Murder victims' bodies back in NI

24 August 2011 Last updated at 23:00 GMT The two women's bodies were returned to Newry on Wednesday afternoon The bodies of Marion Graham and Kathy Dinsmore, who were murdered in Turkey, have been taken to their home towns of Newry and Warrenpoint.

The women, who were both in their 50s, were stabbed to death near the west coast city of Izmir last week.

The victims' bodies were released from a mortuary in Izmir on Monday and flown to Dublin Airport on Wednesday.

The hearses were accompanied by friends and family and the police on both sides of the border on their journey north.

Both funerals will be on Friday - Ms Graham's in Newry in the morning and Ms Dinsmore's in Warrenpoint in the afternoon.

Ms Graham's daughter Shannon arrived home on Monday night accompanied by her father.

In a statement earlier, St Mary's High School - which Shannon attended - said staff and pupils were "deeply saddened" by the tragic deaths.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Shannon during this very difficult time," the statement said.

"As a school community we will ensure all the support is available to both Shannon and her peers as they begin a new academic year."

Suspect's confession

Shannon's Turkish boyfriend Recep Cetin has reportedly confessed to the double killing.

The suspect, also known as Alex, worked at a restaurant in the popular tourist resort of Kusadasi.

It is alleged that he confessed to killing Ms Graham and Ms Dinsmore, after being refused permission to marry Shannon.

The suspect is alleged to have taken Ms Dinsmore and Ms Graham to a secluded wooded area and murdered them there.

The friends were on holiday in Kusadasi, about 100km from Izmir.

Shannon was on a boat trip when the killings happened. She alerted police when she arrived home and could not get in touch with her mother.

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Turkish victims' bodies released

22 August 2011 Last updated at 16:57 GMT Kathy Dinsmore and Marion Graham were from County Down The bodies of the two Newry women murdered in Turkey last week have been released for repatriation.

Marion Graham and Kathy Dinsmore, both in their 50s, were stabbed to death in the city of Izmir on Thursday.

Ms Graham's daughter and former partner are now flying back to Northern Ireland.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs has said Raymond McGuinness and his daughter Shannon will arrive back in Belfast later.

The boyfriend of Shannon has appeared in court over the murders.

BBC Northern Ireland's Chris Page said he has been told by police sources that Recep Cetin originally told police he had taken the women shopping and they had been abducted.

"Police thought that story didn't really add up," he said.

"They went back to the apartment (in Kusadasi, which the two women where sharing with Shannon Graham and Mr Cetin) to investigate further and there they found some blood-stained clothing in a bag lying on the ground.

"So they arrested Shannon's boyfriend then."

He said a trial, which would be before a judge, not a jury, could last as long as two years.

The women's families hope to fly their bodies home by the middle of this week.

The first full court hearing in relation to the murders is expected to take place on Monday.

Shannon's father, Raymond McGuinness and Ms Graham's son David arrived in Izmir on Saturday.

Prayers were said for the two women in churches in the Turkish city of Izmir and in Northern Ireland on Sunday.

Continue reading the main story Chris Page BBC NI reporter

It has been widely reported that the suspect is 17, but there is now serious doubt at that.

He has told everyone, including his girlfriend, that that is his age, but police sources have told me he actually is older.

He worked in Kusadasi approaching tourists on the beach and offering to bring them to restaurants. He then earned commission. Several restaurant owners have described him to me as a troubled young man.

Given the suspect has confessed, it's likely the charges will come in the next few days. Anyone convicted of murder in Turkey gets a 36-year sentence per killing, so anyone who has carried out a double murder will spend more than 70 years in prison.

In Kusadasi, both tourists and business people are talking about the murders. Many people working in bars and restaurants knew the ladies and expressed their shock and sadness. I went to an English-language church service in Izmir where the victims and families were prayed for.

Mr McGuinness said the identification process had been completed and his 15-year-old daughter was now his "main concern".

A niece and nephew of Ms Dinsmore have arrived in Turkey to help in the repatriation process.

Detained

The suspect, Mr Cetin, also known as Alex, works at a restaurant in the popular tourist resort of Kusadasi. He was originally reported to be 17, but Turkish police confirmed there was now doubt over his age.

Doubt has now emerged about the age of the accused, Recep Cetin

It is alleged that he confessed to killing Ms Graham and Ms Dinsmore, after being refused permission to marry Shannon.

The suspect is alleged to have taken Ms Dinsmore and Ms Graham to a secluded wooded area and murdered them there.

The friends were on holiday Kusadasi, about 100km from Izmir.

Shannon was on a boat trip when the killings happened. She alerted police when she arrived home and could not get in touch with her mother.

Newry and Mourne District Council have opened books of condolence which are located at Newry Arts Centre, Newry Town Hall, Warrenpoint Town Hall, Kilkeel Leisure Centre and Crossmaglen Community Centre.

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VIDEO: Row over 9/11 victim's remains

10 April 2011 Last updated at 04:45 GMT Help

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Met finds phone hacking 'victims'

9 February 2011 Last updated at 17:56 GMT The Met Police has been criticised for failing to carry out thorough investigations in the past Police investigating claims of phone hacking from 2005 have found more potential victims in police files.

They found "links" while reviewing the files from the conviction of a News of the World royal editor and new evidence from publisher News International.

They said they were taking urgent steps to notify people who had previously been told that police had "little or no information" about them.

There was no evidence yet that voice mail had been hacked, police said.

The force has been accused by a number of public figures of failing to carry out thorough inquiries in the past, and launched a new inquiry last month after receiving new information.

Scotland Yard said the possibility of voice mail hacking "will be an important and immediate new line of inquiry".

"As a result detectives are taking urgent steps to advise [the individuals] of this development at the earliest opportunity. If any others are identified as possible victims in due course they will also be contacted."

Links discovered

Scotland Yard said the specialist crime directorate Operation Weeting "have been able to make some links not previously identified" after reviewing the files and evidence.

"The team have also identified some individuals who were previously advised that there was little or no information held by the [Met Police] relating to them within the case papers and exhibits and this is now being reviewed."

A police spokeswoman said any potential victims wanting to use police evidence in a civil case will be shown the evidence but it will not be handed over.

Associated Press reported that thousands of people were involved.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers said: "Until I am satisfied that we have validated the data we are re-examining I am not prepared to discuss any of the numbers involved, but I intend to make this information public at the earliest opportunity.

"This is clearly a major task with a considerable amount of work to be done which will take a significant amount of time and resources."

Reported settlements

Police will also make contact with victims whose phones "we already have reasonable evidence to believe may have been hacked".

In January 2007, royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for four months and six months respectively.

Claims that phone hacking was widespread continue, and more and more celebrities and public figures have launched civil legal actions against both the paper and the police.

The Goodman and Mulcaire case first revealed several public figures had been hacked.

Two of them - Gordon Taylor and Max Clifford - brought private cases against the News of the World and received reported settlements of £700,000 and £1m respectively. The cases were settled before key documents were revealed in court.

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