-Caveat Lector- Harrods Boss Wins Legal Victory By ROBERT BARR .c The Associated Press LONDON (AP) - Mohamed Al Fayed, the flamboyant merchant whose son died with Princess Diana, exulted Tuesday in a legal victory over a legislator he accused of accepting wads of cash for parliamentary favors. ``Christmas has come early. This is total vindication,'' Al Fayed said after the jury rejected the libel suit by former Conservative Party lawmaker Neil Hamilton. The Egyptian-born owner of Harrods department store said he would now renew his pursuit of a British passport, which has been denied because of questions about his honesty and his admission that he put legislators on his payroll. Al Fayed had been sued by Neil Hamilton, a former member of Parliament whose career was ruined by the allegations that he accepted envelopes of cash and a lavish stay at Al Fayed's Ritz Hotel in Paris in return for favors. ``At the moment, I just feel cold inside,'' said Hamilton, who told reporters he was broke after losing the case. Earlier, he had sued The Guardian newspaper for printing Al Fayed's claims, but dropped that case claiming lack of money. The Hamilton case contributed greatly to the ``sleaze'' issue that damaged Prime Minister John Major's government before its defeat in the 1997 general election. Another Conservative lawmaker admitted taking Al Fayed's money, and the store owner's accusations started a complex series of investigations that put former Tory Cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken in jail for perjury. ``I hope that this is the end of a sad and unpleasant episode which has been damaging to our party,'' Conservative Chairman Michael Ancram said. ``I trust that the personalities involved will now retire from the scene.'' The monthlong trial, billed by the British Broadcasting Corp. as ``the best show in town,'' had attracted full galleries in court each day. Lawyers for the two sides dissected Hamilton's lavish room-service bill at the Ritz, and sparred over Al Fayed's belief that the British secret services, directed by Queen Elizabeth II's husband, Prince Philip, had engineered the death of his son, Dodi, and Princess Diana in a Paris car crash. ``Let Prince Philip sue me. Let MI5 and MI6 sue me,'' Al Fayed testified. ``They know they are above the law.'' Though Al Fayed won, the trial did little to enhance his reputation. In his summation, Justice Michael Morland suggested Al Fayed's ``obsessional attitude and beliefs have distorted his perception of the truth,'' and that the jury should decide whether Al Fayed's version was adequately supported by other witnesses. Hamilton resigned from his government post in 1994 and lost his seat in 1997 after Al Fayed's accusations. A parliamentary committee reported in 1998 that there was compelling evidence Hamilton accepted up to up to $40,000 from Al Fayed, but ``no absolute proof.'' It concluded that Hamilton's conduct fell ``seriously and persistently below the standards'' expected of a lawmaker, and said he likely would have been suspended if had not already lost his seat. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
