British cops will help investigate Bhutto assassination

**Jenna** · 01-03-08, 09:09 AM

Scotland Yard detectives are to fly to Pakistan to assist with the investigation into Benazir Bhutto's assassination.

Mr Musharraf's announcement was aimed at defusing mounting public anger over the official explanation that Miss Bhutto had died by hitting her head on a car sunroof during a gun and suicide attack at a campaign rally last week.

Critics allege that Pakistani intelligence officers were involved. But Mr Musharraf said yesterday that the assassination was carried out by "terrorists" linked to al-Qa'eda.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, confirmed that a team of officers would leave for Pakistan by the end of the week. "The UK believes that free and fair elections are vital for the future of Pakistan," he said.

"As the terrible events of last week show only too clearly, Pakistan faces a very serious threat from extremism. The UK is already closely engaged with the government of Pakistan on counter-terrorism co-operation".

Scotland Yard sources stressed that only a "handful" of detectives - some with expertise in forensic analysis and the management of scenes of crime - would go to Pakistan.

Mr Musharraf said the team would "help to cover our deficiencies in the field of forensics".

"I am sure this investigation with Scotland Yard will be correct and will remove all the doubts surrounding it," he added.

Previous international investigations of crimes in Pakistan have been hampered by a lack of access to evidence and information. The interior ministry said last week that Pakistan did not require foreign help, saying that the international community "does not understand the environment" in the country.

The White House said Scotland Yard's involvement negated the need for a United Nations inquiry.

Scotland Yard to aid Benazir Bhutto inquiry

By Isambard Wilkinson and John Steele
Last Updated: 1:55am GMT 03/01/2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...wbhutto502.xml

**Trojan 42** · 01-03-08, 10:46 AM

Scotland Yard. Still the best, even with me retired.

**Motorwaycop** · 01-03-08, 03:14 PM

Not that the scene has been compromised forensically by now!

**MacLean** · 01-03-08, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by Motorwaycop

Not that the scene has been compromised forensically by now!

It's a show.

If they wanted to preserve or increase the detection of forensic evidence, a team from Quantico could have been there in hours.

I'm reasonably sure Scotland Yard has a flyaway team too for that matter.

If they will catch anyone, it won't be law enforcement but intelligence that does the trick.

**Motorwaycop** · 01-03-08, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by maclean

It's a show.

Yep that about says it all, shame we are getting involved, methinks Musharraf is calling in a few favours.

**lewisipso** · 01-03-08, 04:28 PM

Song and dance? Hmmm.

**Morris** · 01-03-08, 07:33 PM

We colonials call it a "dog and pony show." That is what it will be and the yard is the butt covering Mushariff deserately hopes it will provide him. Unfortuantely, it won't and civil war is knocking on the door.