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Diana Driver Linked to French Agents

He had more money than job could explain: witness

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 6, 2007 4:07 AM CST

(Newser) – The driver killed with Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed in a Paris car crash regularly communicated with the French intelligence service, a witness testified at the inquest into Diana's death yesterday. Henri Paul, the deputy head of security at the Ritz Hotel in Paris, fed information about important guests to agents, said a former hotel executive. Staffers "weren't happy" about the arrangement, but "we had to" cooperate, he testified.

Dodi's father has claimed the crash was arranged by the British secret service because the royal family couldn't bear Diana's relationship with his son. He believes Paul was a paid spy. Paul was carrying $2,500 in cash when he died and had a string of healthy bank accounts. The Ritz executive said Paul had far more money than could be explained by his job, but he believed that Paul received extra money from Dodi's father, who owns the Ritz.

Diana sitting with Dodi Al Fayed in the back of a car, on the night that both of them died.(AP Photo / Jacques Langevin, HM Coroner, ho)
Diana sitting with Dodi Al Fayed in the back of a car, on the night that both of them died.(AP Photo / Jacques Langevin, HM Coroner, ho)   (Associated Press)
Paramedics respond to car crash that claimed the life of Princess Diana.(AP Photo / Serge Arnal, HM Coroner, ho)
Paramedics respond to car crash that claimed the life of Princess Diana.(AP Photo / Serge Arnal, HM Coroner, ho)   (Associated Press)
Diana's head can be seen in the back seat of a car shortly before she was killed in a crash. Her bodyguard sits next to driver Henri Paul.(AP Photo/H.M. Coroner, HO)
Diana's head can be seen in the back seat of a car shortly before she was killed in a crash. Her bodyguard sits next to driver Henri Paul.(AP Photo/H.M. Coroner, HO)   (Associated Press)
Diana holds hands with Dodi Fayed, right, as driver Henri Paul stands at  left, at the Ritz Hotel in Paris shortly before Diana, Fayed and Paul  died in a Paris car crash.  (AP Photo/H.M. Coroner, HO)
Diana holds hands with Dodi Fayed, right, as driver Henri Paul stands at left, at the Ritz Hotel in Paris shortly before Diana, Fayed and Paul died in a Paris car crash. (AP Photo/H.M. Coroner, HO)   (Associated Press)
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