The mainstream media for the most part has moved on. But there are a few more gleanings to be had, of perhaps the most interesting comes from the Daily Mirror, which labels al-Hilli an extremist on the grounds that he was against the war in Iraq, disapproved of the behaviour of Israel and had doubts over 9/11 – which makes a great deal of the population “extremist”. But the Mirror has the only mainstream mention I can find of the possibility that Mossad carried out the killings. Given Mr al-Hilli’s profession, the fact he is a Shia, the fact he had visited Iran, and the fact that Israel heas been assassinating scientists connected to Iran’s nuclear programme, this has to be a possibility. There are of course other possibilities, but to ignore that one is ludicrous.
Which leads me to the argument of Daily Mail crime reporter, Stephen Wright, that the French police should concentrate on the idea that this was a killing by a random Alpine madman or racist bigot. Perfectly possible, of course, and the anti-Muslim killings in Marseille might be as much a precedent as Mossad killings of scientists. But why the lone madman idea should be the preferred investigation, Mr Wright does not explain. What I did find interesting from a man who has visited many crime scenes are his repeated insinuations that the French authorities are not really trying very hard to find who the killers were, for example:
the crime scene would have been sealed off for a minimum of seven to ten days, to allow detailed forensic searches for DNA, fibres, tyre marks and shoe prints to take place.
Nearby bushes and vegetation would have been searched for any discarded food and cigarette butts left by the killer, not to mention the murder weapon.
But from what I saw at the end of last week, no such searches had taken place and potentially vital evidence could have been missed. House to house inquiries in the local area had yet to be completed and police had not made specific public appeals for information about the crime. No reward had been put up for information about the shootings.
Behind the scenes, what other short cuts have been taken? Have police seized data identifying all mobile phones being used in the vicinity of the murders that day?
The idea that the French authorities – who are quite as capable as any other of solving cases – are not really trying very hard is an interesting one.
Which leads me to this part of a remarkable article from the Daily Telegraph, which if true points us back towards a hit squad and discounts the ides that there was only one gun:
Claims that only one gun was used to kill everybody is likely to be disproved by full ballistics test results which are out in October.
While the 25 spent bullet cartridges found at the scene are all of the same kind, they could in fact have come from a number of weapons of the same make.
This throws up the possibility of a well-equipped, highly-trained gang circling the car and then opening fire.
Both children were left alive by the killers, who had clinically pumped bullets into everybody else, including five into Mr Mollier.
Zainab was found staggering around outside the car by Brett Martin, a British former RAF serviceman who cycled by moments after the attack, but he saw nobody except the schoolgirl.
Her sister, Zeena, was found unscathed and hiding in the car eight hours later.
Both sisters are now back in Britain, and are believed to have been reunited at a secret location near London.
There are of course a number of hit squad options, both governmental and private, which might well involve iraqi or Iranian interests – on both of which the mainstream media have been very happy to speculate while almost unanimously ignoring Israel.
But what interests me is why the Daily Telegraph choose, in the face of all the evidence, to minimise the horrific nature of the attack by stating that “Both children were left alive by the killers”? Zainab was not left alive by design, she was shot in the chest and her skull was stove in, which presumably was a pretty serious attempt to kill a seven year-old child. The other girl might very well have succeeded in hiding from the killers under her mother’s skirts, as she hid from the first rescuers, and then for eight hours from the police.
The Telegraph article claims to be informed by sources close to the investigation. So they believe it was a group of people, and feel motivated to absolve those people from child-killing. Now what could the Daily Telegraph be thinking?
B-R-E-A-K-I-N-G: Greenwald’s new site, “The Intercept” just launched – a few hours ago. It appears, that the NSA are using SIM cards to track people, and it then attack the phone without knowing who is holding it, and without adequate confirmation from persons on the ground about who is at the other end.
Establishment figure chimes in
It’s always interesting to hear how the other side prsents the situation. Here is a certain Elias Groll reviewing Greenwalds site in Foreign Policy yesterday. [Empasised: A link to The New York Times article from14th of January, exposing how NSa are able to access information on computers >which is not connected to the internet. This is absolutely new to me, and I think many of you out there are likely also to have missed this crucial story. And remember this story would never had broken where it not for Snowden.]
