Kenneth Lay: Another suspicious death?

[Robert Charles-Dunne]

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand

by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally

treasonable to the American public." Theodore Roosevelt (1918)

True patriots question their government -- moral traitors drink the "Official Story" Kool-Aid

and run around calling patriots "kooks."

Good quote, Cliff. I thought you might enjoy the attached graphic, offering an ink-blot test that seems on-topic:

[Len Colby]

I’m not sure why the death of a disgraced 64 year-old man facing loosing all his assets and spending the rest of his life in prison of a heart attack should be particularly suspicious. In a preliminary finding the coroner determined he died of ‘clogged coronary arteries’ [note indirect quote - http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060706/BUSINESS07/607060346/-1/BUSINESS07 ] and found “"no evidence of foul play," [ http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/05/news/newsmakers/lay_death/index.htm?cnn=yes ].

I also doubt had much dirt to spill on Bush, he was convicted by federal prosecutors based on evidence gathered by the FBI and other federal agencies and was facing a civil suit from the SEC and criminal forfeiture proceeding by federal prosecutors. I presume if he knew anything worth being killed over Bush and his cohorts would have let him off in exchange for his silence or bumped him off before he got convicted. I doubt a Bush appointed prosecutor would have made a deal with Lay that would involve incriminating the president and in the off chance he would such deals are normally made before conviction.

His heirs however had motive to kill him. According to various reports his conviction will almost certainly be vacated which should block prosecutors’ attempts to seize his assets. According to a Houston lawyer his death would limit how much civil claimants could collect “if a defendant is deceased, civil claimants can't seek punitive damages. Any civil lawsuits would have to be limited to compensatory damages, or those losses that were actually incurred by an individual [ibid]

As for the claim that he had a history of heart disease I saw no mention of this in any of the dozen or so articles about his death that I read. Was he poisoned? From the info I’ve seen so far I’d say possible but not very probable.

The Washington Post wrote about the claim in Wikipedia that he died of suicide

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/05/AR2006070501068.html

And sodium morphate? I have seen no evidence that it really exists. I googled and all I found was forums and CT sites nothing scientific or medical. I searched a few sites with information about poisons and came up blank. I found no evidence that morphate is a real substance apart from references to sodium morphate it appears to exist only as a verb as a (grammatically incorrect) variation of ‘to morph’. It go zero matches on several databases [ http://chemfinder.cambridgesoft.com/result.asp ]. The name suggests a compound of sodium with a substance that begins with ‘morph’. Morphine can of course be fatal but only in very high doses and would be easily detectable. According to the database linked above there are several other chemicals that begin with that syllable if anyone wants to do the research to find a more likely candidate for ‘morph’ knock your self out. ‘-ate’ as a suffix only returned a handful of results. According to Webster’s it refers to a “chemical compound or complex anion derived from a (specified) compound or element <phenolate>; especially : salt or ester of an acid with a name ending in -ic and not beginning with hydro” ´[ http://m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary/-ate . I have found no evidence that substance named morphic exists. It sounds like a myth to me.

The more his critics level nonsense charges at Bush the less undecided people will take his real crimes seriously

[Ron Ecker]

I wonder if sodium morphate got somehow confused with thiophosphate, a known chemical substance, although I don't know how well established its effect on humans is. This is from a review of Anthony Summers's book The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover:

Edgar had been the target of two operations, according to these sources. A first break-in attempt, in "late winter of 1972," was designed to "retrieve documents that were thought to be used as potential blackmail against the White House." It failed, but was followed by a second, successful break- in. "This time," Frazier reported, "whether through misunderstanding or design, a poison of the thiophosphate genre was placed on Hoover's personal toilet articles."

Thiophosphate is a compound used in insecticides, highly toxic to human beings if taken orally, inhaled or absorbed through the pores of the skin. Ingestion can result in a fatal heart seizure and can be detected only if an autopsy is performed within hours of death.

http://www.theconspiracy.us/vol6/cn6-47.html

Edited July 8, 2006 by Ron Ecker

[Jack White]

From a website regarding illegal drugs:

"      More thunder began rumbling on the horizon after the American Civil War. Advances in chemistry fed a trend to isolate and synthesize the “active principle” of a drug rather than use its “crude” natural form. Morphine, heroin, cocaine, and mescaline all made their appearance by 1900, along with chloral hydrate and barbiturates. The Civil War had produced a huge market of injured veterans hooked on morphine, and heroin at first was sold as a cure for morphine addiction. Experimenting with the manufacture of the new drug, a Sicilian gang called Our Thing (Cosa Nostra) discovered that >>> sodium morphate<<< was a useful poison, undetectable at autopsy, which simulated death from a heart attack. Cocaine became very popular, partly as a result of its inclusion in a new “soft drink” catering to rising anti-alcohol sentiment—Coca-Cola. With the exception of mescaline, all of the new drugs (as well as cannabis) could be cheaply purchased over the counter at any pharmacy, yet few problems were noted until racism entered the picture.

