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Published 09 Apr, 2008 12:00am

Al Fayed abandons quest to prove Diana was murdered

LONDON, April 9 (AP) Mohamed Al Fayed said he was abandoning his more than decade-long legal quest to prove his belief that Princess Diana and his son were killed by British secret agents.

Al Fayed said he would reluctantly accept a coroners jury ruling that Diana and Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed due to reckless speed and drinking by their driver, and by the reckless pursuit of vehicles chasing them.

Enough is enough, Fayed said in an interview with ITV News broadcast on Tuesday night. For the sake of the two princes, who I know loved their mother.

Dianas sons, Princes William and Harry, endorsed the verdict delivered by a jury on Monday.

Despite saying that he accepted the verdict, Fayed said he still believed the couple were murdered and that the evidence presented at the inquest supported his theory.

Im a father who has lost his son and Ive done everything for 10 years. But now with the verdict I accept it, but with reservations, he said.

But I have (had) enough. Im leaving the rest for God to get my revenge, Al Fayed said. Im not doing anything any more ... this is the end.

The coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, had told the jury that Al Fayed and his legal team had not produced any evidence that the Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6, was involved in the fatal car crash in Paris on Aug 31, 1997.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown backed the princes as well. I think the princes, William and Harry, have spoken for the whole country when they say this is time to bring this to an end, Brown said on Tuesday.

Al Fayed had claimed that MI6 agents were taking orders from Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. When he testified under oath, Al Fayed said he would accept the jurys verdict.

In his summation, Lord Justice Baker categorically dismissed claims of MI6 involvement.

There is no evidence that the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip) ordered Dianas execution and there is no evidence that the Secret Intelligence Service or any other government agency organized it, Baker said.

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