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/02/10/350122/zionist-apocalypse-coming/
Watch out for Purim Shushan day shortly!
http://chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/648312/jewish/Purim-2014-Guide.htm
http://chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/645309/jewish/What-Is-Purim.htm
http://chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/648312/jewish/Purim-2014-Guide.htm
Blessings to be recited at Purim twice:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who wages our battles, defends our rights, avenges the wrong done to us, punishes our oppressors in behalf, and brings retribution upon all our mortal enemies. Blessed are You Lord, who exacts payment in behalf of His people Israel from all their oppressors; God who delivers. (Amen)
Mochyn69
9 Feb, 2014 – 5:36 am I get your point entirely but it still begs the question why were Sapeurs there FIRST? This point has never been satisfactorily addressed by the authorities. Remember the official story is that an emergency call was made to from a mobile phone at 3.48. You may know more about the French system than me (won’t be difficult as I willingly admit I know nothing) but I’m assuming even there the call would have been directed to an emergency call centre, which I assume is Police based on whom rests the responsibility of directing who goes where. Now factor in the nature of the call. It informed the police of multiple SHOOTINGS and presumably the added suggestion, as that was the stated opinion of both WBM and PD (or whatever his name was)that the killer might still be there. So in these circumstances would the police dispatch Sapeurs? Very unlikely I would say. In fact it appears the police didn’t direct them there at all as they said they “overheard” the message somehow. This intriguing point has never been explained either or if the Sapeurs that arrived were volunteers (bit like our retained firemen) or full timers. So we must assume they got there first because they were physically closer when they somehow overheard the report, and went there not as part of a co-ordinated response but on their own initiative. It goes without saying that if they were in full possession of the facts, it was brave to the point of recklessness. Another alternative is that they and/or the controllers knew the location was no longer a danger to personnel. Initially unknown to us but subsequently revealed is the fact that TWO forestry vehicles were in the immediate vicinity within literally minutes of the shooting. The first goes down past the layby at about 3.15, the second must come down soon after and therefore must have passed the carnage. As I suggested at the very beginning, the Forestry crew COULD have been the source of the 3.48 call (if it happened) and might even have still been there when the first Sapeurs arrived. It might also explain how the Sapeurs picked up the first call if they use the same wave band as the Forestry guys which is quite possible. I have to say I can’t agree there are any “false analogies” here as far as I can see, just the application of basic reasoning.
Somewhat off topic is this case of a death I came across that has some rather strange elements. It happened in Magaluf and involves a policeman and an un named person who was the last to see the deceased. The family and Coroner appear to have been satisfied it was a straight forward accident down to drink and drugs. See what you think. BB particularly do you think I have the right policeman in that professional profile? (The comments are those I made previously in articles on the Inquiring Minds web site)I only highlight the apparent inconsistencies and make no suggestions how they might be explained. I drew attention to it as just one of numerous falls from hotels and buildings recently involving businessmen, diplomats and bankers which I am sure you have seen yourselves.
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2554127/Man-fell-balcony-holiday-losing-balance-result-tinnitis-inquest-hears.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490)
“A young man was killed after falling just two metres from a hotel balcony, having lost his balance because he was suffering from tinnitus, an inquest heard.
Plumber Sam Hill, 22, had been on a night out with a friend in Magaluf on September 11 last year when he fell from the emergency escape balcony at the Hostal Villa de Sol.
At an inquest in Bradford, West Yorks, Coroner Sam Cariss gave a verdict of accidental death caused by head injuries – and attributed the fall to a combination of Mr Hill’s tinnitus and the alcohol he’d consumed with his friend.
The inquest heard that Mr Hill, of Riddlesden, West Yorks., had been on a night out with his friend Roland Sands when they lost each other.
He walked back to his hotel alone – but ten minutes later was found dead by Alexander Campbell, a British national on holiday who was listening to music in the next room and heard someone fall, the court heard.
“Gareth Elms, a British policeman also on holiday, had seen Mr Hill with his head on the grass.
