Suzan Tamim, the murdered Lebanese singer, was attacked by a "semi-professional" killer who acted efficiently and quickly, but left behind a vital clue, police say. Using a bogus letter from a property agent, the killer tricked Tamim into letting him into her apartment in the Jumeirah Beach Residence, cut her throat, changed his clothing and left the complex in just 12 minutes.
Within 90 minutes he was out of the country, said Major Gen Khamis Mattar al Mazeina, acting head of Dubai Police. A man has been arrested in connection with the murder, but it is understood that the person suspected of ordering the killing is still at large. "It was a semi-professional killing, but unfortunately for him he left a vital clue behind," said Major Gen Mazeina. "Within five hours of discovering the body we were able to identify him."
He said the killer changed his clothes in the stairwell on the floor below, leaving the bloodied items behind. "The way in which the killing took place suggests a revenge motive, as nothing was taken from the apartment and nothing was disturbed," he said. A police source revealed that a 39-year-old Egyptian man was in police custody, after being arrested three days after the singer's death.The source would not disclose the suspect's location.
Major Gen Mazeina said police received a call at 8.15pm on July 28 from Tamim's cousin. He had gone to her flat to check on her, after being unable to reach her all day. "He was surprised to find the door to her apartment open and soon saw Suzan's body drenched in blood just behind the door," he said. Police believe the murder occurred before 9am because when her body was discovered, she was fully dressed, ready for her driving lesson that morning.
So far no extradition request has been made to the country holding the suspect. Dubai Police have already visited the country and will return in the next two weeks to assist detectives there with the investigation. The singer arrived in Dubai on July 18, just 10 days before she was murdered. Ms Tamim's father, Abdul Sattar Tamim, has claimed that he knows the identity of the killer and believes she was the victim of a contract killing.
In an interview with the satellite television station Al Arabiya, he hinted that he had documents and evidence to prove his allegations and that he would hand over all the evidence to Dubai Police. rabubaker@thenational.ae / nsamaha@thenational.ae
