02/05/2012 BBC News at Ten

Tonight at 10:00pm: The MI6 officer, Gareth Williams,

was "probably unlawfully killed". His body was found in a padlocked

bag nearly two years ago. The coroner's verdict is backed by

police. It is highly likely that a third party was involved in

Gareth's death, and I urge anyone who knows Gareth, who had contact

with him, to search their conscience and to come forward.

boss at MI6 apologises to the family for the way the service

responded to the death. We'll be asking where the police

investigation might lead, now the inquest is over.

Also tonight: The plight of a Chinese dissident

and his family causes turmoil in Beijing. We have a special report.

We can see Chen Guangcheng inside, and his wife. She told me he was

fine and the two children were there. We are being moved out of

the property. More than 2,000 senior civil

servants could be using a loophole to reduce their tax bills.

The Elysee at stake in the big presidential debate between Sarkozy

and Hollande. And an emotional return to Bolton

for Fabrice Muamba. Coming up in Sportsday, the pick of the action

from tonight's games. There are serious consequence is at the top

Gareth Williams - the MI6 officer whose body was found in a padlocked

bag - was probably unlawfully killed. That was the coroner's

conclusion after considering eight days of evidence. She said

fundamental questions about his death remained unanswered and the

case may never be solved. There was strong criticism of the police

investigation and MI6, as our security correspondent, Gordon

Corera, reports. Nearly two years on from the death

of Gareth Williams, seen here in his last movements, the central

mysteries of how and why the intelligence officer died remain.

This police reconstruction, shilling residue of extensive

forensic testing, shows how Gareth Williams' body was found in the

top-floor bathroom of his Pimlico flat, locked in a bag. But how did

he get there? The coroner reached a narrative verdict. Unable to come

to a definitive conclusion. But she The police woman leading the

inquiry made clear it will continue. The inquest has made several new

lines of inquiry and the investigation will now refocus and

actively pursued all of the evidence heard and all the new

lines of inquiry. Amongst the evidence the court heard, was

whether Gareth Williams could have climbed inside the bag himself and

padlocked it from the inside. Especially when there were none of

the hand prints or footprints around the bath you would expect if

he had done so. Experts provided video evidence of their attempts,

and one told the BBC afterwards what he thought. I have tried

hundreds of times to lock myself inside this bag, and couldn't. Even

Houdini would have struggled with this one. Someone else must have

been involved. The coroner agreed, But who was that? Why was there so

little DNA evidence? Why was a phone wiped just hours before

Gareth died? Large amounts of women's clothing were found in the

flat, but the coroner said this was probably linked to his interest in

fashion. He said a small number of visits to bondage websites were not

significant. If not his private life, was his death linked to his

role at MI6? Tonight, MI6 said they had co-operated fully with police,

and would continue to do so. But nine memory sticks found in

Gareth's office were only handed over this week. That was blamed on

the specially vetted police, who acted as go-betweens, producing

impartiality the coroner questions. There was no evidence, she said,

linking the death to Gareth's work. The head of MI6, Sir John Sawers,

attended Gareth Williams' funeral. He issued an unreserved apology for

the week-long delay in reporting gas missing from his four man team.

That delay was crucial -- reporting Gareth missing. It meant that by

the Thai police found his body at his flat, it was badly decomposed -

- by the time police found. That was abetted by the fact that

radiators were turned on, even though it was August. That meant

establishing the exact cause of death was almost impossible, with

as this created poisoning most likely. -- asphyxiated poisoning.