The inquest heard that Mr Elms moved Mr Hill to the first floor hallway and carried out CPR, before calling for an ambulance – but there was no sign of a pulse.
When paramedics arrived, they pronounced Sam dead – as his friend arrived back at the hotel. The young plumber had been due to fly home later that day.”
Is this the same Gareth Elms listed in Link-In?
From “Linked-in”. It looks as if it could be.
uk.linkedin.com/in/garethelms?
View Gareth Elms’s (United Kingdom) professional profile on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the world’s … POLICE OFFICER at MINISTRY OF INTERIOR… Ross Clark
Gareth Elms’ Languages
English
(Native or bilingual proficiency)
Spanish
(Elementary proficiency)
Gareth Elms’ Courses
Advanced GNVQ IT
Equifax and Experian Financial Investigator
Source/Informant Handler
Field Intelligence officer
Advanced intelligence analysis
Telecommunications Analyst
Level 2 Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear response trained
RIPA/Intelligence Gatekeeper, supervisor & core admin
Surveillance/Reconnoitre of Premises
Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interviewer
Advanced interviewing techniques
PND, PNC, IIP, PINS operator
i2 Anaylst trained
This is a review from Trip Advisor less than two month prior to the accident @ http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g580303-d1151431-Reviews-Hostal_Villa_Sol-Magaluf_Calvia_Majorca_Balearic_Islands.html
QUOTE:
““Wish I had looked on here before I stayed……”
Reviewed 14 July 2013
Dont really know where to start!!!
1) check in is at the Florida hotel. we were given crap directions to the villa sol, walking around in 30 degree heat at 1pm with big suitcases really started our holiday off crap. Finally found it after an hour of searching. (hotel Florida were useless and gave us 2 lots of different directions in broken english)
2) Room is so basic. Fan on ceiling which probably kept the whole island awake it was so noisy. No mirror, no chairs on balcony as they had clearly been thrown over by last occupants and not put back in. Bathroom smelt disgusting. room was awful and stuffy. To be fair, we did have cleaners around every morning without fail.
3) The lawn outside could be so lovely. Its well maintained and a great suntrap… however it was full of rubbish that stupid drunken people found funny to throw over balconies. Chairs, bottles, pants, cigarette butts, broken glass, food, well anything they could get their hands on really!!!!
4) No security here at all, which is obviously why the lawn was looking like it did. We didnt feel like our belongings were safe.
5) So noisy. To confirm what another comment on this site mentioned, knocking on doors! I cannot believe how childish the men were. Every single night without fail from 5 am we had knocking and shouting from guys wanting to be let in. Then again from 8.30 pm in the evening… it was ridiculous.
I would never stay here again, and If any of you reading this are thinking ” oh, it will be ok ill book anyway”…then please dont. You are wasting your money.
Stayed July 2013, travelled with friends”
Doesn’t sound a very salubrious joint does it and certainly not the sort of place a British Policeman would choose to stay or even pass by on foot? No doubt the police and Coroner satisfied themselves how
1. the neighbour listening to music heard someone fall two meters (6′ 6”) onto grass but apparently didn’t see him fall;
2. how Mr Alexander Campbell responded when he discovered him only ten minutes after he had returned; and
3. how Mr Elms discovered him “with his head on the grass”, yet there being no sign of life “moved” (not carried?) his body to the first floor BEFORE calling the emergency services or carrying out CPR!
Policeman are well trained for such situations. The first step would surely be to check for consciousness where found and attempt recussitation there and then. Even if this were not done, a fundamental rule is not to move an unconscious or possible case of spinal injury. An untrained person might conceivably make such a mistake but a trained policeman?
On the other hand perhaps the newspaper report cannot be relied upon?”
