Libyan Man Held Over Pc Yvonne Fletcher Murder in 1984
Daily Mail UK, 21 November 2015
A Libyan man remains in custody for questioning over a conspiracy to murder Pc Yvonne Fletcher more than 31 years after she was shot dead.
The suspect in his 50s was detained by counter-terrorism officers in south-east England in what police described as a "significant turning point" in the inquiry into the death of the officer, who was gunned down aged 25 during a protest outside the Libyan embassy in London in April 1984.
In addition to conspiracy to murder, the man was arrested on suspicion of money laundering.
Yvonne Fletcher, the police officer who was shot dead while on duty outside the Libyan Embassy in London in 1984
Two other Libyan nationals, a woman in her 40s and a man in his 30s, also arrested on suspicion of money laundering in south east England and London respectively have been bailed until late January.
Searches continue being carried out at several locations around the country.
Detectives said the emphasis of the investigation has shifted to an alleged conspiracy, released dramatic footage of the aftermath of the shootings and disclosed they believe two guns were used.
Following the announcement, the officer's family made an emotional appeal for information, saying her father Tim died recently with his "one regret" that he had "never witnessed any justice".
Pc Fletcher was killed as she policed a demonstration against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi outside the Libyan People's Bureau in St James's Square on April 17 1984.
The shooting sparked a 10-day siege of the building before 30 of the occupants were deported back to Libya.
No one has ever been prosecuted over the killing. A reward of up to £50,000 is now being offered for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
Police said the demise of Gaddafi, who died in 2011 during civil war in Libya, and the regime change that followed had "provided access to new lines of inquiry" and they were acting on fresh evidence.
British detectives have visited the country on seven occasions since 2012.
Scotland Yard refused to provide specific details of the arrests or how the money laundering and murder inquiries may be linked.
Investigators believe the incident was part of the so-called "stray dogs campaign" orchestrated from Libya to attack overseas dissidents and their interests at the time.
At about 10.17am on the day, a number of shots were fired from within the building, and the unarmed officer suffered a fatal shot to the back.
Commander Richard Walton, the head of the Met's counter terrorism command, said: "I can tell you today the we believe two firearms were used - a pistol and an automatic weapon."
Ten anti-Gaddafi protesters were also injured.
Scotland Yard released video footage showing the chaotic moments after the shots were fired.
Dozens of demonstrators fall to the ground before Pc Fletcher is seen stricken on the ground surrounded by colleagues.
Police appealed for those present on the day or others who have information to come forward.
"Allegiances change and we hope with the passage of time, witnesses who have not spoken to us will examine their consciences and come forward," said Mr Walton.
Images of 14 pro-Gaddafi demonstrators who were also gathered outside the building on the day and who police wish to trace have been released.
Mr Walton said: "There were a number of witnesses who were part of the pro-Gaddafi counter demonstration whom we have never spoken to.
"We appeal particularly to these people to come forward and speak to us now even after 31 years."
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The Moment Pc Yvonne Fletcher Collapsed After Being Shot in the Back:
Detectives Release New Footage of Policewoman Falling to the Ground Outside Libyan Embassy in 1984 as They Arrest a Man Over Her Murder
- Metropolitan Police issue video showing Pc Fletcher collapsing to ground
- Shows moment 25-year-old was struck in the back by bullet from Embassy
- Pc was overseeing anti-Gaddafi protest in London when shots were fired
- Died later in hospital in shooting that led to Met siege on the embassy
- Footage released after counter terrorism officers made murder arrest today
- Man in his 50s held, while another two lifted for money laundering offences
- Officers now believe a pistol and and an automatic weapon used in killing
- Family make emotional appeal as police offer £50,000 for key information
Scotland Yard have released horrifying footage of the moment Pc Yvonne Fletcher was shot outside the Libyan Embassy in London 31-years ago, after counter terrorism officers today arrested a man over her murder.
The video - recorded by an on-duty policeman - captured the exact moment the bullet that killed the 25-year-old constable was fired as officers tried to contain the demonstration outside the Libyan People's Bureau in St James's Square on the morning of April 17, 1984.
As the camera pans over the crowd, a loud bang can be heard, as those gathered are seen crouching to the ground fearing for their lives.
Uniformed Pc Fletcher can then be seen writhing in agony on the road, clasping her chest. She had been shot in the back.
Her panicked colleagues then rush over to her and quickly start attending to her on the ground, at which point the recording ends.
Three Libyans were arrested in the UK by detectives investigating the murder of Pc Yvonne Fletcher (pictured) 31 years ago
The young officer was rushed to Westminster Hospital but died later that day.
Metropolitan Police chose to release the footage after it was announced this morning that a man in his 50s has been arrested over Pc Fletcher's murder.
Officers from Scotland Yard's counter terrorism command swooped on addresses in London and the South East in dawn raids after making what has been described as a 'significant breakthrough' in the case.
They held a man the man on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and money laundering.
Two other people, a woman in her 40s and a man in his 50s, were also held for money laundering offences.
All three remain in custody and searches are under way across the country.
The move is the culmination of a renewed inquiry by the London force in the wake of the collapse of the Gaddafi regime.
