Murder inquiry after 'spy' found dead in London flat

The body of a man believed to have been working for MI6 has been discovered stuffed into a sports bag.

LONDON // A murder inquiry has been launched after the body of a man, reported by British media to be an intelligence officer, was discovered stuffed inside a sports bag in a central London apartment. London's Scotland Yard said today the body of a man named by media as Gareth Williams was found on Monday night inside an apartment in Pimlico, a short distance from the headquarters at Vauxhall of the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6.

British media reported that the man worked for Britain's eavesdropping agency, GCHQ, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and was on a secondment to MI6. According to newspaper reports the the body of the dead man, who was in his 30s, was discovered stuffed in a large sports bag in the bath. He had apparently been missing for 10 days. Mr Williams had apparently been due to return home to Gloucestershire before he was murdered. Police and Britain's Foreign Office, the ministry that oversees MI6, declined to confirm the victim's details, saying that they never commented on possible intelligence issues.

An autopsy was due to be carried out later today. Police declined to provide further details in the case, but said detectives have several lines of inquiry. * AP