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Seaman Staines | 01.06.2006 03:47 | Analysis | London

News! Sir John Stevens, former Metropolitan Police big-wig, has been busy writing a book. Although there is unlikely to be anything new regarding the Diana incident in there, the media are currently talking up his good work investigating the crash, and this could help book sales. Fuzzy al-qaeda-ology, anyone?

If the Sir John Stevens led report presents new evidence, new witness statements and findings from new 'high-tech' examination of what is already known, then what will his next book be about?

Here is the scoop, courtesy of icWales:

 http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=17152708&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=diana-death-crash--new-evidence-and-new-witnesses-name_page.html

Diana death crash: New evidence and new witnesses

May 31 2006

Gareth Morgan, Western Mail

Former Metropolitan Commissioner John Stevens last night revealed that new witnesses and new forensic evidence were being examined as part of the investigation into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

With the investigation still ongoing, he told a public audience that they were examining every single conspiracy theory in an attempt to discover what happened.

Refusing to discuss whether the interviewees were eye witnesses, he admitted that he had already said too much and wouldn't be drawn further.

He told the audience at Hay-on- Wye, 'We have new witnesses and new forensic evidence.'

When asked for further details the former Commissioner who held the position from 2000 to 2005 said, 'I can't tell you that at this stage - you've already got under my radar.'

He did add though that the Metropolitan police had got the car which Diana was in when it crashed, from the French and that they were getting every piece of evidence they could from it. He said that the car had been dismantled and they were also putting an exact copy through road tests.

Answering criticisms about the French investigation he said that it was seven years ago and his team was using more up-to-date technology.

While the French dealt with the crash as a road accident, Stevens, who headed up numerous internal police investigations, said that they were considering every single theory.

He said, 'We are dealing with each and every conspiracy theory, each and every one.'

This meant, he said, he was in contact with Mohammed Al Fayed every two months.

Stevens said that he was very aware of all of the conspiracy theory books surrounding Princess Diana's death.

He said, 'There are a number of people who believe (those books) and that's the reason I am doing the job and the reason we are doing it thoroughly.

'As with Northern Ireland I will go, we will go, where the evidence takes us, absolutely where the evidence takes us.

'Having started it I intend to finish it.'

He added that the French were very impressed with the investigation and the Met was pulling the report together as he spoke.

But the death of Princess Diana was not the only topic of conversation at the Hay Festival as he discussed terrorism, shoot-to-kill policies and the introduction of ID cards.

He claimed there were three ways to defeat terrorism, and legislation and retaliation were both noticeably absent.

Lord Stevens, who was promoting his book Not For The Fainthearted, said getting into the communities, 'every single mosque, school in this country and university' was imperative.

He said educating people about the evils of al-Qaeda this way was important as the 'movement' was determined to indiscriminately take lives and create economic havoc.

He said investigation and intelligence, using agents from within the Muslim community to report any suspicious circumstances, were also vital.

But, with this in mind he did stand by the police policy of shoot-to-kill as an extra precaution in the current climate.

While he refused to be drawn on the questions surrounding Jean Charles de Menezes, he said the policy which was introduced under his watch was necessary.

Stevens said, 'Because we knew the dangers were imminent and real, it would be absolutely wrong not to look at every different option of how we could deal with what was an extraordinary threat.

'We had to look at every single scenario.'

When pushed to answer whether it works in practice he asked the audience to look at Israel where they 'would say it has' but he said that we haven't needed to prove it yet in the UK.

He also stood by ID cards - if the technology was available to successfully implement them.



Meanwhile...

 http://business.virgin.net/nigel.ayers/diana.html

Here's the NEtwork NEws Top Ten Theories concerning Diana's death:

1) The deaths were orchestrated by the Royal Family, outraged by the likelihood that she'd (a) leave the country and set up in the States (b) marry a moslem (c) prevent Charles becoming king/marrying Camilla (d) become a feminist icon; or (e) Dodi had cheated the Queen in a cocaine deal or (f) all of the above.

2) Landmine manufacturers did it.

3) Diana was hounded to death by greedy paparazzi in the pay of media moguls. Just because they were 200 metres behind the car when it crashed doesn't mean they weren't hounding her.

4) Diana did it herself - she faked the crash so that she and Dodi could live in private. The Mercedes brake system does not leave skid marks and yet there were skidmarks: why? Or did she do it for real because she was mad? Or did her implant make her do it? Or the passengers and driver of the Mercedes were all off their heads on booze and drugs and their youthful exuberance got the better of them.

5) It was The Bank of England, in league with Ghostly Shock Troops of the Situationist International. Paris is the traditional Masonic home of regicide, this also explains why early reports said the bodyguard's tongue had been severed in the crash.

6) It was a psychic attack from Chumbawamba; that's why Elton John recorded Candle in the Wind to push them out of the charts.

7) The deaths were a spiritual retribution for the theft of the head of Yagan, 19th century Aboriginal warrior.

8) The satellite navigation system on the Mercedes was interfered with by (a) computer hackers (b) the crew of the space station Mir.

9) Agents from Interflora tampered with the brakes when the car was stolen earlier in the summer.

10) It was all a dream.


But then again, what of the drugs? Who said that they didn't just hop off their plane, visit their white-powder supplier, have a quick ten minutes in the bath-room, with the playboy and accomplice emerging somewhat high? Winners don't do drugs, and, smacked out of their heads they smacked the car up all by themselves. For them speed limits did not apply, and they drove recklessly, with consequences. Fraid to say, drugs covers all the bases with this incident. Means, motive and opportunity are present in the many conspiracy theories, but drugs were a major part of the playboy world that some of these folk endured - an occupational hazard. Any conspiracy theory has to account for everything that was going on, including the drugs. Furthermore, could the authorities have handled yet another powder-abuser in their midst at that time? Best hide the autopsy evidence, best not slur the individuals involved (bless them).

Maybe Mr Stevens will open this line of enquiry? Not for now, he has more important work promoting government myths - 'al-qaeda-ology'.
Can anyone remember how he saved Tony Blair from -al-qaeda' in Summer 2002? No - because he could not speculate on Police matters and Mr Blair could not comment on No 10 security.
Will anyone be buying his book for this an presumably other 'The War Against Terror' hero tales?

Seaman Staines