Police find body in bag at MI6 man's London flat

[Magda Hassan]

How can the Sunday Telegraph discover this and not the Met or the Imtelligence services? Or that they did not want public?

Magda - I don't read this as a genuine Sunday Telegraph investigation. It has the feel of a "confidential briefing" given directly to the reporter, possibly from police sources.

Note for instance:

MI6 is now fully co-operating with the police inquiry after criticism of its failure to do so initially;

(snip)

A fresh police investigation was ordered in the wake of the inquest, leading to the new leads. Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that the spy was murdered.
Crucially, they have secured the full co-operation of MI6. Earlier this year Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe ordered a "voluntary" mass DNA screening of MI6 officers to try to identify genetic material found on the bag in which Mr William's body was found.
Sir Bernard said he was angered by an "unacceptable" breakdown in communication which saw evidence withheld from his senior investigating officers. When asked what powers he had to ensure MI6 co-operated, he said: "It's the law."
According to a source with detailed knowledge of the inquiry, one of the first things that the detectives learned from this new "openness" on the part of the intelligence agencies is that far from being a back room technician, Mr Williams was "directly involved with two MI6 assets in the field".

This sounds like an "unattributable briefing" from Scotland Yard.

I also note the renewed attempt to rule out the "mystery Mediterranean couple":

The mystery couple seen near his flat, who were the subject of the police investigation for months, far from being an assassination squad, were, in fact, trying to find a pizza party in a neighbouring property.

There is information in this thread which strongly suggests that the "mystery Mediterranean couple" should remain objects of interest.

I'm still intrigued by the Boxing Day briefing that Gareth Williams "probably locked himself into the sports bag where his naked body was found and was not the victim of a hit by the security services, Scotland Yard has found after conducting a review of the case."

Which was then refuted, almost immediately, by a "Scotland Yard spokesperson" declaring the investiagation was active and officers retained an "open mind":

Responding to a report in the Daily Telegraph on Thursday that detectives believe he probably did lock himself into the North Face holdall, a Metropolitan police spokesman said the review was ongoing.

"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."

Here's a more mundane interpretation. "Plebgate".

Despite having been knighted in the New Year Honours List, Met Police top cop (Sir) Bernard Hogan-Howe is being attacked by several prominent Tories, ranging from former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell right up to PM David Cameron over "Plebgate". When, a couple of weeks ago, the government released the Plebgate Downing Street CCTV to Channel 4, Hogan-Howe reacted by committing 30 police officers to investigate the incident, even though two detectives would have been overkill and there were far better potential uses of those rozzers over the Xmas period.

So, we had a press briefing suggesting that police had concluded their investigation and which cleared the national security state of any foul play. Scotland Yard then refuted this, and stated the investigation is still active.

Methinks Sir Bernie is playing the leverage game, and ensuring he can put pressure on the government if they come after him over "Plebgate".

Truth and Justice are irrelevant in these machiavellian games. Once again, Gareth Williams is a mere flotsam and jetsam...

Thanks Jan, there is clearly a lot of argy bargy going on back stage betweeen the police and the government and intel services. A lot is at stake and poor old Gareth doesn't come much in to it as you point out. I thought of the 'mystery Mediterranean couple' when I saw the Kazakh connection too. Maybe Furkat was there for Cultural Learnings of United Kingdom for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Maybe for less culture and more business. Still an area which needs clarification. As is the role of the national security state who just seem so busy trying to move people along nothing to see here folks. Which makes me want to look again and again.