Another local newspaper report: “http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/10996035.Keighley_engineer_had_been_drinking_excessively_before_death_fall_from_balcony__inquest_heard/?ref=rss
Some significant differences in this report, specifically the balcony he fell over is reported to be 2.8 m, that is 9ft 2inches!!!! Can this be right? If it is not even a tall man could accidentally fall over. Alternatively is the reporting so bad as to print 2.8 m for 1.8 m a more likely height of a balcony rail in fact? He is reported as being seen from the same balcony lying on the grass “face up” and there being a “crack in the grass where he landed”. Now a slight indent might be expected from a two metre fall but a crack? That’s a new one on me. Also the policeman we are told is Welsh and no indication if this is a different person to the one listed in Link In highlighted earlier. It would appear in this report he fell from a common area rather than his own room as previously might have been thought and someone saw him there immediately before. This latter person is not named which is rather surprising. Why not? “There was evidence from another man at the hotel, who said he had been concerned seeing Mr Hill sitting in the emergency exit earlier, but had been told there was no problem when he spoke to him.” So the victim was conscious and capable of communicating lucidly before the fall. As the last person to see him alive why would the identity of this person not be published is a relevant question? In this report no mention is made of him being back on the first floor when the ambulance crew arrived. One would have thought this was an important aspect that required specific clarification, as it would indicate either that the body was carried back or in fact expired on the landing itself. A policeman would surely be able to clarify this point beyond doubt although the paper reports seemed to have glossed over it. It would appear the family has raised no objections to the process, so one must assume these apparent questions and inconsistencies have been answered to their satisfaction. One wonders however if the points will be pursued by the newspapers that have reported them and specifically the precise role of the policeman said to be staying in this far from salubrious hotel if the travel reports are to be believed?
…. oh! And the unexplained single trainer left behind on the landing?”
You will also notice in the first (DM) report it is said he went back to his room and the occupant of the next room heard him fall. In the second (telegraph and argus)report he has fallen from a balcony serving a common area. All this apparently within ten minutes of him returning alone. Apart from the dubious nature of the claim that you would hear a person fall only two meters onto grass, whilst inside another room listening to music, the variation of fall location is significant. Apparently none of these issues caused the Coroner to question the cause. Meanwhile the suggestion that tinnitus could cause a man to fall over a 2.8 or even 1.8 mtr balcony appears to me to shout implausibility.
Thanks for that info Sorensen .. I was wondering about the Glenn Greeenwald/Pierre Omidyar venture.
Now we have it, here:
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/
The French have arrested a 48 year old man in Chevaline
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/02/18/french-alps-shooting-arrest_n_4807027.html?utm_hp_ref=uk
Man arrested :
‘French police have arrested a 48-year-old man in connection with the murder of a British family in the Alps.
“The arrest has resulted from a line of inquiry in France and is not as a result of the investigation carried out in the UK.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/alhilli-murder-inquiry-french-police-make-arrest-in-alps-massacre-case-9135807.html
Snap Intpl !!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10645636/Breakthrough-arrest-in-Alps-murder-case.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10645636/Breakthrough-arrest-in-Alps-murder-case.html
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/18/alps-murders-french-police-arrest-suspect-al-hilli-family
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/alhilli-murder-inquiry-french-police-make-arrest-in-alps-massacre-case-9135807.html
“For the moment it is impossible to say whether he played any role in the shooting. It is simply the result of the release of the photofit but it is strictly impossible to say any more at this stage. It could turn out that he has absolutely nothing to do with this affair. He is of French nationality and he lives in the Annecy area,”
From the Independent report:
“French police have arrested a 48-year-old man in connection with the murder of a British family in the Alps.
Today Surrey Police confirmed: “Surrey Police can confirm that an arrest has been made in France today in connection with the murders of four people near Annecy, southern France in September 2012.
“The arrest has resulted from a line of inquiry in France and is not as a result of the investigation carried out in the UK.”
Eric Maillaud, the local prosecutor told AFP: “This arrest, which may not be the only one, was the result of witness statements after the broadcast of a photo-fit image on November 4, 2013.”
“For the moment it is impossible to say whether he played any role in the shooting. It is simply the result of the release of the photofit but it is strictly impossible to say any more at this stage. It could turn out that he has absolutely nothing to do with this affair. He is of French nationality and he lives in the Annecy area,” he said.”
THIS STATEMENT it should be noted conflicts with earlier ones put out by EM to the effect that the photo-fit appeal had not provided any useful leads. Of course this may have been a lie just to throw interested parties off the scent. Alternatively just another example of the unreliability and confusion.
