Hasna Ould waited
at the airport in Montreal for her daughter.
"Each time a plane arrived, I looked
at the passengers one by one. No Fatima. I
was at the airport at 5:00. I waited until
10:00 - Nothing." |
5:00 p.m. (CANADA)
Hasna Ould, Fatima's mother, goes to Dorval airport
to wait for her daughter's plane to arrive.
7:10 p.m.
(CANADA)
Fatima Kama's plane arrives. Fatima Kama does
not. An attendant at the ticket kiosk says there
was a seat reserved for Kama, but she did not board
the plane.
9:05 p.m. (BEIRUT)
Youssef Wahid arrives in Beirut.
Some time after 9:00 p.m.
(CANADA)
The Kama family calls uncle-in-law Fadi Fadel in
London. As more media coverage surfaces and the
family contacts Fadi Fadel again, the mother contacts
police.
July 19, 1999
9:30 a.m.
Fadi Fadel calls the Scotland Yard police incident
room. He tells them about Fatima Kama and how she
was supposed to arrive from Heathrow Airport in
Montreal, Canada, but never showed up. He fears
she may be the girl in the suitcase.
Police ask Hasna Ould to fax a photo
of her daughter to the police. She refuses to believe
it is her daughter in the suitcase.
Police will later confirm that the girl in the suitcase
is Fatima Kama.
5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Police enter 91 Portsea Hall with a search warrant.
About six officers are dispatched to scour the apartment
for evidence. They recover bloodstains.
Fatima Kama's body
was discovered in a carpark at London's
Heathrow Airport in a black suitcase much
like this one.
Police had lots of evidence,
the body, the crime scene and a series of
photos which showed Wahid carrying the suitcase.
|
Evening
Some time in the evening a cab
driver in London, reads a message on his GPS cab monitor
from police. They're looking for a cab driver
who remembers transporting a man and a suitcase between
Portsea Hall and Paddington Station. The cab driver
gets in touch with the Serious Crime Group.
10:00 p.m.
Adel Wahid is arrested when he
arrives at 91 Portsea Hall. Police take him to Paddington
Green station. Police take his car for forensic examination.
They discover a small spec of human blood on the back
seat. They also find several pieces of female clothing
in the trunk.
July 20, 1999
Interpol telegram arrives in Beirut
from its London branch at 20:40 GMT. The telegram
is asking for a trace on Wahid or any documentation
about him.
Youssef Wahid travels to Ramadiyeh, Lebanon.
Adel Wahid is in custody, being questioned
by police. He tells police he drove his brother
to the airport on Sunday.
This is the
only photo of Wahid on file with the Lebanese
authorities. |
July 21, 1999
After monitoring the family home in Ramadiyeh, police
arrest Youssef Wahid. Youssef claims that his name
is Muhamad Abdeen. He then admits to his real identity.
Youssef Wahid is placed under investigation, suspected
of being implicated in the murder of Fatima Kama.
Youssef Wahid denies any involvement in the crime.
July 22, 1999
Adel Wahid, brother of Youssef Wahid and landlord
of 91 Portsea Hall is charged with “assisting
an offender” at his arraignment. He admits
to driving his brother to the airport the day after
the murder.
July 27, 1999
Interpol Beirut notifies British authorities they
have Youssef Wahid in custody. They explain they
have questioned Wahid on the murder and he denies
having any involvement in the crime. Interpol Beirut
asks Scotland Yard to send all information about
the case and to “send it promptly”.
They request all relevant documents be forwarded
to the “Attorney General Highest Court of
Appeal Lebanon.” They want to see this information
before deciding what to do with Youssef Wahid.
British police begin negotiating a means to get
access to Youssef Wahid. This includes a notice
sent back to Beirut, requesting permission to conduct
enquiries with Youssef Wahid.
July 29, 1999
Interpol London sends a message to Interpol Beirut,
advising that detectives plan to arrive in Lebanon
on August 3. They want to be present during interviews
with Youssef Wahid on August 4 and August 5. Interpol
asks for Beirut's approval of this message.
Read
the letter from
Lebanon which grants the British police permission
to visit. (.pdf).
