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?
The local man ( hunting nutter)
who is being held untill 17.00 hrs today has had his gaff raided and many weapons have been found, some of which have been modified, which most likely is an imprisonable offence on its own.
Well, Tim, Zygier may be one of those names that was invented by an immigration officer somewhere who did not correctly hear “Ziegler” at the port of entry. It is common. I know several families that had the same name when they left their country of origin, but ended up with quite different surnames once their forefathers arrived. I knew the families separately, but hadn’t realized they were related. That’s how different the new names were.
You might asked why the name “Ziegler” is a German surname meaning bricklayer, but “Zygier” has no known meaning.
@MN: Did the telephone call shoot him in the cheat, too? Or was it the riffle? Never mind, it’s a silly Friday. Hooray weekend!
It seems to me that an ambush like that probably involved more than one person. Someone else may have been the lookout.
What is with that portrait-robot moustache and beard style anyways? I’ve found photos of several men with the Devouassoux surname online, and they all have it: young and fit, old and fat, and in between. It’s not confined to Devouassoux men, though. Is it some cliquey thing in parts of France? The style does not seem popular elsewhere.
http://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2014/10/06/mis-en-fuite-les-voleurs-sont-interpelles
Fugitive thieves arrested.
“Ils avaient pourtant bien préparé leur coup. Ciblant une villa à Lugrin, les trois hommes avaient repéré les lieux de leur futur forfait. C’était jeudi, ils ont été aperçus une fois dans l’après-midi, puis en début de soirée. Quelques heures plus tard, ils passaient à l’action. C’était sans compter avec un riverain qui les a surpris alors qu’ils s’apprêtaient à pénétrer dans la propriété. Prenant la fuite à bord d’un véhicule, ils étaient interpellés à 21 h 30 route de Margencel à Thonon.
Malgré les dénégations du trio, les effectifs de la police nationale et de la gendarmerie qui ont œuvré conjointement, ont retrouvé dans la voiture le parfait nécessaire du cambrioleur (tournevis, pince coupante, cisaille, ciseau de maçon, talkies-walkies, bombe lacrymogène) et 500 €. Âgés de 35 à 45 ans, les protagonistes sont domiciliés dans la région parisienne, et pour deux d’entre eux sont défavorablement connus pour des faits similaires. Tous seront convoqués au tribunal correctionnel le 16 décembre prochain, pour répondre d’association de malfaiteurs en vue de la préparation d’un délit.”
Tear gas? The thieves were 35 to 45 years old.
Man found dead in a fire in a converted police station in Evian:
http://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2014/05/08/evian-les-bains-incendie-dans-l-ancien-commissariat-de-police-un-mort
Preschool fire in Lugrin:
http://www.lemessager.fr/Actualite/Fil_Infos_regionales/2013/10/24/article_lugrin_d_eacute_but_d_incendie_agrave_la.shtml#.VDf3R9XF8Zg
And of course, the mayor of Lugrin’s cars were torched.
Busy times:
http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/alpes/2014/10/10/interpellation-apres-une-tentative-de-meurtre-dans-le-milieu-des-gens-du-voyage-en-haute-savoie-568798.html
The GIGN is busy with an attempted murder in the community of travellers at Arthaz, Haute-Savoie. Many firearms were found. This involves a man known to police in connection with a previous attempted murder. It is said to be a “settling of accounts”.
