Anti-terror police reopen cold case of shooting of Palestinian cartoonist who criticised regime

Scotland Yard said it is “open minded” about the motivation for the killing and that "shifts in allegiances" may lead witnesses to come forward.
Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali died in hospital after he was shot in the street 30 years ago
Met Police
Jonathan Mitchell29 August 2017
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Counter-terror police investigating the brutal murder of a Palestinian cartoonist have launched a fresh appeal 30 years after he was shot in London.

Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali, who was known to draw cartoons critical of the Palestinian regime, was shot in the back of the neck as he walked to his office in Knightsbridge on July 22, 1987.

Detectives from the Met Police’s counter-terror branch have now reopened the cold case, with Scotland Yard “open minded” about the motivation for the killing.

Mr Al-Ali, then 51, had been sent a number of death threats in the year’s leading up to his murder while working as a political cartoonist for Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas.

He was left in coma following the shooting and died in hospital just over a month later.

Police believe "shifts in allegiances" may lead people to come forward.

Police recovered this gun from a London estate two years after the shooting
Met Police

Just before Mr Al-Ali's murder, he was seen parking his car on Ixworth Place and walking down onto Ives Street before being attacked.

Witnesses told Met officers at the time they had seen him being followed by a gunman, who pulled out an automatic pistol and shot Mr Al-Ali in the street.

Police believe the cartoonist may have arranged to meet up with a man seen driving a silver-grey Mercedes before he was shot.

An artist's impression of the gunman, who was seen fleeing the scene shortly after the shooting
Met Police

The gunman was seen running from the scene of the shooting.

Detectives are also searching for a second man who was spotted running into nearby Lucan Place, before getting in the driver’s seat of the parked Mercedes.

Witnesses had told the Met he was seen with his left hand inside the right side of his jacket as if he was “concealing something”.

The murder weapon - a 7.62 Tokarev pistol – was found on the Hallfield estate in Paddington almost two years after Mr Al-Mil was killed.

The gunman was described by witnesses as being of Middle-Eastern appearance, aged about 25, with wavy collar-length thick black hair. He was wearing a stonewashed denim jacket.

The Met has released a picture of the gun alongside an updated cartoonist's impression of the murder suspect in a bid to find Mr Al-Ali’s killer.

Murder victim: Naji Salim Hussain Al-Ali was sent death threats in the lead up to his murder
Met Police

Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "The gunman was seen following Mr Al-Ali for about 40 seconds before he shot him.

“Despite the briefness of the attack, witnesses were able to give investigators a good description of the suspect."

He added: “The brutal murder of Mr Al-Ali devastated his family and 30 years on they continue to feel the loss.

"We have previously reviewed this case and followed a number of lines of enquiry which have not resulted in us identifying these two men.

"However, a lot can change in 30 years – allegiances shift and people who were not willing to speak at the time of the murder may now be prepared to come forward with crucial information.

"We remain open-minded about the motive for Mr Al-Ali's murder and we believe there are people somewhere who have information that could help us bring those responsible for his murder to justice."

Anyone with information should call 020 3276 9014, or 0044 203 276 9014 if calling from outside the UK. Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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