Thread: 'British family' gunned down in the Alps: 4 die, police guard girl of 8

At least in the US press, this is now being referred to as a "British-Iraqi" family, somewhere in which probably rests the explanation for these horrific murders.

Family feud may have led to executions in the Alps

A British family murdered during a holiday in France may have been the victims of a contract killing triggered by a family feud, investigators believe.

Police around the BMW at the scene of the shooting in woods near Chevaline in the French Alps Photo: Daily Telegraph

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By Gordon Rayner, Henry Samuel and Duncan Gardham

10:00PM BST 06 Sep 2012


Saad al-Hilli, 50, his wife Iqbal, 47, and Mrs Hilli’s 77-year-old mother were all shot dead in a ruthlessly efficient execution-style killing inside their family car. A French cyclist who was “in the wrong place at the wrong time” was also murdered.

The Hillis’ seven-year-old daughter Zainab, who was battered and shot, and her four-year-old sister Zeena, who escaped the killers by hiding in a passenger footwell, were both under armed guard in separate hospitals last night for fear that the killers would return for the only remaining witnesses to the slaughter.

Police sources in France said that the “professional” nature of the murders, with three of the victims shot in the centre of the forehead, pointed to a contract killing, with a “family drama” one of the possible motives.

A French gendarme blocks the road leading to the murder scene (AFP/Getty Images)


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Before he set off on holiday, Iraqi-born Mr Hilli, an engineer, had confided to neighbours in Claygate, Surrey, that something was troubling him.
Jack Saltman, 67, said he had contacted the police to tell them about Mr Hilli’s fears.
He said: “He did say something to me which gave me cause to worry a little bit. Before he left he came round and saw me and asked if I would keep an eye on his house.
“It may be totally irrelevant if this was to be a terrible murderous killing.
“But I have told the police and if it is relevant they will have it and if it is not relevant then no one will ever know.”
Mr Saltman refused to elaborate further, but said Mr Hilli’s fears were “definitely not political”.
Zainab, a pupil at Claygate Primary School, was said to be “stable” in an induced coma in hospital in Grenoble after operations on her fractured skull and a gunshot wound to her shoulder.
Gendarmes and investigators at the camp site where the slain British family were holidaying in Saint Jorioz, near Annecy (AP)
Her younger sister, Zeena, was being looked after in a psychiatric hospital after spending almost eight hours hiding in the car with the bodies of her parents and grandmother.
Eric Maillaud, the senior prosecutor on the case, said the four year-old had not been able to tell the difference between the “good guys and the bad guys” and, after escaping the killers, hid beneath the skirt of one of the dead women when police arrived to take control of the scene.
It was only when a holidaymaker at the Solitaire du Lac campsite by Lake Annecy, where the family had been staying in their caravan since Monday, told police that the family had two children that they opened the locked doors of the car and found Zeena.
Mr Maillaud said: “She was totally immobile, hidden in the vehicle behind the front passenger seat underneath the legs of one of the dead women, under her skirts and a large pile of travel bags, totally invisible and mute.”
He said she broke into a smile when she was found, and said: “There was a noise and I was scared,” then began asking where her family were.
Mr Maillaud said a helicopter with a thermal imaging camera, which had flown over the murder scene looking for survivors or killers, had failed to spot the little girl because the remaining body heat of the other victims had masked her own.
Mr Hilli, who was born in Baghdad, came to Britain with his parents in the 1970s to escape persecution from Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath Party.
They lived in Pimlico, central London, where Mr Hilli’s father, Kadhim, also an engineer, set up his own factory.
The family moved to a house in Clay-gate in 1984, which became Mr Hilli’s own family home when he married his wife, a dentist, and had children. His mother died 10 years ago and his father died last year.
His brother Zaid, whose family live in nearby Kingston upon Thames, was unavailable for comment but a relation declined to discuss the deaths.
Mr Saltman said the family, who owned a house in France, had been there earlier this year and were returning for a few days with their caravan before the children returned to school.
He said: “My thoughts are with the two girls. They were an incredibly close-knit family.
“Saad loved to cuddle the girls and they would throw themselves into his arms from a yard away. He loved those girls and it’s an awful thing to befall such lovely children. I just think about [the] older one lying in hospital and her sister in the car under her dead mother for hours and I can’t imagine the horror, it’s so profoundly horrible.”
He said Zainab, the older girl, was particularly articulate and added: “The girls played together in the garden for hours and you never heard any screaming. They are a creative pair and love painting.
“The younger girl is very bubbly and effervescent. She bounces everywhere, she is a very bouncy, bubbly child, and I only pray she doesn’t lose that.
“I can’t think what is going to happen to the girls now. I just hope they find a loving family to look after them, it’s heartbreaking.”
The home of Saad al-Hilli in Claygate, Surrey (AFP/Getty Images)
The French cyclist who was murdered was named as 45-year-old Sylvain Mollier, who was on paternity leave after his third child was born in June.
Police believe he stumbled across the murders taking place and was killed because he was the only witness. The alarm was raised by a British cyclist, described by police as an RAF veteran who has a home in the area, who was praised for saving Zainab’s life by putting her in the recovery position.
Another theory being investigated by police is that the Hillis were the victims of a carjacking or robbery that turned to murder, but nothing appeared to have been stolen and the car doors were still locked, with the engine still running, when the Briton arrived on the scene.
Forensics officers found 15 spent bullet casings from at least one automatic weapon, and all of the bullets appeared to have found their targets, adding to the impression that the murders were the work of a “professional”, police said.