Meanwhile, a casino in Annemasse keeps getting robbed:
http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/alpes/2014/10/10/le-casino-d-annemasse-braque-pour-la-deuxieme-fois-en-deux-mois-568634.html
After the murder mystery about four other cases
http://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2014/10/09/les-precedentes-affaires-toujours-pas-resolues
Hey, Pink:
http://www.actucity.com/infos-locales/haute-savoie/champanges-funerailles-de-jacky-meynet-entrepreneur-assassine-obseques-abattu-mort-decede-balle-travaux-publics.html
http://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/deux-mysterieux-meurtres-en-haute-savoie-20-05-2011-1458176.php#xtref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ca%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%24rct%3Dj%24q%3D%24esrc%3Ds%24source%3Dweb%24cd%3D3%24ved%3D0CDIQFjAC%24url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.leparisien.fr%252Ffaits-divers%252Fdeux-mysterieux-meurtres-en-haute-savoie-20-05-2011-1458176.php%24ei%3D9wc4VMO8K8nxoASQwIHQDA%24usg%3DAFQjCNFJKvUqMEgd4eAen0la2FsTF-nU0g
http://www.lemessager.fr/Actualite/Chablais/2012/06/06/article_quand_le_chablais_devient_le_pays_du_cri.shtml
“Perfect crimes”, Eric Maillaud, people who served for the local town councils in various capacities, and people who led double or triple lives. It seems like the same old excuses keep being fed to the public. What are the common factors in all of these murders? Did I mention Eric Maillaud…
Really, Eric, how can Sylvain Mollier be anything but the primary target in your “perfect crime” world?
Then there’s this, across the border:
http://www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/8832b30c-5090-11e4-a701-a0e5a8a72efd/Le_gérant_de_fortune_et_ses_11_ans_de_prison
Stooges from Kosovo hired by a Geneva asset manager to kill his wife.
Leaving no stone unturned:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2125488/On-50th-anniversary-Evian-accord-JONATHAN-MEADES-reflects-legacy-bloody-battle.html
2102 marked the 50th anniversary of the Evian Accords.
2012: silly Friday!
Could someone please repost the obituary for M. Brun?
What’s with the cowboys?
http://www.leparisien.fr/espace-premium/actu/troublante-serie-de-crimes-sur-les-rives-du-lac-leman-26-05-2012-2017384.php
« M. Maire, c’est tout sauf un cow-boy. »
“Un homme au-dessus de tout soupçon qui s’écroule à son domicile, touché par une balle dont le tireur reste insaisissable. A quatre reprises, depuis 1995, ce macabre scénario s’est reproduit dans les proches environs d’Evian-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie). Règlement de comptes? Balle perdue? Eric Maillaud, le procureur d’Annecy, n’exclut aucune piste, pas même celle d’un tireur fou. Dernière victime en date, Marcel Desbiolles, 76 ans, a succombé cette semaine à ses blessures.
Lundi 14 mai, ce retraité des Papeteries du Léman, père et grand-père sans histoires, s’est effondré dans le jardin de son pavillon d’Armoy. « J’étais moi aussi dans mon jardin lorsque j’ai entendu le coup de feu claquer, raconte Laure, une proche voisine. Mais, sur le coup, je n’ai pas compris. Ce n’est que quand les pompiers sont arrivés que j’ai découvert le drame. »
Entre-temps, la femme de Marcel l’a découvert agonisant. Un unique projectile l’a touché en plein thorax. Le calibre est connu, mais les enquêteurs refusent de le réveler « pour les besoins de l’enquête ». Seule certitude : « Il ne s’agit pas de la même munition que dans l’affaire Jacky Meynet. » L’affaire Meynet? Il y a un an, à Champanges, à seulement quelques kilomètres d’Armoy, ce tout jeune retraité, alors en train de négocier la vente de son entreprise de terrassement, était lui aussi mortellement touché avant que sa maison ne soit la cible d’un étrange cambriolage une semaine plus tard.
