Post date: Sep 10, 2012 12:22:33 PM
UK bomb disposal unit investigates the southern England home of family involved in French Alps gun attack.
CLAYGATE, SURREY, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 10, 2012) (ITN) - A bomb disposal unit was at the Surrey home of the victims of last week's gun attack in the French Alps on Monday (September 10) because of "concerns" about items found on the property.
Police have sealed off the road in the leafy village of Claygate, southwest of London, and have evacuated the area surrounding Saad al-Hilli's 1 million pound ($1.60 million) house.
"Surrey Police can confirm that due to concerns around items found at the address ... officers have extended the cordon surrounding the property," police said in a statement.
"Neighbours in the immediate area are being temporarily evacuated," the statement added.
Police spent the weekend searching the property for clues as to what may have triggered Wednesday's (September 5) shooting which left Iraqi-born British businessman Saad al-Hillli, his wife and mother-in-law, along with passing cyclist Sylvain Mollier, dead.
The al-Hilli's two daughters survived the attack.
French police are waiting to question seven-year-old Zainab al-Hilli, who has regained consciousness. She was beaten and shot during the attack.
Her sister, four-year-old Zeena, who was found hours after the attack huddled under her mother's body, has been returned to Britain.
Hilli, a mechanical engineer who contracted with Surrey Satellite Technology, a subsidiary of aerospace and defence firm EADS, and the other victims were shot twice in the head in what appeared to be execution-style killings.
French State Prosecutor Eric Maillaud said a family feud over money was one of several motives still being considered as a motive for the murders and Hilli's brother had been formally questioned. The brother has denied any dispute with Hilli.
French media also said British police were investigating Hilli's work rather than his family.