TNAG-2652-FCO40-3845-Extradition-cases-from-the-UK-and-France-to-Hong-Kong-Lorrai-1992 — Page 108

MR TURNBULL

LORRAIN OSMAN

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Mr Wall

Mr O'Donnell

A circulate as recesoar

26/2

I should report to you that this morning at about 9.15 I took a telephone call from one Kevin Cahill concerning the Osman case. I had by chance seen copies of correspondence from the Foreign office replying to Mr Cahill, who had written to many he thought were involved in this case, which gave a very brief line essentially only acknowledging receipt, and that the case was for the courts to decide.

Mr Cahill put to me a very convoluted story, details of which I did not take in full. This concerned the latest hearing of an application for habeas corpus by Lorrain Osman which I understand concluded yesterday. He spent some considerable time going over details of allegations of a murder and the involvement of the Prime Minister of Malaysia and someone by the name of Roseli Razaleigh (phonetic). During the course of his explanation of the case he suggested to me that a police officer by the name of McKillip (phonetic) had in some way perjured himself and taken a statement (it was not clear what this related to) which had not been disclosed in open court, but had been delivered to the Foreign Office and Downing Street.

Cahill, suggesting some form of high level cover up, put to me that the Insight team of the Sunday Times would follow this up. He was hoping to be the author.

I was non-committal. I explained on many occasions that these were matters for the courts, that there were opportunities for Mr Osman's legal advisers to raise in open court any questions of procedure or matters where they felt that British justice was not serving them effectively. I said that I had no knowledge of the matters to which he was referring nor of any documents which it was claimed had been had been sent to Downing Street or the Foreign Office.

Mr Cahill repeated himself frequently seeking a different response he got none. In anticipation of a call from the Insight team tomorrow seeking some comment I will liaise with the Foreign office and the Home Office to ensure that we have a line.

I should be grateful for any advice you have on this bizarre story.

I am copying this note also to Peter Marshall at News Department and Andrea MacLean at Home Office Information Division.

JONATHAN HASLAM

26 February 1992