      In 1875 California had passed a law prohibiting Chinese people (but not whites) from smoking opium. The effect was to close down the large, safe, cheap, comfortable opium parlors that had flourished till then and force clientele into more dangerous, furtive, corrupt dens, which became the norm thereafter. As Anglos began to fear the spread of the “vice” among their own kind, Congress responded, first in 1883 with a heavy tax on the drug, then in 1888 by banning imports of opium by Chinese (but not whites)."

Sodium morphate is derived from morphine.

Edited July 8, 2006 by Jack White

[Craig Lamson]

From a website regarding illegal drugs:

"      More thunder began rumbling on the horizon after the American Civil War. Advances in chemistry fed a trend to isolate and synthesize the “active principle” of a drug rather than use its “crude” natural form. Morphine, heroin, cocaine, and mescaline all made their appearance by 1900, along with chloral hydrate and barbiturates. The Civil War had produced a huge market of injured veterans hooked on morphine, and heroin at first was sold as a cure for morphine addiction. Experimenting with the manufacture of the new drug, a Sicilian gang called Our Thing (Cosa Nostra) discovered that >>> sodium morphate<<< was a useful poison, undetectable at autopsy, which simulated death from a heart attack. Cocaine became very popular, partly as a result of its inclusion in a new “soft drink” catering to rising anti-alcohol sentiment—Coca-Cola. With the exception of mescaline, all of the new drugs (as well as cannabis) could be cheaply purchased over the counter at any pharmacy, yet few problems were noted until racism entered the picture.

      In 1875 California had passed a law prohibiting Chinese people (but not whites) from smoking opium. The effect was to close down the large, safe, cheap, comfortable opium parlors that had flourished till then and force clientele into more dangerous, furtive, corrupt dens, which became the norm thereafter. As Anglos began to fear the spread of the “vice” among their own kind, Congress responded, first in 1883 with a heavy tax on the drug, then in 1888 by banning imports of opium by Chinese (but not whites)."

Sodium morphate is derived from morphine.

Why not tell the forum the SOURCE of this quote....

www.cannabis.com

What a great source...you sure these dudes can even remember their name? LOL!

[Len Colby]

Why not tell the forum the SOURCE of this quote....

www.cannabis.com

What a great source...you sure these dudes can even remember their name? LOL!

LOL Craig (and Tink if you’re out there) cannabis.com doesn’t that ring any bells? White’s sidekick Fetzer cited the same site as a reliable source too! In that case as to the existence of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon capable of downing a plane! To give Jack some credit at least he cited it relating to something related to the site’s topic.

I suggest that Jack’s omission of a link or the name of the site was hardly an oversight, he is normally very good about providing links and why be coy about the sites name? Unfortunately he has a history of omitting information that could contradict his points: he often leaves out the reference numbers of Apollo images and often it turns out that the uncropped full resolution version doesn’t support his claims and there is the infamous incident where he cropped out all signs of the fire in a photo the Pentagon on 9/11 and claimed it was taken AFTER it was extinguished.

The author of the article Jack cited provided no sources for his “sodium morphate” claim, nor are we told his credentials. It would be good to get someone with medical knowledge on this thread but I imagine any derivative of morphine would require a fairly large dose to be fatal and would be easily detectable. Even if the drug wasn’t detectable at the beginning of the 20th century there is no reason to believe it would still be undetectable today.

I wonder if sodium morphate got somehow confused with thiophosphate, a known chemical substance, although I don't know how well established its effect on humans is. This is from a review of Anthony Summers's book The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover:

Edgar had been the target of two operations, according to these sources. A first break-in attempt, in "late winter of 1972," was designed to "retrieve documents that were thought to be used as potential blackmail against the White House." It failed, but was followed by a second, successful break- in. "This time," Frazier reported, "whether through misunderstanding or design, a poison of the thiophosphate genre was placed on Hoover's personal toilet articles."