Family feud may have led to executions in the Alps - Telegraph

Don't know if we will ever know the truth of what went down here.
There is a extremely fishy smell to the whole thing.

Some interesting ideas, and crackpot theories here.

British tourists gunned down in France - Page 5 - David Icke's Official Forums

My search for Saad al Hilli came up with LinkedIn. Not sure how common the name is but Kingston is less than 5 miles from Claygate.

Consultant
Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom · Aviation & Aerospace

I read? Arms dealer? Maybe he was selling to the wrong people?

if it's "special op" related related, you can bet that the story will be covered up by French authorities

like the murder of Diana,

family feud with contract murder could explain that the children were not killed... this wasnt a mistake of the professionell gunman, that they survived...

not necessarily, government sponsored terrorism might have guidelines not to kill kids during a raid,

sounds like a special op, and now that the "media" is heading to the gang story, it sounds like a good classic coverup

Mossad must be involved,

he was probably selling allies sat pictures in Iraq to the insurgents

^^^Only poofs and dodgy Gypos still think that, Butterfly. Have you no shame?

^ are you saying that Diana kill was not a hit job ?

Are you fish or fowl?

Originally Posted by Kurgen

Oh well, the best Iraqi's are dead Iraqi's.

does that include the two little girls?

Originally Posted by benbaaa

and there was nothing on the thermal scanner

not so high tech then
All you need to do is hide under a dead body

Originally Posted by Butterfly

^ are you saying that Diana kill was not a hit job ?

You must be fucking mad butterfly.
All that bum sex has done your head in.

Without making a big conspiracy, there are no doubt 10's of thousands of former Bathists running around outside or Iraq who large numbers of people would happily see dead. Some of those people would be rich or connected enough to make it happen.

Somewhat interesting how many news sources are harping on the "professional" assassin line, stating over and over that an automatic weapon was used, all of the bullets hit their targets, therefore it must have been "a professional". Automatic weapons are a dime a dozen - anywhere. Any idiot can hit a target with one with an hour's training. And, unarmed people don't shoot back, so you don't have to be ducking and jumping about. I'm going with the "a family member paid for the hit" angle.

The suggestion that there is acrimony among the extended family over an inheritance dispute which could be responsible for the murders could well be smoke and designed to muddy waters.

Pretty nasty story, eh what? Pointing a finger at the brother unable to protect himself once it hits the mainstream press......

Still, doubtless something else will emerge but probably not the truth.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Somewhat interesting how many news sources are harping on the "professional" assassin line, stating over and over that an automatic weapon was used, all of the bullets hit their targets, therefore it must have been "a professional". Automatic weapons are a dime a dozen - anywhere. Any idiot can hit a target with one with an hour's training. And, unarmed people don't shoot back, so you don't have to be ducking and jumping about. I'm going with the "a family member paid for the hit" angle.

I also thought that the harping on about a professional killer was strange. Why would a professional hose down the car with automatic fire? I guess it could be what the mob used to call a "cowboy" job, a totally over the top action designed to send a message.

The BBC website is saying that it was not a hose down. Shots to the head! Including to the girl who survived. Also said it was from an automatic pistol! WHich is probably at the bottom of a lake. A very deep lake.

Originally Posted by DrB0b

Why would a professional hose down the car with automatic fire?

to cover his job ?

France Shootings: Police Probe Family Dispute - Yahoo! News UK

Latest today.

Seems a bit far fetched that the brother did this. Who knows, maybe he did it as it would always have a tint of political involvement.

Poor 4 year old has been asking for her mum and Dad. Brings a tear to the eye.

One thing i dont really get.

How many Foriegn nationals in the UK go on camping holidays to the south of France??

Not many im guessing. Caravan looks far too small for a family of 5. Would be interesting to find out how many other "camping" holidays the family have been on.

Or is taking the wife, kids, and Nan a great way to smuggle in or out of the country? Especially with a caravan where things could be hidden?

Im sure there will be a much simpler explanation, but you never know.

Originally Posted by Koojo

Mr Saltman said the family, who owned a house in France, had been there earlier this year and were returning for a few days with their caravan before the children returned to school.

Yeah like i said. They have a house in France but then go camping in the same country,, mmmmm,, dont think so.
How does a Iraqi immigrant afford a house in Surry (500k +) a house in france and a brand spanking BMW estate.
So ok, maybe he has a fantastic job, paying a fortune, if so why spend time in a caravan, most peoples worst nightmare. Stay in a Hotel.

Why bring the caravan back to the UK, why not leave it in the decent climate the French have, rather than sit it on the drive to rot here.

Something doesnt fit right.

yes, he had a good job and his wife was a dentist...

the house in surrey, i understood, his father bought already in the 80s...

the father passed away last year or so... the brother lives next town...

whenever there is something to inherit, there is trouble in the families... its almost normal...

maybe, a lot of people still see it the way, that the oldest son/daughter inherits the parental house... but by law, it has to be split between the children... maybe something like that could have caused a row between the parties... also, when a house is split and one has to pay the other, then its always trouble about the amount to be paid...

but - in this case, the daughters are now inheriting the property of the murdered guy... not the brother - who would have had to get rid of all heirs...?

^ Right. The 4 year old did it to get the house. What a bitch!