Police chiefs said they have received crucial new information about a 'conspiracy' to murder Pc Fletcher and other anti-Gaddafi demonstrators.
They are now offering £50,000 for key information anyone can provide in relation to the shooting.
However, the force have still described today's swoop as 'the first significant arrest' in the 31-year-old case - which they now believe involved 'two firearms - a pistol and and an automatic weapon.'
Scotland Yard have today released horrifying footage of the moment Pc Yvonne Fletcher was shot outside the Libyan Embassy in London 31-years-ago
The video - recorded by an on-duty policeman - captured the exact moment the bullet that killed the 25-year-old constable was fired as officers tried to contain the demonstration outside the Libyan People's Bureau in St James's Square on the morning of April 17, 1984
Wpc Fletcher, who was unarmed, suffered a fatal shot to the back as she policed protests against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime outside the embassy, which were also caught on film.
She had been with the Met for just six years when she died.
The day of her killing, a large group of anti-Gaddafi campaigners gathered outside the Libyan Embassy at 10am as pro-Gaddafi supporters staged a counter demonstration.
Police believe the counter protest was centrally organised by people inside the Bureau as part of the 'stray dogs' campaign to harass and disrupt dissidents.
At 10.17am a number of shots rang out from a first-floor window. The supplied footage shows people running away and flinging themselves to the ground in terror.
As well as Pc Fletcher, 10 Libyans were shot and injured in the chaos.
Her death triggered a siege on the embassy by the Metropolitan Police Service.
The day of her killing, a large group of anti-Gaddafi campaigners gathered outside the Libyan Embassy at 10am as pro-Gaddafi supporters (pictured) staged a counter demonstration
Pc Fletcher was shot during a demonstration outside the Libyan People's Bureau in St James' Square central London on April 17, 1984
Police believe the counter protest was centrally organised by people inside the Bureau as part of the 'stray dogs' campaign to harass and disrupt dissidents. Equipment belonging to police pictured lying at the scene following the shooting
Police surrounded the bureau and 30 officials were held inside as negotiations continued for 10 days.
The suspects were eventually released and escorted to the Civil Service College in Berkshire where they were 'briefly' interviewed before flying back to Libya.
The government then severed all diplomatic relations with Libya.
Former Pc John Murray changed places with Pc Fletcher outside the Libyan Embassy to avoid cramp minutes before she was shot.
He was later pictured cradling the dying officer on the pavement, quietly vowing to her his determination to track down her assassin, however long it took.
Speaking today from his home in Chingford, Essex, Mr Murray said: 'Let's hope today's development finally wins justice for Yvonne. It is the very least she deserves and it is right that the police chief behind the new announcement has said that her death was one of the force's darkest days.
'It doesn't matter that me, to a degree, feels vindicated, it is all about Yvonne and her family and the pain which they've endured for so long.
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'FATHER'S REGRET IN LIFE IS THAT HE NEVER WITNESSED JUSTICE': YVONNE FLETCHER'S FAMILY RELEASE EMOTIONAL STATEMENT
Pc Fletcher's family today spoke of their continued pain three decades since her death.
In a statement released via Scotland Yard, mother Queenie Fletcher spoke of the family's double heartbreak after Pc Fletcher's father Tim passed away recently.
They insisted that he died regretting that he had never been able to see justice done for his daughter.
The family said: 'It is now 31 years since Yvonne was shot and killed outside the Libyan People's Bureau in St James's Square.
In a statement released via Scotland Yard, Pc Fletcher's mother Queenie (right) spoke of the family's double heartbreak after the 25-year-old's father Tim (centre, at a 30th anniversary memorial to their daughter) passed away recently regretting that he had never been able to see justice served
'Recently we have had to come to terms with another loss through the death of Yvonne's father, Tim.
'His one regret in life was that no one had been arrested in connection with the murder of his daughter and he never witnessed any justice.
'Resolving this crime is still important to all the family.
'Any information, however small, can help bring closure for the family and we therefore continue to support the Metropolitan Police in their ongoing investigation.
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'I made Yvonne a promise, to find her killer and I've never lost sight of that goal.'
He added: 'I suppose, yes, there was a sense of guilt in that Yvonne was shot where I'd once stood, but my compassion for her and my pledge to work tirelessly for her is and was always sincere.
'At memorial services to Yvonne over the years, I've been snubbed by senior officers who have grudgingly talked to me, but sometimes it felt as if I didn't exist.
'The fact they air-brushed me for becoming what to them was a thorn in their flesh, by me constantly demanding answers and questioning them, didn't bother me a jot. It was all about Yvonne.'
Met detectives have travelled to Libya seven times in the last three years following the fall of the Gaddafi regime.
Flowers were today placed by the memorial to Pc Fletcher near where she died at St James's Square, London
One floral tribute was left by the Corby Purple Star Flute Band, in the wake of today's arrest
Commander Richard Walton, who leads the Met's counter terrorism work, said the demise of Gaddafi, who died in 2011 during civil war in Libya, and the regime change has 'provided access to new lines of inquiry and displaced many people outside of Libya.'