A l’époque, déjà, la presse et les enquêteurs avaient fait le rapprochement avec deux précédentes affaires jamais élucidées : les deux tirs qui avaient touché à dix jours d’intervalle Jean-Pierre Maire, un habitant du village voisin de Publier, en 2009, et celui qui avait été fatal à Pierre Marchal, un professeur de mathématiques engagé en politique, assassiné en 1995 à son domicile de Lugrin, toujours à proximité d’Evian. Le mode opératoire et le profil paisible des victimes, étrangement similaires, interpellent. A l’exception de Pierre Marchal, 51 ans, dont l’enquête sur la mort a été refermée en 2002, toutes les victimes étaient à la retraite. Toutes étaient inconnues de la justice et résidaient dans un même secteur d’une petite dizaine de kilomètres autour d’Evian, au cœur de cette petite Suisse française où les journées sont d’ordinaire aussi tranquilles que les eaux du Léman. « Il n’y a, à ce jour, aucun lien direct établi, tempère à l’inverse un enquêteur. Qu’il s’agisse de l’environnement des victimes mais aussi des armes utilisées, tout est différent. » A l’exception de l’affaire Maire, pilotée par la PJ d’Annecy, toutes les enquêtes ont été confiées à la brigade de recherche de la gendarmerie de Chambéry. Les enquêteurs lancent un appel à témoins dans le cadre des investigations sur le meurtre de Marcel Desbiolles. En l’absence de lien formel, chacun se raccroche à des conjectures. La mort de Marchal? « Peut-être un règlement de comptes? » s’interroge un voisin. Les balles visant Jean-Pierre Maire? Pourquoi pas un lien avec son ancienne activité de commissaire à Thonon? Le décès de Jacky Meynet? « Il avait plusieurs femmes dans sa vie, glisse un proche du dossier. Et ces femmes avaient elles-mêmes des hommes dans la leur qui auraient pu lui en vouloir. Mais les pistes ont été creusées dans tous les sens. Ça n’a rien donné. »
Les proches des victimes, eux, s’interrogent toujours. A Publier, une ex-voisine de Jean-Pierre Maire, le seul survivant dont la nouvelle adresse tient du secret d’Etat, ne veut pas croire à la vengeance : « M. Maire, c’est tout sauf un cow-boy. »
Jean-Pierre Marion, qui avait succédé à Pierre Marchal à la tête du Ski Club d’Evian, où ce dernier était bénévole, soupire : « Je suis le dernier à l’avoir vu vivant, et ça me hantera jusqu’au bout. »
« Je crois qu’on ne saura jamais le fin mot de ces histoires, regrette pour sa part un voisin de la première victime. Dans cette région, où les enjeux financiers sont parfois élevés, ça ne serait pas la première fois… » Avant d’ajouter : « Ne mettez pas mon nom. Je ne veux pas être le prochain sur la liste. »”
“Do not put my name. I do not want to be next on the list.”
@Q I found a link to notice but it no longer works .
http://www.libramemoria.com/fr/carnet/ugine/savoie/frederic-brun-da3f9c55c47040baaf8d0d2182a6770a.html
and found this copy on Icke .
Transcription of Death notice, edited by Mochyn69.
1.Il disait. “Si Dieu veut me tirer par.
2.les cheveux pour me monter au
3.Paradis, il n’y arrivera pas” Dieu
4.y est finallement arrivé, et lá
4.rappelé auprés de Lui, le 29
5.septembre 2012.
6.Sa disparition soudaine nous a
7.laisse un immense vide, mais
8.nos coeurs son remplis á
9.jamais de mervellieux et
10.inoubliables souvenirs.
11.Les petits aumones qu´ll avait
12.pour habitude de nous donner,
13.et ses expressions cultes. “Ca
14.faut pas faire”, “Toutes les
15.vedettes sont pas á
16.Hollywood”, “Des Indiens y’en a
17.plus mais des fleches eu y’en a
18.encore”, “Tu vois bien, quoi”
19.”Histoire de dire”, “Tu vois ce
20.quej’veux te dire”, resteront
21.dans nos mémoires.
22.Tous, nous nous souviendrons
23.de “Brindille”, comme dún étre
24.joyeux, généreux et
25.attentativé.
26.”Brindille”, pour toujours dans
27.nos coeurs et nos pensées.
Google Translated
[Red colour means human translated]
1.He said: “If God wanted to drag
2.me by the hair to Paradise, he
3. couldn’t make it ”
4.Y has finally arrived, and lá
4.rappelé to him, 29
5.septembre 2012.
6.Sa sudden disappearance us
7.laisse a huge void, but
8.nos his hearts filled á
9.jamais of mervellieux and
10.inoubliables memories.
11.The small alms had qu’ll
12.For used to give us
13.et expressions cults. “It
14.faut not do “,” Not all
15. stars are from
16. Hollywood.”, “The Indians
17 are dead, but arrows are
18. still around”(*) “You see, what ”
19. “History said,” “You know what
20.quej ‘want to tell you, “will
21.dans our memories.
