The suspect

Farouk Abdulhak (born 18/02/1987) is wanted in connection with the murder of Martine Vik Magnussen, who was found in the basement of 222 Great Portland Street, London 16.03.2008.

Farouk Abdulhak has Yemeni and Egyptian origin and was a student at Regent’s Business School in London before the murder of Martine Vik Magnussen. Martine also studied (international business) at Regent’s Business School. It has been reported in the media that Farouk fled to Yemen immediately after the murder. He has connections in Europe, USA and other countries in the Middle East.   Farouk is also using the surname Beshr or Besher which is the family name of his mother, Rowaida Besher.

The family’s lawyer, Mohammad Mahdi Baqwli, told the Norwegian TV channel TV2 on hidden camera in 2009, that Farouk initially lived at home with his family and studying Arabic at the University of Sanaa. Although, this is not confirmed, it is known that he stayed in periods at his father’s hotel in Sanaa. Yemen has no extradition treaty with Britain.

Farouk Abdulhak had passports from Syria, Egypt and the United States, but not from Yemen, on his arrival from the UK via Cairo to Yemen in 2008. American authorities revoked his American passport in 2010, but he is still an American citizen.

Farouk married a divorced Yemeni woman of 23 years in February 2014. His new wife is at the same age as Martine when she was killed.

Forouk’s father, billionaire Shaher Abdulhak [in the Arabic world the names Shaher Abid Al Haqq or Shahir Abdul HAQ are also used] owns Shaher Trading Company (STC). Indirectly he has still some interests in multinational companies such as Coca-Cola, Mercedes Benz, Xerox and Phillips via his brother Hayel Shaher. Changes in the company’s formal ownership structure followed a consumer boycott of Coca Cola in Norway, and Norwegian parliamentarians forwarding a letter to the multinationals asking them to question the relationships with the suspect’s father on ethical grounds.

According to media, books, CIA’s web-site and other sources, Shaher Abdulhak is also linked to international weapon trade and operations in breach of UN sanctions. It is claimed that he is a good friend of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh – who still pulls many strings in Yemen.

Despite his position in the Yemeni business life, Farouk’s father is very media-shy. He never gives interviews and no picture of him has appeared in the press. In December 2009, however, a photo of him was for the first time exposed in public media when the Norwegian newspaper VG printed a private photo of him.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact Scotland Yard’s Most Wanted Hotline at (+44) 0207 233 4128. If you wish to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers at (+44) 0800 555111.

Shaher Trading Company – STCO

Shaher Trading Company has operations and interests in Yemen and various countries. STCO is involved with the following multinationals:

– Coca Cola in Egypt and Yemen
– Mercedes Benz Germany with complete range of cars to Yemen
– Philips
– Glass container production
– Grocery Products (Clorox international)
– Xerox Yemen
– International Bank of Yemen (IBY).
– Hotels (Taj Sheba) & (Yemen Tours and Travel).
– Oil Gas and Mineral Exploration (DNO – The Norwegian Oil Company)
– Mineral exploration is done in joint operations with MINORCO and Zincox
– GSM telecommunications (Yemen and Sudan)
– In Ethiopia, the group has a cigarette manufacturing plant and gas distribution
– Shaher Group also has offices in the UK, Russia and Germany

You can read more on Shaher Trading Company’s website: http://www.ueaco.com