Thiophosphate is a compound used in insecticides, highly toxic to human beings if taken orally, inhaled or absorbed through the pores of the skin. Ingestion can result in a fatal heart seizure and can be detected only if an autopsy is performed within hours of death.

http://www.theconspiracy.us/vol6/cn6-47.html

Has anybody read Summer’s book? Does he source his claim about thiophospate? It is not it turns out a single compound but a group of chemicals some or which are used as pesticides but another is used to reduced the side effects radiotherapy and there are studies suggesting it is “cardioprotective” this would suggest that a very high dose would be required to be fatal. The pesticide version is highly toxic but the references I found don’t support the notion that a contact dose placed on someone’s “toilet articles” would be fatal or would induce heart problems since it affects the nervous system [see other post below]

Since Lay was at home at around 1:30 in the morning I wonder how any Bush flunkies could have poisoned him? Injecting him with a syringe and not be detected would be impossible, a dart would leave an obvious sign, spiking his food would be risky because someone else could eat it. Dusting his “toilet articles” also would present a risk of poisoning someone else and does such a poison exist? The only thing left would be adding poison to medication he took, but was he taking any medication?

[Len Colby]

<H3 style="MARGIN: auto 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>Amifostine-Induced Fever: Case Report and Review of the Literature</H3><H4 style="MARGIN: auto 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>Sabrina Boehme, Pharm.D., and David B. Wilson, B.S.</H4>Amifostine, also known as WR-2721 (S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)-ethylphosphorothioic acid), is an organic thiophosphate cytoprotective agent used to reduce the frequency of severe xerostomia in patients with cancer undergoing postoperative radiation of the head and neck. A 56-year-old Caucasian man who received concomitant chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck cancer developed fever concurrent with the administration of amifostine. To our knowledge, this is the first case report that demonstrates the occurrence of fever with low-dose amifostine therapy without the manifestation of accompanying rash or hypotension. Patients receiving amifostine who develop only fever should be evaluated for an adverse drug reaction, as well as for sepsis and fevers of neutropenia, and it may be necessary to discontinue the drug. Recognition of amifostine as the cause of this adverse event may prevent the cost and inconvenience of a hospital admission.

Key Words: amifostine, fever, fever-rash syndrome

<H3 style="MARGIN: auto 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>Amifostine-Induced Fever: Case Report and Review of the Literature</H3><H4 style="MARGIN: auto 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>Sabrina Boehme, Pharm.D., and David B. Wilson, B.S.</H4>Amifostine, also known as WR-2721 (S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)-ethylphosphorothioic acid), is an organic thiophosphate cytoprotective agent used to reduce the frequency of severe xerostomia in patients with cancer undergoing postoperative radiation of the head and neck. A 56-year-old Caucasian man who received concomitant chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck cancer developed fever concurrent with the administration of amifostine. To our knowledge, this is the first case report that demonstrates the occurrence of fever with low-dose amifostine therapy without the manifestation of accompanying rash or hypotension.

http://www.pharmacotherapy.org/reprints/pharmacotherapy/pharm2401.html

Certain drugs may abrogate the damaging effects of anthracyclines on the heart. For example, dexrazoxane (ADR-529) is a metal chelator that decreases the myocardial toxicity of doxorubicin in breast cancer patients and has recently been approved for this use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 83 Dexrazoxane chelates iron and copper, thereby interfering with the redox reactions that generate free radicals and produce damage of myocardial lipids. Similar protective effects have been suggested for amifostine, an organic thiophosphate that is dephosphorylated to form a reactive thiol (N-2-mercaptoethyl-1,3,-diaminopropane), a free radical scavenger. However, insufficient clinical data are available to recommend amifostine for cardioprotection. 83

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=cmed6.section.13081

NIH has 518 article referring to “therapeutic uses of amifostine”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&term="Amifostine/therapeutic+use"[MAJR]

Pesticides that have a sulfur in place of the oxygen double-bonded to the phosphorus are called thiophosphates. ❑ Improper storage of pesticides often leads to accidental ingestion and contact by children and adults.

[...]

Most occupational exposures to organophosphates and carbamates occur from skin absorption, although inhalation may be an important route of exposure during pesticide manufacture and application. Skin absorption can occur when dermal contact is made during handling and application of the insecticide, and when contact is made with chemical residues on plants, fruits, and foliage; in soil; and on dust particles after spraying. Some organophosphate insecticides (thiophosphates) are applied in the sulfur-containing (-thion) form but readily undergo desulfuration (removal of a sulfur atom from the molecule) to form a more toxic oxygen-containing (-oxon) form. In the field, this conversion occurs slowly under the influence of oxygen and light, often producing residues that are not only more toxic but more readily absorbed through the skin.