Mugabe it is it was exacerbated by the failure of his employers at MI6

-- our view is that it was exacerbated by the failure of his

employers at MI6 to look after his welfare. Gareth's tragic death

remains unresolved and the coroner said it may never be fully

explained. And Gordon is with me here. What

are your thoughts on where the police investigation might now

lead? Having heard all the evidence, I think it is less clear what lies

behind this death and at the outset. There are all his two theories. One

that it was linked to his work. -- always two theories. The coroner

said there was no evidence for dark arts been involved. The other

theory, that it was part of his private life, that some game had

gone wrong. Again, the coroner suggested that much of the evidence

linked to that was not really significant. The only thing that

became clear was that someone else was involved in the death. That

will be the focus of the police investigation. What have they got

to go on? Some tiny traces of DNA, a few phone records and computer

sticks to look at. Today, the police officer in charge made an

appeal for witnesses, asking them to search their consciences,

perhaps an indication that they think it was some kind of accident,

or that something had gone wrong. But that is not much to go on, it

is pretty slim pickings, and that is why the coroner said she thinks

this case may never be solved. There's growing concern for the

safety of a prominent Chinese activist who fled to the US embassy

in Beijing a week ago, to escape house arrest. Chen Guangcheng -

who's blind - left the embassy today after apparently receiving

assurances from the Chinese authorities. But a friend has told

the BBC that he left because his family had been threatened. As our

correspondent, Damian Grammaticas, reports, the case has led to

diplomatic tension between China and the United States.

Tempers flared. This was one of Beijing's biggest hospitals this

afternoon. Chinese security agents, desperate to keep one of the

country's best-known human rights activists hidden from us. At the

end of the corridor, in a wheelchair, we glimpsed him. Chen

Guangcheng, his leg injured in a dramatic flight to the American

embassy last week. Brought here by US diplomats, who negotiated a deal

with China for Chen Guangcheng to get medical treatment and be

allowed to study free, his safety guaranteed. The so it's our his

wife and two children, long held captive by to any security -- the

silhouettes are. We have seen Chen Guangcheng and his wife inside. She

told the BBC that she was fine. We are being moved out of the hospital.

The blind lawyer became an icon of human rights abuses in China after

he exposed the way thousands of women had undergone forced

abortions. The seven years he was held here, under illegal house

arrest. He and his family, beaten savagely, guarded around the clock.

Despite his lack of side, he outwitted his guards. -- his lack

of sight. Now it appears he has been using -- China has been using

This evening, speaking on the telephone, Chen Guangcheng said the

danger to his family and children was the reason he had agreed to

quit the embassy. The US diplomats say no threat was made. At no time

did any US officials speak to Chen Guangcheng about physical legal

threats to his wife and children, nor did any Chinese officials make

any threat to us, or through us. However, American diplomats did

tell Chen Guangcheng that Chinese officials had said his wife and

children would be sent back to his village if he stayed in the embassy.

State television said American's hope for Chen Guangcheng had been a

totally unacceptable interference in China's affairs, and demanded an

apology. The US has said there will not be won. Hillary Clinton is now

in Beijing for a scheduled talks with China's leaders. On a host of

major issues, America has to work with China. When it is the state of

-- state of the global economy or stopping the bloodshed in Syria.

Tonight, from his us put it, Chen Guangcheng said he now fears being

kidnapped and incarcerated again. He doesn't trust China's assurances

and he appealed for help, saying his family want to leave China.

As many as 2,000 senior civil servants could be exploiting a

legal loophole to reduce the amount of tax they pay, according to the

findings of a BBC investigation. The revelations emerged from a

Government audit, set up after it was confirmed that the chief

executive of the Student Loans Company had set up a company to

receive his income. BBC Newsnight's Peter Marshall has this exclusive

report. The tax arrangements of the head of

the Student Loans Company, Ed Lester, caused a row this year when

the BBC revealed he was being paid by the government through a private

company, allowing him to reduce his tax bill. Now seems over 2000 other

public servants, earning and isn't that -- minimum of over �58,000 a

year, are doing the same, not paying tax at source. The

information has come to light in a letter from the Treasury Secretary,

Danny Alexander, to the chancellor, George Osborne. Mr Alexander, who

signed off on Ed Lester's arrangements, suggests he is

shocked by the scale of the off pay roll deals. He wants board members

and senior officials to be compelled to go on staff. He wants

to seek assurances on the tax details, for anyone engaged for

more than six months or more than �220 a day. He wants it all brought

in within three months. Faced with the eighth League tonight, a

Treasury adviser told us, at least we are doing something -- faced

with the League tonight. It's as dynamic and decisive from a cabinet

which has caused tax avoidance morally repugnant. Intelligent --

which has called tax avoidance. They could be biting off more than

they could chew. Alastair Kendrick, a former tax inspector, said it

would cast millions. -- cost millions. On a population of 2000,

it gives �16 million. If we were looking at an average of �70,000,

for instance, that National Insurance cost may go up to �24

million. That is without taking into account pensions, holiday pay

and various statutory employee rights. The dangers is if it is not

handled correctly, recouping lost tax could cost the company a

fortune. And you can see Peter Marshall's

full report on Newsnight tonight at 10:30 on BBC Two.

