LONDON: London police investigating the 2008 murder of a Norwegian student said on Tuesday they had made an arrest after they urged a Yemeni suspect to flee the country to give himself up.
Martyn Vic Magnussen, 23, was found dead in the basement of a block of flats in central London, after having a night out party at a private members club popular with celebrities.
A Yemeni man, Farouk Abdulhaq, was quickly identified as a suspect for his murder, but fled to Britain, traveling to Egypt after a trip to Yemen.
A 60-year-old woman was arrested and taken into custody on suspicion of aiding a criminal in central London, police said on Monday.
The victim’s father, Aude Petter Magnussen, said he welcomed the “very interesting” development, adding that he felt the case was “closer to a conclusion than ever before.”
“Small details can put a lot of pressure on the suspect and his family,” he told broadcaster NRK.
“I have no idea other than that (the arrested woman) is neither Norwegian nor English,” Magnussen said.
Magnussen is due to visit Britain this week to mark the 14th anniversary of his daughter’s death.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Eastwood, who led the investigation, said the development “represents a positive step forward,” but noted that “we still have a lot of work to do.”
“Most importantly, Farooq Abdulhaq should be aware that this matter has neither gone away, nor will it go away,” he said, promising to do everything to bring him back to Britain.
“His status as a wanted man will remain and we will not stop in our efforts to get justice for Martin’s family.
“I am appealing directly to Farooq Abdulhaq: Come back to the UK. Come back to face justice.”
Magnussen and Abdulhaq were both students at the private Regent’s University London – then known as Regent’s College – and knew each other socially.
He knew his friends too well.
Abdulhaq, who was 21 at the time and had lived in London since childhood, lived in a flat on Great Portland Street near Regent’s Park, where his body was found on March 16, 2008.
The post-mortem report stated pressure on the neck as the cause of death. She was also raped.
At an inquiry in 2010, a coroner ruled that he had been unlawfully executed.
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