[...]

Organophosphate and carbamate compounds, either alone or in combination with other insecticides, account for most pesticide-related poisonings. Poisonings have resulted from suicidal, homicidal, and accidental exposures. With improper storage, children, as well as adults, can mistake these chemicals for liquor, medicine, or other consumables. Pesticides usually contain solvent carriers such as toluene or xylene that are labeled as inert ingredients but may produce toxic effects in a pesticide ingestion. (The inert ingredients included on the labels of most pesticide containers refer to their application as a pesticide and not to their toxicologic activity.) Hence, the treatments suggested on pesticide container labels often are incomplete. Consumers should consult a physician or the regional poison control center if poisoning is suspected.

OCR for page 566

Environmental Medicine: Integrating a Missing Element into Medical Education Biologic Fate ❑ Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides can cause systemic poisoning when absorbed by any route. ❑ Thiophosphate insecticides may be converted in vivo and in the environment to an organophosphate that has greater skin penetration and clinical effects than the parent compound. Organophosphate and carbamate pesticides are absorbed readily by inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption. The water solubility of some organophosphate and carbamate pesticides allows them to be absorbed by plants and also to act as systemic poisons in both insects and mammals. Because these compounds are distributed rapidly throughout the body, they typically are associated with rapid onset of symptoms, rarely longer than a few hours after a toxic exposure. However, the more lipid-soluble organophosphates, such as chlorfenthion and fenthion, can undergo initial lipid storage with subsequent redistribution and may not produce medical crisis for several days. Symptoms can persist for several weeks and periodic relapses can occur, requiring additional therapy. In the body, as well as in the environment, some organophosphates can be converted from the -thion form to the more toxic -oxon form; rates of conversion vary widely but are more rapid in vivo than in the environment. In the body, conversion is brought about chiefly by hepatic microsomal esterases. Ultimately, both the -thion and -oxon forms are usually metabolized to alkyl phosphates and other products that are of relatively low toxicity and are excreted rapidly. Carbamates are also metabolized in the liver, and the products are excreted in urine without evidence of significant accumulation. Physiologic Effects Neurobehavioral Effects ❑ Acetylcholinesterase, which is critical to control of nerve impulse transmission, is inhibited by organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. Organophosphate and carbamate compounds share a common pathophysiology—they combine with and thereby inhibit cholinesterase enzymes, of which acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in nerve tissue is the most important. Inactivation of AChE results in accumulation of acetylcholine at the neuroreceptor transmission site, resulting in massive overstimulation of the cholinergic system. Initially, a weak reversible bond is formed between AChE and the organophosphate or carbamate pesticide.

http://books.nap.edu/books/0309051401/html/562.html

Newer pesticides are designed to target specific pests, thus minimizing the impact on the rest of the ecosystem. Ideally these materials decompose quickly to "harmless" chemicals, after they kill whatever they are designed to kill. However, no matter what we do to improve the process, pesticides are still poisons. Examples of these newer pesticides include Sevin (a carbamate) and Malathion (a thiophosphate). These are more “natural” looking, and therefore biodegradable.

http://www.science.fau.edu/chemistry/mdj/chm3085/drugs.prn.pdf

[Ron Ecker]

Lay was a good candidate for suicide, just like another powerful crook who got caught, convicted, and sentenced, the Duke of Duval County in Texas, who shot himself before going to prison. So if someone offed Lay, I don't see why they didn't just shoot him, leaving the gun planted with him (in the wrong hand, of course). Seems easier than trying to sneak some kind of untraceable poison into him. But then doing these things the hard way may be part of the fun of it.

[Jack White]

Read what the Russians are saying:

http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index926.htm

Hmmmmmm.

Jack

[John Simkin]

http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index926.htm

July 8, 2006

Top American General Targeted As US Military Faction Split Leaves One Dead

By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Russian Subscribers

Russian Intelligence Analysts are reporting today that a factional split has emerged among Americas Military Leaders that has left one of their Top Generals, and Former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, injured and has also resulted in the death of the Bush Families chief fundraiser Kenneth Lay.

These reports state that a meeting between rival factions of Americas Elite Leaders held this past week in Aspen, Colorado, and headed by the former US President Bill Clinton, turned violent when Kenneth Lay was murdered after his threats to expose the Counter-Coup plotters unless his conviction for being America’s top corporate embezzler was overturned.