A 48 year old man living in Haute- Savoie , was arrested and taken into custody Tuesday by police in connection with the investigation into the murder of four in Chevaline in 2012 , announced the prosecutor in Annecy (Haute- Savoie ), Eric Maillaud , confirming a report by BFMTV .
ON THE SAME TOPIC
Chevaline massacre : This is the first arrest to occur in France in this sensational case. At noon, a search was underway at the home of the man who would have no “direct link” with the protagonists of the drama.
” This inquiry , which will perhaps not unique, is the result of testimonies especially after the November 4, 2013 broadcast of the photokit of a biker seen near the scene of the crime and actively sought by investigators ,” said the procureur. In November 2013 , a sketch of a mysterious biker had been circulated . Investigators knew of his presence for some time, thanks to the testimony of agents of the National Forestry Office (ONF ) . But they deliberately chose not to release his report to give more chance to confuse a possible suspect.
Tracing of local killer now comes to the forefront
Given the presumption of innocence and ” there is no direct link between this man and the protagonists ” of the drama , the prosecution has not provided any additional information on the suspect arrested in Haute-Savoie. “This is someone who lives around Chevaline , who has no known employment. It is part of a local track line of enquiry, “said the source familiar with the matter . According to our information , eight people are being targeted by investigators.
This arrest gives puts local killer in the fore which was never completely discounted but the family conflict and inheritance line has been considered the most likely. The two scenarios are not, however, incompatible , the murders may have been sponsored A Source close to the case , it was reported Tuesday morning as ” an important step in the investigation” but said that ” further arrests should follow”.
The above is my translation from Le Parisien
http://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/tuerie-de-chevaline-un-homme-place-en-garde-a-vue-en-haute-savoie-18-02-2014-3601815.php
From le parisien website just now
‘Cet homme, décrit comme un «montagnard taiseux», vivant comme un marginal, amateur d’armes, présente «une forte ressemblance» avec ce fameux portrait-robot diffusé début novembre 2013. Les enquêteurs savaient de longue date qu’un mystérieux motard était présent sur les lieux du crime, grâce à des témoignages d’agents de l’Office national des forêts (ONF). Mais ils avaient délibérément choisi de ne pas diffuser son signalement pour se donner plus de chance de confondre un éventuel suspect.’
The Guardian has this:
“BFM-TV, which broke the story, reported that the 48-year-old man, who can be questioned by police for 48 hours, is from the Alpine area where the murder took place.
Eric Maillaud, the Annecy prosecutor, said a suspect matching the efit had been “actively sought by police”.”
French police made the arrest following witness accounts and descriptions of a man seen near the scene of the killings. The witnesses came forward after French authorities released an artist’s impression of a motorcyclist who was seen in the area between 3.15pm and 3.40pm shortly before the four murders.
The prosecutor suggested that there may be other arrests. “This arrest, which may not be the only one, is the fruit of witness statements taken notably after the release on 4 November 2013 of the e-photo of a motorcyclist seen near the scene of the crime, and actively sought by investigators,” Maillaud said.”
However, French media reports said police remained cautious as to the possible involvement of the person taken into custody on Tuesday. They said he may be able to shed light on the murders without being a direct suspect in the killing himself.”
This man, described as a “taciturn highlander” living on the fringe, a weapons enthusiast, has a “strong resemblance” to the famous sketch released in early November 2013. Investigators long knew a mysterious biker was present on the scene, thanks to the testimony of agents of the National Forestry Office (ONF). But they deliberately chose not to release their report to give more chance to confuse a possible suspect.
This is an additional bit only in the Telegraph report at the moment it appears:
“He said that this was the first time police had questioned this man over the killings. He said the man was arrested this morning in his home. Said he would prosecute any media that published the suspect’s name.”
@Tim V
18 Feb, 2014 – 12:29 pm
Quite right too, nothing must be done to imperil the chance of convicting the perpetrator(s) of this horrendous crime.
