Mystery shrouds death of British spy
Source: Agencies |
August 27, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
DETECTIVES searching for a missing British spy said they had launched a murder investigation after a body matching the man's description was discovered stuffed in a bag in his apartment near the headquarters of the MI6 spy agency.
An autopsy could not provide a cause of death for the man, identified as 30-year-old Gareth Williams, the Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday.
Police said they found Williams dead at a central London apartment on Monday following reports that he had gone missing for some time. They said detectives are treating the case as a suspicious and unexplained death, but refused to say whether there were signs of a struggle or how the man may have been killed. Suicide had been ruled out.
Williams had been working for MI6 on temporary assignment from GCHQ, Britain's eavesdropping agency, several British officials said on condition of anonymity.
They all declined to say exactly what work the man was doing or how long he had been employed with the government, but officials said initial indications did not suggest his death was related to his job, or national security issues.
Neighbor Rob Mills, a 35-year-old who lives two doors away from where the body was found, said people in the expensive London neighborhood of Pimlico knew little about the victim or his work.
"It's not like you'd tell your neighbors if you were a spy," he said.
Police cordoned off the area on Wednesday and were restricting access to residents, some of whom said they were told by investigators that the man could have been killed two weeks ago.
Britain has been known as a den of spy activity since the Cold War.
An autopsy could not provide a cause of death for the man, identified as 30-year-old Gareth Williams, the Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday.
Police said they found Williams dead at a central London apartment on Monday following reports that he had gone missing for some time. They said detectives are treating the case as a suspicious and unexplained death, but refused to say whether there were signs of a struggle or how the man may have been killed. Suicide had been ruled out.
Williams had been working for MI6 on temporary assignment from GCHQ, Britain's eavesdropping agency, several British officials said on condition of anonymity.
They all declined to say exactly what work the man was doing or how long he had been employed with the government, but officials said initial indications did not suggest his death was related to his job, or national security issues.
Neighbor Rob Mills, a 35-year-old who lives two doors away from where the body was found, said people in the expensive London neighborhood of Pimlico knew little about the victim or his work.
"It's not like you'd tell your neighbors if you were a spy," he said.
Police cordoned off the area on Wednesday and were restricting access to residents, some of whom said they were told by investigators that the man could have been killed two weeks ago.
Britain has been known as a den of spy activity since the Cold War.
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