Two French students killed in 'horrific' attack in London (Roundup)

Jul 3, 2008, 11:36 GMT

London - Two French research students died after suffering 'horrific' stab wounds before the flat in which they were living in London was set on fire, Scotland Yard said Thursday.

Scotland Yard detective chief inspector Mick Duthie said the injuries were the worst he had ever seen in his policing career.

'The extent of the injuries are horrific. Everyone working on this case, including myself, has been deeply shocked by what we have seen. I have never seen injuries like this throughout my career,' he said.

The bodies of Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, both 23, were found in the charred remains of a ground floor flat in New Cross, south-east London, late Sunday.

Ferez, who lived nearby, had been visiting his friend when the attack took place. Neighbours said they heard a loud explosion before the fire started.

Both victims suffered multiple stab wounds in the head, neck and chest and had been bound and gagged before during the attack.

Sources said the pair suffered up to 250 injuries. Bonomo was stabbed 200 times, with up to 100 injuries inflicted after he was already dead.

The two men, who were studying bio-engineering at London's renowned Imperial College, had been on a three-month project in Britain and were due to return to France later this month.

French news reports said they were students at the university of Clermont-Ferrand, in central France.

'I would not say this was a professional attack. I would say it was a frenzied, horrible, horrific attack,' Duthie said.

Investigations into the two men's background had shown they had not been involved in any criminality, and it was possible that the students' murder was a case of mistaken identity.

A white man had been seen running away from the house soon after an explosion was heard. But police said they had not ruled out that others were involved in the attack.

'I do believe, however, that those responsible must have been blood-stained when they left,' said Duthie.

He revealed that a break-in took place in the flat six days earlier in which a laptop computer was stolen.

He said both victims were found lying in the living area of the bedsit. There had been a strong smell of an accelerant used to ignite the fire.

Investigators believe an accelerant was poured on or near their bodies, possibly in a bid to destroy evidence.

Duthie said Bonomo was known to be alive in the early hours of Sunday morning because he had spoken to his girlfriend.

Investigators said there was no evidence of a forced entry and a set of keys may have been used, enabling an attacker to surprise his victims.

The pair were studying on Imperial's undergraduate research opportunities programme, which allows students who have not yet graduated from their master's degree to take part in real research.

Imperial rector Roy Anderson expressed his shock and sadness, saying the students had a 'bright future ahead of them.' He offered his sympathies to their families and friends.

The victims' parents have travelled to London where they were expected to give a news conference later.