Princess Diana's former friend claims conspiracy in book

Oct 25, 2005, 5:58 GMT

Princess Diana's death was the result of an assassination conspiracy carried out by the British and French security services, it has been claimed. Diana's former friend, Nicholas Davis, makes the astonishing allegation in his new book 'Cover Up'.

Davis claims Diana, who along with her lover Dodi Fayed was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997, was murdered because she was about to give her support to Palestine, which could have outraged neighbouring Israel and worsen the Middle East crisis.

A high placed source at M15 allegedly told Davis the late princess' crash was "no accident".

Davis also claims the seatbelts within the Mercedes, that Diana had been travelling in, had been tampered with rendering them useless in a crash.

The author also alleges the crash was orchestrated by a team of M15 agents and the French equivalent, the DST - La Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire - so the princess's car would hit a concrete pillar in the Pont de I'Alma tunnel at high speed.

The claims have so far been met with scepticism, but Davis insists his allegations are true and is confident he can prove them if required. He said: "I approached this with an open mind, spoke to scores of people and double checked my information with people in Paris.  My sources are genuine and reliable."

Conspiracy theories have surrounded Diana's death since 1997, while Dodi's father Harrod's shop owner Mohammed al Fayed has always insisted Diana and his son were murdered by the British government.

Copyright 2005 BANG Media International