Police investigating murder of Iraqi-born British engineer and three others arrest suspect in Alpine village close to attack
French police have arrested a suspect in the case of the mysterious murders of the Iraqi-born British engineer Saad al-Hilli and three others in the French Alps in September 2012.
The breakthrough came after police issued an efit of a man wearing a motorcycle helmet.
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".
Al-Hilli, a British-Iraqi who was staying in Annecy with his family, was shot on 5 September 2012 after parking his BMW in a layby on a wooded road at Chevaline. His wife and mother were also shot dead.
One of his daughters was wounded but the other miraculously survived by hiding under her mother's skirt. The body of a passing cyclist, Sylvain Mollier, was also found nearby.
Police had been puzzled by the weapon used by the killer. It was an antique 7.65mm Lugar P06 revolver, issued to the Swiss army and police in the 1920s and 1930s.
Al-Hilli's brother Zaid, with whom he had a dispute over a family inheritance, was arrested by British police but released on bail and charges were dropped last month. Reported by guardian.co.uk 23 hours ago.
French police have arrested a suspect in the case of the mysterious murders of the Iraqi-born British engineer Saad al-Hilli and three others in the French Alps in September 2012.
The breakthrough came after police issued an efit of a man wearing a motorcycle helmet.
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".
Al-Hilli, a British-Iraqi who was staying in Annecy with his family, was shot on 5 September 2012 after parking his BMW in a layby on a wooded road at Chevaline. His wife and mother were also shot dead.
One of his daughters was wounded but the other miraculously survived by hiding under her mother's skirt. The body of a passing cyclist, Sylvain Mollier, was also found nearby.
Police had been puzzled by the weapon used by the killer. It was an antique 7.65mm Lugar P06 revolver, issued to the Swiss army and police in the 1920s and 1930s.
Al-Hilli's brother Zaid, with whom he had a dispute over a family inheritance, was arrested by British police but released on bail and charges were dropped last month. Reported by guardian.co.uk 23 hours ago.