Five years on, Alps massacre sisters ‘living normal life’
Uncle tells of survivors’ courage
THE two British girls who survived when their parents and gran were shot dead in the French Alps five years ago are “doing very well”.
Zeena al-Hilli, nine, and her sister Zainab, 12, lead “normal” lives, their uncle Zaid says.
He spoke as prosecutors running the murder investigation in France revealed that he is no longer a formal suspect wanted for questioning.
The sisters’ father Saad, 50, was shot at point-blank range at the wheel of his car at a mountain lay-by on September 5, 2012.
His wife Iqbal, 47, and motherin-law Suhaila, 74, passengers in the vehicle, were also killed.
Zeena, then four, cowered unseen beneath her mum’s skirt in the footwell of the back seat until she was found by police the next morning. Zainab, seven at the time, was pistol-whipped, shot and left for dead.
Talking fondly of his nieces, Zaid, 58, said: “The last time I saw them was a couple of weeks ago. They seem to be very well.
“They both go to school and live a normal life.
“I take my two grand-daughters. We go out or they stay in the house and play games. They seem to be joyful.
“Zainab has never said anything to me about it. When they grow up they will ask questions.”
The girls live with their maternal aunt at a secret location in the South East after moving from the family home in Claygate, Surrey, following the massacre at the car park above Lake Annecy during their holiday. A French cyclist was also murdered.
Veronique Denizot, the prosecutor who has led the probe for nearly a year, does not believe the killer was a hired hitman.
Her predecessor repeatedly speculated Iraq-born accountant Zaid, of Chessington, South West London, had the motive to order the murder of his satellite engineer brother because of an inheritance dispute.
But Mrs Denizot said Zaid “is not considered as a suspect”.
She added: “After eliminating so much, all we are left with is this notion of an unfortunate encounter with the local killer.”
Mrs Denizot said: “The case has definitely not been abandoned... [but] we cannot get the breakthrough we all want.”
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