Police officers from New Scotland Yard in London are in Norway this week, to continue their investigation into the death of a Norwegian student in London more than two years ago. They believe she was raped and murdered by a fellow foreign student, who later fled the UK and is believed to be hiding out in his native Yemen.
Martine Vik Magnussen of Nesøya, west of Oslo, was last seen leaving a fashionable London nightclub in the early hours of March 14, 2008 with fellow student Farouk Abdulhak. Her body was later found in the basement of Adbulhak’s apartment building and he’s known to have left London on a flight the day before.
He’s been charged in the case but has avoided arrest because there’s no extradition treaty between either Yemen and the UK or Yemen and Norway. Abdulhak also has a US passport, though, so hopes rose earlier this year that American authorities can demand he face the charges against him.
The Scotland Yard inspectors wouldn’t answer questions about their trip to Norway, but they reportedly are interviewing the murder victim’s friends and family in order to strengthen their profile of her. Newspaper Aftenposten reported Thursday that there are concerns Abdulhak’s wealthy father and their lawyers will try to smear her character in any eventual court case, to boost the murder suspect’s defense.
Magnussen’s father has continued efforts to bring his daughter’s killer to justice. He earlier was angry with Norwegian authorities for allegedly not doing enough but now seems satisfied and also has received support from high-ranking officials including Queen Elizabeth.
Views and News staff
