'Fraud attempt' arrest on Alps victim Saad al-Hilli's accounts

Saad al-Hilli, the Iraqi-born father who was shot dead in the massacre in the French Alps

Police have questioned a man on suspicion of attempting to access the bank accounts of an engineer murdered in the French Alps.

Detectives are investigating claims that someone tried to get into the accounts of Saad al-Hilli by telephone after his death on September 5.

About 100 police officers in Britain and France are investigating the murders of engineer Mr al-Hilli, 50, his dentist wife Iqbal, 47, her elderly mother, Suhaila Al-Allaf, 74, and passing cyclist Sylvain Mollier in a horrifying gun attack near Chevaline, Lake Annecy.

The couple's four-year-old daughter Zeena lay undiscovered under her mother's corpse for eight hours after the shooting, while her seven-year-old sister Zainab was found with serious injures after being shot and beaten.

French investigators searched the al-Hilli family home in Claygate, Surrey, in the wake of the deaths.

Later in September, Surrey Police asked Greater Manchester Police to arrest a man at an address in Alban Street, Salford, on suspicion of fraud offences.

Nigerian-born Abiodun David John was questioned and then later released on bail pending further inquiries. He is due to answer his bail tomorrow in Surrey.

Mr John, who has since moved to London, has denied any wrongdoing.

He told the Manchester Evening News: "I believe that people have been tapping into my phone and accessing my internet.

"When the police came into my house I did not know what they were talking about.

"I am totally innocent. I do not know where this whole thing has come from."

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: "A 32-year-old man from the Greater Manchester area was arrested on September 25 in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation being carried out by Surrey Police.

"He was released on bail until November 13 pending further enquiries."

PA