death.

Wilcox said was unlikely that the death would ever be "satisfactorily explained." The verdict was highly critical of the Metropolitan police's counter-terrorism branch and MI6, The Guardian reported.

Wilcox severely criticized Williams's employers at MI6 who failed to report him missing for seven days when he did not turn up for work.

Daily Mail : Body in the bag MI6 spy Gareth Williams and his mystery links to Kazakh oligarch

Body in the bag MI6 spy Gareth Williams and his mystery links to Kazakh oligarch

* Gareth Williams 'in contact with Furkat Ibragimov, son of Kazakh billionaire'
* Ibragimov's father involved in oil and mining and in world's top 400 richest
* Police 'probing claims Williams could have been asked to befriend Ibragimov'
* Codebreaker mysteriously found dead in central London flat in August 2010

By Mark Duell | December 30, 2012

The 31-year-old MI6 spy found dead inside a locked bag in his flat was in contact with a Kazakh oligarch’s son before his mysterious death, it was claimed today.

Gareth Williams - whose naked and decomposing body was found in August 2010 in Pimlico, central London - was allegedly in touch with Furkat Ibragimov, 25, the son of a billionaire from Kazakhstan.

Police are said to be probing their relationship amid claims that Mr Williams could have been encouraged by British intelligence forces to befriend Mr Ibragimov in the months before he died.

Officers have re-questioned Mr Williams’s friends and family, reported The Sunday Telegraph. It was also revealed today that the spy was engaged in more MI6 field work than previously thought.

There is no suggestion Mr Ibragimov - whose father Alijan is one of the world’s 400 richest people - played a part in the death. But it’s not known whether detectives have yet spoken to father or son.

Alijan Ibragimov is known in Kazakhstan as part of the ‘Trio’, along with business partners Alexander Mashkevich and Patokh Chodiev, who are behind an empire of oil, gas, mining and banking.

His London-based son Furkat Ibragimov, who invests in oil, had a mutual friend with Mr Williams of Missa Elizabeth Guthrie, daughter of a US tycoon. She befriended the spy in the year before he died.

Miss Guthrie had shared a flat with Mr Williams’s school friend Sian Lloyd-Jones, a fashion stylist.

Secret court papers revealed that Furkat Ibragimov and Miss Guthrie were friends and business partners - and that she allegedly asked Mr Williams if he could make a fake degree certificate.

But she told the inquest into Mr William’s death that he had ‘never mentioned’ Mr Ibragimov, reported The Sunday Telegraph. Last week police claimed the spy probably locked himself inside the bag.

The inquest found he could have been the victim of foul play, as the coroner expressed doubts that he could have locked the bag himself.

However, investigators discovered that it is possible to lock the type of holdall he was found in from the inside, and now say it is likely that no one else was involved in Mr Williams' death.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox ruled earlier this year that it was unlikely Mr Williams could have locked himself into the holdall which contained his body and whose keys were also locked inside the bag.

Experts testified that they had tried to lock themselves inside the bag more than 400 times, and said even famed escapologist Harry Houdini would have had difficulty doing so.

But just a few days after Dr Wilcox delivered her verdict, a retired sergeant revealed that the feat was possible, casting doubt on the assertion that someone else must have been involved in the death.

Police refined the experiment to mirror the exact way the bag had been locked - and agreed that Mr Williams could have secured the holdall himself, reported the Daily Telegraph.

The mysterious circumstances surrounding Mr Williams's death sparked speculation that he could have been assassinated by the security services.

His MI6 colleagues did not report him missing for a week, and failed to hand over key evidence from their office, which raised concerns that there could have been a cover-up.

However, others pointed to an apparent interest in bondage and cross-dressing as a more likely explanation for his death.

Mr Williams was once found by his landlord tied to his own bed wearing only underwear, while he apparently kept £20,000 worth of women's clothes in his flat.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘This remains an active investigation and officers continue to explore a number of lines of inquiry.

'Officers retain an open mind in relation to the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Williams.'

Mr Ibragimov was abroad and could not be reached. Miss Guthrie was unavailable for comment.