[gortusbig]

Ex-Top Cop: Shootings 'May Be Terror Related'

Two experts give their opinion on who could have carried out the killings and what the police should do in the early stages.

6:41pm UK, Thursday 06 September 2012



The killing of a skilled Iraqi-born engineer and two of his family in the French Alps may have been terror-related, a former police chief has told Sky News.

Police in France are considering a number of possible motives for the shooting.

Here, former commander of the Flying Squad John O'Connor and criminologist Professor David Wilson offer their insights.

John O'Connor, former commander of Flying Squad:

"The shootings look like they are terrorist-related. The people that have done it are military trained. It certainly seems to be a military assassination. The killers were sending a message about not crossing them. It doesn't sound like a gangland hit.

Was the Iraq-born victim involved in the intelligence world? He reportedly worked for AMS 1087 Ltd which is listed as Aerial Photographers and Surveys. Is there any significance in this?

The killers don't sound UK-based and I don't see any connection with criminals in this country.

It appears the gun was an automatic weapon, used professionally - because of the accuracy. This would lead one to think of trained personnel, terrorists.

It was well planned and professionally executed. You can forget it being carried out by a local villain and I don't think it was a botched robbery.

The police should be concentrating on the victim's background, who he works for, what his movements have been.

The killings would have taken a lot of planning. A surveillance operation takes time and money. Who is going to sponsor them?

These sort of cases are always notoriously difficult to solve. If the police run into a brick wall of silence, then this would suggest that this is a more organised and almost certainly terrorist inspired hit."



An area view of the murder scene

Professor David Wilson, Professor of Criminology, Birmingham City University:

"This is still a 'who done it', not a 'why done it'.

So you have to concentrate on who has access to these victims and who has the opportunity to use this access to affect the killings.

The police should also look at how many people were in the holiday party.

We know there was one man, two children and two women. Were there other people in the group?

The police should work out whether anybody is missing.

You've got to deal with everything closer to home first.

Although this kind of murder is unusual, I think the case is very solveable.

There are two young witnesses who may be able to provide some information.

In regard to why the killer wanted these people dead, most murder victims are in some form of relationship with the perpetrator.

We need to establish the relationship between these victims. Only then should you start thinking about more fanciful theories of hitmen or other types of killers.

In my experience, hitmen do not normally leave witnesses at their crime scenes.