He stated that the inquiry is now focused on 'plans' to murder people before the shooting and said officers are looking at 'fresh evidence.'
He said: 'I would describe these arrests as significant but want to make a new public appeal in order to get additional evidence.
'Over the last 31 years we have never lost our resolve to solve this case and bring to justice those who conspired to commit this act of murder.
'It remains one of the saddest and darkest days in the history of British policing.
Mr Walton added: 'The Met is offering a £50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the murder or conspiracy to murder Pc Fletcher.'
Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokeswoman said: 'It would be inappropriate for us to comment on an ongoing case.
'But it does remind us all of the dangers that our brave police officers face on a daily basis and the extraordinary courage they show, and it highlights the determination of the police to pursue those who attack others and make sure people are brought to justice.'
Pictured Below: The faces of men who detectives are hunting in connection with Pc Fletcher's murder outside the Libyan embassy
Using stills from the video footage released this morning, Scotland Yard issued images of 14 individuals filmed as part of the pro-Gaddafi group who they now want to trace.
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THE 31 YEAR INVESTIGATION TO TRACK DOWN THOSE RESPONSIBLE
Pc Yvonne Fletcher (pictured), 25, is shot by a sniper while policing a protest outside the Libyan embassy in St James's Square, London
April 17, 1984
Pc Yvonne Fletcher, 25, is shot by a sniper while policing a protest outside the Libyan embassy in St James's Square, London, and 11 students are wounded.
She is pronounced dead shortly afterwards at Westminster Hospital. Her killer is thought to have been smuggled out of the country and back to Libya after the shooting. Her death leads to an 11-day siege of the building and the severing of diplomatic links between the UK and Libya.
1999
The Libyan government accepts 'general responsibility' for the killing and agrees to pay compensation to Pc Fletcher's family. British detectives also fly to Libya around that time to interview suspects but reportedly got little help.
2004
Efforts to investigate the killing are stepped up when then prime minister Tony Blair meets Colonel Gaddafi after he agrees to dismantle his country's weapons of mass destruction.
April 2007
A report into Pc Fletcher's death names the man who fired the fatal shot but concludes there is not enough evidence to bring a murder charge.
June 2007
British detectives are able to interview the chief suspect for the first time following the normalisation of political ties with Libya. Detectives spend seven weeks in Libya interviewing witnesses and suspects.
September 2009
It emerges that the Foreign Office has conceded that any trial for the shooting will take place in Tripoli. It is reported that the agreement was struck three years previously, when trade deals worth hundreds of millions of pounds were being negotiated. Campaigners for Pc Fletcher's family brand the matter 'an absolute disgrace'.
February 2011
Major political protests begin in Libya against Gaddafi's government and civil war breaks out.
August 2011
The Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) says that Abdulqadir al-Baghdadi, one of the suspects for Pc Fletcher's murder, has been shot in the head. Junior diplomat Abdulmagid Salah Ameri, who was suspected of firing the fatal shots, is also thought to have died. The last named suspect in the killing believed to be still alive is Matouk Mohammed Matouk.
October 20, 2011
Gaddafi dies after being captured by rebel troops, leading to scenes of wild jubilation in the country he formerly ruled as well as across the world. His death leads to new hope that Pc Fletcher's killer will be brought to justice.
November 2011
A senior British diplomat says he is confident that Scotland Yard detectives will soon be allowed to visit Libya.
In 2004, efforts to investigate the killing are stepped up when then prime minister Tony Blair meets Colonel Gaddafi (pictured) after he agrees to dismantle his country's weapons of mass destruction
May 24, 2012
Prime Minister David Cameron announces that a Metropolitan Police team is to fly to Libya to continue the investigation after discussing the matter with the country's interim prime minister Abdurrahim El-Keib during a visit to Downing Street. Mr El-Keib promises Libya will 'work very closely' with the UK.
May 25, 2012
Mr El-Keib visits the spot where Pc Fletcher died and leaves a wreath of white roses and carnations.
May 26, 2012
Mr El-Keib tells the Guardian Abdullah al-Senussi, one of Gaddafi's most senior henchmen who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, is the 'black box' who knows who carried out the killing. 'I guarantee he was almost directly or indirectly involved in most if not all of the crimes (of the Gaddafi regime),' he tells the paper. 'That doesn't mean others weren't involved. But he definitely knows who they were.'
June 14, 2012
Scotland Yard says two detectives from its counter-terrorism team have visited Tripoli where they met Libyan officials for 'preliminary discussions' about how the investigation can be taken forward.
July 17, 2012
Detectives from Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism team pay a further visit to continue discussions with officials after authorities in the country asked them to return to Libya as soon as possible.
April 17, 2014
A memorial service is held in St James's Square to mark the 30th anniversary of Pc Fletcher's murder. In a statement after the service, her family said: 'We have had to move on with our lives but it is difficult to move forward when the past remains unresolved.'
November 19, 2015
A Libyan man in his 50s is arrested in south-east England on suspicion of conspiring to murder Pc Fletcher, in what police describe as 'the first significant arrest' of the investigation into her death.
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Police Footage Shows Moment PC Fletcher Was Shot in 1984