Members of the Immigration Services Union - which represents 4,500

Border Agency staff - are to hold a one-day strike on Thursday next

week. They're joining thousands of other civil servants in the walk-

out, in protest at the Government's plan to increase the retirement age.

Ministers, who are already dealing with complaints about long queues

at Heathrow, say they have contingency plans to deal with the

disruption. The board of directors of News

Corporation has tonight said it has full confidence in Rupert Murdoch

as chairman. The backing comes a day after the highly critical

report by MPs into phone-hacking, which stated that Mr Murdoch wasn't

fit to run an international company. The board said he had "demonstrated

resolve" to address the mistakes highlighted by the report. Cardinal

Sean Brady, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, said he

will not resign, despite allegations that he fell to protect

a number of children we had been sexually abused by a priest. A BBC

investigation has found that Cardinal Brady had the names and

addresses of individuals abused by Brendan Smyth during the 1970s, he

did not pass them on to their Father Brendan Smyth abused

children across Ireland for 40 years. It wasn't until 1994 that he

was finally jailed. Could he have been caught sooner? Should the man

who is the head of the Irish Catholic Church have done more to

stop him? Back in 1975, when Cardinal Brady was a young priest,

records show that he and a number of colleagues met one of Father

Smith's victims, Brendan and Ireland. He was an altar boy and he

said he told police -- priests that he was being abused and that other

children were only at risk from Father Smyth. As a boy from Belfast,

I gave him my name and address, there was a girl who gave her name

and address, I gave another boy's name and address. There is no

evidence that the parents of these children or the police were

contacted. The BBC documentary team asked him about the revelations.

You had names and addresses of children who were being abused, who

at risk of being abused Andy did not protect them. -- and you did

not. Today, he gave an explanation. He said his role in 1975 had been

to gather evidence for more senior members of the Church to act upon.

He said he was sorry they did not do more. At all times, I was doing

my utmost to make sure that the evidence was produced and brought

to those who could stop him. that explanation was not good

enough for many abused victims. knew whether those parents had been

contacted or not. He had free will. He should have had a conscience,

and he did not act, and on those grounds, he should not be there any

longer, he should not be leading our church. The pressure is

building. It is known that Cardinal Brady has considered resigning. But

tonight, it is being made clear he is staying on. And it has also

emerged that the Church will not Coming up: Simply stunning! Spurs

are edging closer to Champions League qualification. They played

Bolton tonight. In Egypt, at least 20 people have been killed and 100

injured in violent clashes in Cairo. Demonstrators were attacked as they

protested. Our correspondent sent this report. Egypt's Revolution to

send back into violence, just as the country moves hesitantly

towards democracy. In the early hours, thugs attacked a sit-in by

opposition supporters outside the defence ministry. Nobody knows who

the attackers were. The strong suspicion was that someone in power

wanted to intimidate the opposition and chaos in the run-up to the

presidential elections. Opposition supporters showed us spent

cartridges and bullet cases they said were fired at them in what

they say is an unprovoked attack. People here are peaceful protesters.

They do not do anything. Some people from the other side are

attacking them. People protesting here do not do anything. Through

the morning they rushed in the casualties. A makeshift field

hospital struggled to cope. The injuries were brittle - the scale

of the violence shopping - against what was a relatively small

demonstration. Four people came in with head injuries and may die

straightaway. Three others died while they were being brought here.

