DUBAI // Police have denied that the Egyptian arrested in connection with the murder of Suzan Tamim, the Lebanese singer, has died in custody. Media reports circulating yesterday claimed that the 39-year-old suspect, currently being held in Egypt, had died. Some said he had a heart attack while others suggested he had committed suicide.
"These reports are false, he is still alive and being held by police in Egypt," said a Dubai Police source. He also said the man who had allegedly paid to have Tamim killed was still out of the country and police were awaiting his return to question him. The suspected killer was arrested three days after Tamim was murdered in Dubai last month. Police arrested him while he was swimming in the pool of a five-star hotel in Cairo, apparently spending some of the US$2 million (Dh7.34m) he was allegedly paid to kill the singer.
Tamim's throat was cut on July 28 inside her apartment in the Jumeirah Beach Residence complex. According to police, her killer tricked his way past security and into her apartment by claiming to work for an estate agency. Two hours after the murder, say police, he was out of the country on his way to Egypt. Yesterday, it was reported that Egypt's chief prosecutor, Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud, had ordered a ban on publication on information on the killing in the media. Copies of the Egyptian daily Al-Dustour were pulled after the newspaper carried a story claiming a top-level Egyptian businessman may have been involved.
Tamim had lived in Egypt for some time before moving to London to work. After her visa expired, she moved to Dubai. She had been in the country for only 10 days before she was killed. @Email:rabubaker@thenational.ae