The Telegraph man (By Rory Mulholland, Paris10:13AM GMT 18 Feb 2014) appears to put a bit more “flesh on the bones”. His remark about the “camp site conversation” is rather curious. He indicates Le Parisien was the source for this story and adds they “gave no indication of the content of their talk.” To me this seems to indicate Parisien KNEW the content but chose not to reveal it. If correct this would mean the authorities were in no doubt what that meeting was about and whom. The fact that this has never been revealed suggests an intention to conceal and therefore a significant fact.
“The Hillis arrived in the area on September 1 and initially stayed in another campsite. But they were unhappy with the spot they were allocated and moved to a campsite called Le Solitaire du Lac.
It was there that Hilli reportedly received his visitor. Le Parisien gave no indication of the content of their talk.
Mr Maillaud, a prosecutor in charge of the case, said the murdered couple’s British passports had never been found.
He is said to bear a resemblance to the motorcyclist whom forestry workers saw close to the attack.
The e-fit was produced soon after the killings, but was not initially released because of fears he would go into hiding.
The helmet the man was wearing was said to be a rare model – one used by French police during the 2000s.
There were only 8000 made in black, which is the colour the forestry workers saw.
One of the witnesses in the case, former RAF pilot Brett Martin, discovered the murders while on a bike ride, and told the BBC how he saw a motorcyclist riding away from the scene shortly beforehand.
A French forestry worker also said he saw the motorcyclist, who pulled into the parking spot where the family were murdered.
He said his colleagues later talked to the biker over a minor traffic violation, and described him as having “a bit of a beard.”
Maillaud said these colleagues were able to “get a glimpse” of his face when he lifted his helmet’s face shield.
A BBC Panorama programme broadcast talked to two key witnesses who described seeing a motorbike and a BMW 4×4 close to the murder scene.
It said the motorcyclist was the likely killer, and French authorities have since announced they will release a photofit image of the man.”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2561919/Man-arrested-France-connection-murder-British-family-French-Alps.html
Let’s hope.
A local guy. Participant of the local “vendetta” ?
Kurdish Havutcu family from Faverges?
More from le parisien website
‘Eu égard à la présomption d’innocence et «en l’absence de lien direct entre cet homme et les protagonistes» du drame, le parquet n’a communiqué aucune information supplémentaire sur le suspect arrêté en Haute-Savoie. «C’est quelqu’un qui habite les environs de Chevaline, qui n’a pas d’emploi connu. Il fait partie des individus sur lesquels les enquêteurs travaillaient dans le cadre de la piste locale», a souligné la source proche du dossier. Selon nos informations, huit personnes sont ciblées actuellement par les enquêteurs.’
‘Having regard to the presumption of innocence and “in the absence of a direct link between this man and the protagonists” of the drama, the prosecution has not provided any additional information on the suspect arrested in Haute-Savoie. “This is someone who lives around Chevaline, who has no known employment. He is part of the individuals on whom the investigators have been working within the local line of enquiry”, said the source familiar with the matter. According to our information, eight people are being targeted by investigators..
It appears the suspect’s home is being searched at the moment by the investigators.
This quote doesn’t appear to add up to me either:
“The e-fit was produced soon after the killings, but was not initially released because of fears he would go into hiding.”
Apparently it’s a 48 yr old Annecy man. In other words he’s LOCAL. Not some anonymous foreigner. Although the photo fit was made public very belatedly, largely as a result of the 1st anniversary Panorama programme forcing the issue, we must assume it was known to the police from the beginning with the descriptions from three forestry guys at least. So we have to believe that despite being in possession with this information for no less than seventeen months, they have only just identified a LOCAL man????? Well we shall just have to wait and see if this leads somewhere.
http://www.metronews.fr/info/tuerie-de-chevaline-le-suspect-interpelle-a-lathuile/mnbr!sfGcNze7PGFI/
That guy lives in Lathuile!
It isnt Jean Paul Communal-Tournier who is 64 years old.
So then we know that this guy is 48 and he lives in Lathuile.
He is about the age of SM who would be 47 today.
@
Bluebird
18 Feb, 2014 – 12:38 pm
Let’s wait and see. Just a word of caution. I don’t think we should go bandying around the names of suspects on here at this stage, it could be very fruitful for libel lawyers!
Curiously, le parisien website is allowing comments on the breaking story .. Some interesting comment on there also.
.