-- they died. It was several hours before Army and police moved in to

restore order. Someone in a sorry to seemed prepared to turn a blind

eye. Tonight, waves of protest marchers seemed to be arriving in

the area. It has not deterred protesters. The crowds have been

flooding in. They said they are determined to protect the

revolution and end military rule in Egypt. As the presidential election

approaches, there could and probably will be many more battles

ahead. In the US, Newt Gingrich has confirmed he is spending his

campaign to be the party's candidate in the presidential

election in November. He said he would be backing Mitt Romney in the

race for the White House. It leaves Ron Paul as the only alternative

contender. Tomorrow morning, polling stations will open in

England, Scotland and Wales for the local elections. There are

thousands of seats at stake. The results will be examined in detail

on the coalition government, which is two years old this month. Jeremy

Vine explains what is at stake tomorrow. Let me show you the map

of England. Regal colour in all the councils in the colour of the

parties that controls them. -- we will colour. This is Birmingham. It

is coloured black because it has no overall control. No single party

big enough to take power. Portsmouth on the south coast, a

speck of Orange, can the Liberal Democrats hold off their opponents?

In Scotland, all that councils are coloured black because so many are

hung. Let me ask the computer to show us the largest party and that

becomes much clearer. Independents are stronger in the north-west. The

Liberal Democrats in orange. Labour is very strong in these dense

combinations across the middle of Scotland and the Conservatives in

blue in the south. In Wales, all but one council is up. Down in the

South, much less wet them there would have been saved 10 years, 15

years ago. -- read than there would have been. Last year, if we look at

the graph, I will show the percentages the parties would have

got if the elections have taken place across the whole country.

Labour would be in their lead, 36%. The Conservatives would be a strong

second, 35%. A terrible results for the Liberal Democrats come as 16%

and the others, 13%. This is better than the Conservatives had feared

and not as good as Labour might have hoped. There are other

elections, for example, London Mayor. Boris Johnson got votes in

the suburbs. Plus, at the London assembly. 25 seats. This is how

they work the range last American zest -- contested. Across England,

in 11 different places, there will be elections on whether people want

a mayor. The really big thought, how much of this book can the

Conservatives hang on to given that when these seats were last won in

2008, they were in a very strong position? The two contenders in the

French Presidential election have clashed tonight in a televised

debate, just days before the country votes in the decisive run-

off. Nicolas Sarkozy repeatedly accused his socialist rival of

lying during an exchange over economic policies. Francois

Hollande said it was time for a President who could revive the

country. Gavin Hewitt watched the debate in Paris. What was your

sense of the main exchange, especially on the economy? Well,

this debate was scrappy. It was bad tempered. Let me teach you

something, said President Sarkozy at one Point. Let me assure you,

you can teach me nothing said Francois Hollande. They both

accused each other of lying. President Sarkozy said, it is alive,

it is alive, it is alive. Francois Hollande said, you want to protect

the privilege. As we understand it, the debate is still going on. Will

it have swung many votes ahead of the big round on Sunday? I do not

think either candidate so far has delivered a knockout blow.

President Sarkozy is behind at the moment. He really needed to come

out ahead. What he has been trying to do is show up the lack of

experience of Francois Hollande and go up to his spending plans. He

said if he put them into office with than the debt for France would

go through the roof. My impression is it has been very bad tempered. I

do not think either candidate has seen off the other. Fabrice Muamba,

the footballer who collapsed during a game in March, has attended his

first game since his discharge from hospital. He returned to the Reebok

Stadium to watch his team against Tottenham Hotspur. Our sports

correspondent has this report. Barely six weeks ago, it would

scarcely have seemed possible. Fabrice Muamba striding into Bolton

into the most poignant of homecomings. He thanked the medical

staff who had helped to save his life. Just before kick-off came the

spine-tingling entrance. 47 days after that night, the emotion for

the fans, his watching wife, but most of will for the man himself,

was plain to see. Tears flowed as the stadium echoed to his name.

Muamba seemed overwhelmed. His message to those who had supported

him was plain and simple. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank

you for your support. Thank you to the whole country. The support has

been overwhelming. I'm just grateful that I can walk again, I

can do things normally again. A message will be, thank you. Muamba

said he wished he was playing tonight. Instead he had to watch

his team-mates struggle as Tottenham went in front. After the