Retaliation for this murder was swift, however, by the targeting of General Colin Powell the following day during a meeting of the plotters, and that included President Clinton; and in an ironic ‘twist’ to this affair had his life saved by the same doctors, and at the same hospital, that had likewise attempted to save the life of Kenneth Lay.

This latest split between the current warring factions of the United States Military Leaders appears to be centered on the ruling order of the North American Union, and which is the new Confederation formed between the former nations of the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Perhaps most interesting about these reports are the details on how the elite warring factions of the Americans communicate with each other through news references to the popular American soft drinks Coca Cola and Pepsi, and which these reports state that following these attacks the news that Pepsi had cooperated with the FBI in thwarting a theft of secrets from Coca Cola was actually a coded attempt to declare a truce between these factions.

This type of communication between various Western factions is not new, and was in fact perfected by the German Nazi regime during last century through their use of coded adverts in both Germany and America by Ford Motor Company and the German industrial giant IG Farben.

Russian Military Analysts are further reporting that President Putin, and in response to these latest events in the United States, has ordered an immediate realignment of Russian Military Forces throughout the Motherland, and which is to include a further increase of Special Department and FSB troops to be deployed to secure underground bunkers.

© July 8, 2006 EU and US all rights reserved.

[Ed. Note: The United States government actively seeks to find, and silence, any and all opinions about the United States except those coming from authorized government and/or affiliated sources, of which we are not one. No interviews are granted and very little personal information is given about our contributors to protect their safety.]

Thought I post this in case members did not follow Jack's link. I liked the bit about Pepsi and Coca Cola.

[Len Colby]

Thought I post this in case members did not follow Jack's link. I liked the bit about Pepsi and Coca Cola.

I thought that was ammusing to. The first thing that stuck me was that it didn't cite any sources.

[Ron Ecker]

The first thing that stuck me was that it didn't cite any sources.

Apparently Sorcha Faal doesn't need any sources (other than "the most ancient of texts, including the Gospel of Mary Magdalene").

The bottom line in all this is that Ken Lay has been spared having to go to prison, where I'm sure he would have become better known among the inmates as "Lay Ken."

[John Simkin]

BBC Website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5173228.stm

A body found in north-east London has been identified as that of a banker who was questioned by the FBI about the Enron fraud case.

Police said they were treating the death in Chingford of Neil Coulbeck, who worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2004, as "unexplained".

He had been interviewed by the FBI as a potential witness.

Three ex-workers of RBS subsidiary NatWest are being extradited to the US on Thursday to face fraud charges.

The extradition has sparked a political row, with opposition parties and human rights groups claiming the treaty under which they are being sent to the US is one-sided as the Americans are yet to ratify it.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has rejected calls to renegotiate the extradition terms.

Mr Coulbeck's body was found in a park near Newgate Street, Chingford, on Tuesday.

Mr Coulbeck's wife had reported him missing last Thursday. Police have yet to formally identify the body, which was removed from the parkland on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Coulbeck had worked at the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2004, most recently as head of group treasury, the bank confirmed.

"Neil was highly regarded by his colleagues here in RBS and was a respected, capable and hard working member of our senior management team."

The fraud case centres on a NatWest transaction under which it sold off part of its Enron unit.

RBS said: "There is no evidence that Mr Coulbeck was involved in the approval of the transaction under investigation.

"RBS has co-operated fully with all the appropriate authorities and made them fully aware of all the relevant facts in our possession."

The FBI said it would not comment while the case was ongoing.

[Jack White]

BBC Website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5173228.stm

A body found in north-east London has been identified as that of a banker who was questioned by the FBI about the Enron fraud case.

Police said they were treating the death in Chingford of Neil Coulbeck, who worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2004, as "unexplained".

He had been interviewed by the FBI as a potential witness.

Three ex-workers of RBS subsidiary NatWest are being extradited to the US on Thursday to face fraud charges.

The extradition has sparked a political row, with opposition parties and human rights groups claiming the treaty under which they are being sent to the US is one-sided as the Americans are yet to ratify it.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has rejected calls to renegotiate the extradition terms.

Mr Coulbeck's body was found in a park near Newgate Street, Chingford, on Tuesday.

Mr Coulbeck's wife had reported him missing last Thursday. Police have yet to formally identify the body, which was removed from the parkland on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Coulbeck had worked at the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2004, most recently as head of group treasury, the bank confirmed.

"Neil was highly regarded by his colleagues here in RBS and was a respected, capable and hard working member of our senior management team."

The fraud case centres on a NatWest transaction under which it sold off part of its Enron unit.