22.Tous we remember
23.de “twig” as dún be
24.joyeux, generous and
25.attentativé.
26. “Twig”, forever in
27.nos hearts and minds.
http://www.libramemoria.com/avis/le-dauphine/savoie/2012/10/07/avis-frederic-brun?Page=1
http://www.libramemoria.com/avis/le-dauphine/savoie/2012/10/14/avis-frederic-brun?Page=4
Thanks, Pink. I want to make sure we have the names of his family members, too:
Bernard Brun, son papa; et Catherine Boscardin, sa maman; Aurore Cusin-Mermet, sa sœur;
Looking back there was some confusion and a lot Bruns it seems James thought his real name was Bernard Brun ,Bluebird found this
http://www.manageo.fr/fiche_info/539935205/10/brun-frederic.html
and it all got a bit confusing I seem to remember they found a sister .
Bringing this page forward. Hunt clubs: another recurring theme re: Evian murders, mayor of Doussard “accident”, etc.
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2012/09/not-forgetting-the-al-hillis/comment-page-35/
As we know, there are two Molliers currently serving elected positions in town offices not far from Ugine area. As with construction links, the elected officials may or may not be relevant.
I did notice a lawsuit in Evian over a rescinded building permit. Is there sort of graft behind the scenes for the awarding of construction contracts and building permits? I don’t know.
The construction industry as a front for organized crime?
Recognizable appearance like the Japanese yakuza? Dunno.
Cowboys and Indians of the Alps? These people are living in a spaghetti western. Don’t they know about “first nations”?
Eric Maillaud + murder = case closed. Not solved, just closed. Isn’t he embarrassed about all these “perfect crimes” and imperfect investigations?
Aurore Cusin-Mermet, who runs a guest house, appears to be the sister of Twig. She is a resident of Ugine in multiple online listings.
http://www.liberation.fr/france/1996/01/08/qui-a-tue-l-elu-d-evian-dans-son-bureau-avec-un-22-long-rifle-pierre-marchal-etait-un-notable-affabl_160613
“”I’ve been around Pierre Marchal for eighteen years. Former Chief Inspector of Judicial Police in the Evian area, I could not blame this man understand. “Henri Buet, socialist heart, miscellaneous mayor left Evian (Haute-Savoie) until June 1995 , seeking sleep for over a week. Since the discovery, Thursday, Dec. 28, the body of Pierre Marchal, 51, who was shot in the back, sitting at his desk in his villa on Lake Geneva.
Professor of mathematics at the College of Lake shores, Councillor left opposition, former Regional Adviser, Pierre Marchal is a public figure. Vibrionnant, smiling, stylish, very present, he is the delight of photographers from the local press. He, at least, he smiles and looks at the goal. Very good skier, came in 1970 from Lorraine, he has become known and recognized.
In toue season, Evian cultivates its tourist image “lakefront” through its Casino baths. Until the middle of the night, the streets of the city are still illuminated garlands holiday but deserted. The café await the summer. Lakeside, slots casino impose their appointment. “Pierre Marchal? Unknown here. The game was not his thing “says the deputy director of the house.
“He was quick-tempered milk, able to berate developers, but without him here, public and private schools have not been renovated as they are. Who would have been able to organize, as it did, collecting cars by 1,200 kids scattered along 15 bus routes? “Says Henri Buet.
“Hard, hard, winter Evian” slip two young, looking around midnight, a bistro open. Four months a year, the city turns to its alpine backcountry: ski resorts. Pierre Marchal had understood immediatly. His friends, but also its opponents say, “He was not only friendly but felt and estimable. Look at its balance sheet for schools, but also for skiing. “Others say that this bridge player winemaker knew out the card game of bourgeois salons to promote an open club.
This Thursday, December 28, 1995, Pierre Marchal leaves the office permanently ski club Evian downtown, to 6:40 p.m.. Co-founder of the association, he became its honorary president. Agnes yesterday a friend, married after a divorce dating back three and Jean-Pierre Marion years, President of the Ski Club, know as “Pierrot” returned to his home, simply. According to other sources, he was left permanently after receiving a phone call.