And a letter
from Scotland Yard cancelling the trip. (.pdf)
|
July 31, 1999
Interpol Beirut sends message to
Interpol London, advising them that the General Prosecutor
has determined that “The British officers cannot
conduct enquiries on the Lebanese territories, but
they are granted permission to be present at the session
of the enquiry which will be conducted by the Lebanese
Judicial authorities.” The notice also confirms
that Lebanon is “waiting for the extradition
file to be transmitted through diplomatic channels.”
(read the letter .pdf)
But London sends message back to Interpol
advising that officers will not be coming to Beirut
for questioning of Youssef Wahid. (read the letter
.pdf)
“…having
established that no formal extradition treaty
exists between the United Kingdom and Lebanon.
In these circumstances, the arrest and detention
of Wahid for the murder of Fatima Kama is not
sought at this time. Therefore, in relation to
this allegation, he should be released immediately.
An evidence file will be submitted in due course
and put to the UK Crown Prosecution Service for
consideration for formal request in due course
through diplomatic channels for the extradition
of Wahid. In view of the above information, our
officers will not be coming to Lebanon as previously
stated.”
August 6, 1999
Youssef Wahid is brought before a Leanese judge,
who issues a detention order against him. Wahid
is remanded to jail. His passport is confiscated.
He is released due to lack of evidence.
August 16, 1999
Youssef Wahid is arrested again and imprisoned.
August 19, 1999
Youssef Wahid is questioned in the presence of his
lawyer. He denies any involvement in Kama's
death.
September 9, 1999
The Crown Prosecution Service in London sends a
letter to Marylebone Magistrate Court asking for
dismissal of the case against the brother, Adel
Wahid. In his interview with the fifth estate, Commander
Andy Baker says the CPS decided it could not try
the accomplice to the murder without being able
to try the murderer.
September 14, 1999
Adel Wahid, is released from jail due to lack of
evidence. Some time between September 14 and September
18 Adel Wahid and his mother leave London.
October 7, 1999
Lebanese authorities question Youssef Wahid once
again in the presence of a lawyer. He continues
to deny murdering Fatima Kama but gives conflicting
stories about his time in London and his relationship
with Kama.
October 18, 1999
Youssef Wahid is released from jail.
November 24, 1999 -
Youssef requests his passport from authorities.
He receives the documents on the same day of his
request.
Commander Andy
Baker admits that Scotland Yard made some
mistakes. But they still hope to catch Fatima's
killer.
"I've had to sit down and see Mr. Kama
(Fatima's father) and look him in the eye
and say, we will not give up." |
2000
March/April 2000
Richard Taber leaves his post with Scotland yard
due to a serious illness.
July 2000
Police from Scotland Yard decide to cooperate with
Lebanon and send evidence to authorities there.
They visit Lebanon to share their evidence and appeal
to authorities to apprehend Youssef Wahid once again.
August 17, 2000
The Prosecuting Authority in Lebanon decides to
interrogate Youssef Wahid in light of the new evidence
from Scotland Yard. He sets a date of August 22
for a hearing.
August 21, 2000
Authorities arrive at the address where Youssef
Wahid is supposed to be staying. They question the
man inside who says he is Youssef Wahid. It turns
out to be Adel Wahid. Adel tells police his brother
has left the country for work. Scotland Yard is
unable to track him down and arrest him.
August 22, 2000
At the request of the Public Prosecution in Lebanon,
an arrest warrant in absentia is issued against
Youssef Wahid. Wahid is registered as a fugitive
from justice to be tried “in
accordance with criminal law article 549 penal,
amended by statute #302/94 in accordance with misdemeanor
law article 73/weapons. For the premeditated murder
of Fatima Kama by stabbing her with a knife and
placing her in a suitcase that he abandoned at London
Heathrow airport.” (Lebanese court
documents)
Youssef Wahid's passport
is found in Saudi Arabia in 2001, but authorities
found no sign of the owner.
|
2001
March 2001
Saudi Arabian authorities find
the passport of Youssef Wahid, but there is no sign
that he is still in the country.
May 10, 2001
Lebanese authorities issue indictment
number 260/2001 against Youssef Wahid.
November 29, 2001
A court unanimously rules that
Youssef Wahid is guilty in accordance with the crime
referred to in article 549/first paragraph for premeditatedly
proceeding to murder Fatima Kama in London and is
sentenced to DEATH.
He is also found guilty in accordance with misdemeanor
article 73/weapons. He is denied his civil rights
for the period he remains a fugitive from justice
in accordance with article 63 penal law.
|
