Family of shot WPC are denied justice

Evidence against Libyan prime suspect in 1984 murder of Yvonne Fletcher is blocked

THE prime suspect in the killing of WPC Yvonne Fletcher will not be prosecuted after police were blocked from using key evidence on “national security” grounds, it emerged last night.

Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk, a former education minister under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, was arrested in 2015 in connection with the murder of WPC Fletcher, shot dead while policing a demonstration outside the Libyan embassy in 1984.

But Mr Mabrouk, who lives in the south of England, has been told by police that the case against him will not proceed “at this time”, despite Scotland Yard’s belief it has enough evidence to bring a prosecution.

The decision effectively kills off any hope of bringing individuals to court for the killing and means the only person arrested in connection with her death has been allowed to walk free.

John Murray, a former Met officer who held WPC Fletcher as she lay dying, last night described the decision as “absolutely horrendous” and “perverse”. Her family were “deeply disappointed. Police sources blamed the Home Office for blocking the prosecution even though the exact nature of the inadmissible evidence is unclear.

Scotland Yard’s statement read: “We believe our investigation has identified enough material to identify those responsible for WPC Fletcher’s murder if it could be presented to a court.

“However, the key material has not been made available for use in court in evidential form for reasons of national security.

“Although our investigation has always remained open, cases like this do become harder to solve over time. Our judgment is that this concludes what was by far the best opportunity to solve this tragic case and provide a degree of closure for the victims and their families. This investigation will never be closed, but the likelihood of finding further evidence, in Libya or elsewhere, is low.”

The only other suspects in the case have either left Britain or are believed to be dead.

WPC Fletcher was killed as she policed a demonstration against former Libya leader Gaddafi outside the Libyan People’s Bureau in St James’s Square on April 17, 1984.

The shooting gave rise to a 10-day siege of the building before 30 of the occupants were deported to Libya.

Following the shooting, Britain severed all diplomatic links with Libya until a Foreign Office initiative to improve Anglo-libyan relations, as part of a deal negotiated by former foreign secretary Robin Cook to bring the Libyan Lockerbie suspects to trial.

Mr Mabrouk’s arrest on suspicion of conspiracy to murder had been described as a “significant turning point” at the time.

The decision by the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service to release Mr Mabrouk from police bail has left the family of WPC Fletcher

“deeply disappointed and frustrated” and means nobody is likely to be brought to justice for her death.

A statement said: “We understand that some available evidence could not be used in court but are satisfied that the Metropolitan Police has left no stone unturned in its pursuit of justice in Yvonne’s case.

“The family would like to thank the Met for its continued hard work and diligence and also for always keeping us informed at every turn.

“We are deeply disappointed and frustrated that a prosecution cannot proceed at this time. We had hoped that the latest turn of events would finally lead to some closure for the family.”

Asst Commissioner Mark Rowley, of the Met Police, said: “I regret that we have not been able to deliver the justice that the victims and their families deserve. Our thoughts today are with WPC Fletcher’s family and all those affected by the events of that day in 1984.”

Police were initially hampered by diplomatic immunity laws, but during their investigations officers became convinced that the killing was carried out by members linked to the so-called “stray dogs” campaign, which was orchestrated from Libya to attack overseas dissidents.

Mr Murray said he had been told by Scotland Yard that “vital evidence has been withheld under the guise of national security”.

He told The Daily Telegraph: “That is absolutely horrendous. If that is not a perverse use of the law, I think there is something wrong.”

He said he was planning to start a private prosecution against Mr Mabrouk. Burdens of proof are lower in the civil courts.

In October 2009, the Telegraph revealed how the CPS was told by an independent prosecutor in April 2007 in a 140-page report that it had sufficient evidence to charge Matouk Mohammed Matouk and Abdulgader Mohammed Baghdadi with conspiracy to cause the death of Wpc Fletcher.

The Telegraph also disclosed in August 2011 that a Gaddafi-era diplomat Abdulmagid Salah Ameri had been identified by witnesses as the possible murder suspect in a report for the CPS.

Of the three men, only Matouk is believed to be still alive.