Both the others agree: the evening provided in the villa had to be family. A cheese fondue was on the menu. The eldest son, a young architect in Lyon, was not there. At the station, waiting for her friend.
Pierre Marchal must reach his home in Torrent, a hamlet on the shores of Lake Geneva, just before 19 hours. A strange baroque building, typical of bourgeois folly of the early century. By far, a “house” with a tower, with a “beach”, the local luxury. Amazing but dilapidated house that Pierre Marchal tried for two years to restore.
Arrived there, he is alone. It is night. Tenants upstairs are on vacation. The councilman he go home? Does he expect a call? Is it tracking or wait? The police brigade search Chambery attempt to answer these questions.
Autopsy, ballistics investigation, witness interviews have not been any communication on behalf “of a recent dispute with the local press.” The prosecution, despite the opening of a judicial inquiry, the silence is rigorous.
It seems nevertheless determined that the murder weapon was a .22. The shooter would have taken up to fifteen meters of the victim, at the embankment that separates the villa from the lake shore. The statement on the glass desk impact would have confirmed this position. A trajectory fire at this distance, with a gauge of 5.5 mm, can provide a deadly trajectory to the maximum of 700 meters. According to ballistics, Pierre Marchal was hit by a single bullet in the left lung. Enough to cause internal bleeding.
Accidental death seems excluded. The political activity of the elected socialist dissident and toed the line, is not sufficient to base the assumption of a settling of political accounts. According to two sources close to the investigation, the police would have discovered photos, videos, a black thong. They follow that track, among others, in search of the “secret garden” of a public man, not excluding a murderer who would have had any reason to “blame Pierre Marchal.” On his mailbox, a hand erased her name.”
Curious in this article from 10/9/2012
They ask a passing biker if they can use him and they have him facing downhill.
http://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2012/09/09/journalistes-et-curieux-se-croisaient-encore-hier
“the reporter asks the father for authorization to film the wheel of his bike for reconstitution. He accepts. In three weeks, he will recognize his calves in “Presumed Innocent.” About ten o’clock a blue van arrived at the scene and turned around immediately.”
Is it my imagination that Pharmacie Schutz in Grignon was under construction in mid-2013, and that a totally new one now exists? Three years would allow time for planning and construction, if things ran smoothly. A project of that magnitude, with condo apartments, would require rezoning, development permits, building permits, etc. If someone did not want it to go ahead, or if someone did not grease the wheels, imagine what might happen. There could be financing difficulties, due to delays in the appeals process, problems with supplier and sub-trades who are not being paid, and worse!
Municipal officials and construction are recurring themes in the Haute Savoie murders. It’s a wonder anyone is still alive there.
I am really impressed with your writing skmills annd also with
the layout onn your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself?
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Very similar name too Christian Marechal
http://www.terrafemina.com/culture/medias/articles/45931-non-elucide-retour-sur-laffaire-christian-marechal.html
Not anything to do with it as far as I know other than the names are the same but it is an interesting read .
A Pierre Marechal who had a son called Christian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Mar%C3%A9chal
“Jean-Pierre Maréchal (4 October 1915 – 27 June 1949) was an engineer and racing driver who died after his Aston Martin team car crashed in the first postwar running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.”
EM mentioned this case “I just hope he is not another case Godard that we will never have the last word. ” Thirteen years of investigation were never allowed to explain the disappearance in 1999 of Dr. Yves Godard , his wife and their two children. ”
http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2012/10/27/tuerie-de-chevaline-les-secrets-d-une-scene-de-crime_1782012_3224.html
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affaire_Godard
http://www.pharmacie-schutz-grignon.fr/photos1
Did it always look this new?
Just to answer your question [without going into any discussion as to why is has changed]:
No it was an old building [at the time of the murder] – as Bluebird documented with a photo, and I posted that photo on Icke, where I assume it still is.
She has seven employees now, Jorgen.
Pink often trawls the old threads, so perhaps he can find the photo on the old building.
Again, I’m not speculating as to why the building has changed – but such a development is always interesting, as it could suggest some kind of economic motive/benefit for the murder(s).
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