RBS said: "There is no evidence that Mr Coulbeck was involved in the approval of the transaction under investigation.

"RBS has co-operated fully with all the appropriate authorities and made them fully aware of all the relevant facts in our possession."

The FBI said it would not comment while the case was ongoing.

Very interesting John, Please keep us informed. Whether he committed suicide or was murdered, looks like he knew something that was dangerous....as did Lay. All too often the police look the other way and label them natural causes or suicide when they are not, however. I wouldn't want to bet on those three guys living long and healthy lives either. In JFK case so many died conveniently when they were starting to talk or about to be interviewed or interrogated. Watergate had its murders. Iran-Contra its. Many bank scandals had theirs - Calvi comes to mind as do so many other....Now Enron. It doesn't surprise me. Those who would go into other nations and kill innocent people on trumped-up charges, rape and plunder the world, kill duly-elected leaders of their own and other nations would order the assassination of someone who might look behind the curtain of the Wizards of Oz as easily as they order another drink. Sadly. Morality is not even in their world view nor field of vision. Only money and power and retaining both at all costs. Ever was thus.

A purpose served by membership in Skull and Bones and Bohemian Grove

is to dull the conscience to taking lives as being for the betterment of the"deserving".

Prescott Bush plundered the grave of Geronimo and stole his skull, which is still

used in S&B coffin/death ceremonies. At the Bohemian Grove, mock (?) human

sacrifices are offered to the Great Owl (representing wisdom). Google it.

Jack

[Brendan Slattery]

BBC Website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5173228.stm

A body found in north-east London has been identified as that of a banker who was questioned by the FBI about the Enron fraud case.

Police said they were treating the death in Chingford of Neil Coulbeck, who worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2004, as "unexplained".

He had been interviewed by the FBI as a potential witness.

Three ex-workers of RBS subsidiary NatWest are being extradited to the US on Thursday to face fraud charges.

The extradition has sparked a political row, with opposition parties and human rights groups claiming the treaty under which they are being sent to the US is one-sided as the Americans are yet to ratify it.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has rejected calls to renegotiate the extradition terms.

Mr Coulbeck's body was found in a park near Newgate Street, Chingford, on Tuesday.

Mr Coulbeck's wife had reported him missing last Thursday. Police have yet to formally identify the body, which was removed from the parkland on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Coulbeck had worked at the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2004, most recently as head of group treasury, the bank confirmed.

"Neil was highly regarded by his colleagues here in RBS and was a respected, capable and hard working member of our senior management team."

The fraud case centres on a NatWest transaction under which it sold off part of its Enron unit.

RBS said: "There is no evidence that Mr Coulbeck was involved in the approval of the transaction under investigation.

"RBS has co-operated fully with all the appropriate authorities and made them fully aware of all the relevant facts in our possession."

The FBI said it would not comment while the case was ongoing.

Very interesting John, Please keep us informed. Whether he committed suicide or was murdered, looks like he knew something that was dangerous....as did Lay. All too often the police look the other way and label them natural causes or suicide when they are not, however. I wouldn't want to bet on those three guys living long and healthy lives either. In JFK case so many died conveniently when they were starting to talk or about to be interviewed or interrogated. Watergate had its murders. Iran-Contra its. Many bank scandals had theirs - Calvi comes to mind as do so many other....Now Enron. It doesn't surprise me. Those who would go into other nations and kill innocent people on trumped-up charges, rape and plunder the world, kill duly-elected leaders of their own and other nations would order the assassination of someone who might look behind the curtain of the Wizards of Oz as easily as they order another drink. Sadly. Morality is not even in their world view nor field of vision. Only money and power and retaining both at all costs. Ever was thus.

Peter lives in a world where Korean and Iranian despots don't exist and innocent people in Bombay aren't blown up on trains by Islamofascists. Those sorts of things just aren't on his radar. Nor are the head-chopping, mutilating, car-bombing, Mosque-attacking, kidnapping fiends in Iraq. Can't be bothered with them. The Iraqi people? Screw 'em. Better they die than W be handed a strategic or moral victory. The Left used to champion the downtrodden; now they're led by the Lemkins and George Galloways of the world. Solutions? They have none. Plenty of venom, though. Instead, they settle for obstructionism. Guantanamo? NO! NSA eavesdropping? NO! Datamining phone records? NO! Rendition? NO! Tracking financial transactions? NO! Military tribunals? NO! They're like that old Groucho Marx song, "Whatever it is, I'm against it." Hell of a way to win a war. This is one lamb who will not be led to slaughter.