Govt Cobra Meeting For Herts Kidnap Woman
14 September 2011, 13:34 | Updated: 14 September 2011, 13:48
The Prime Minister says the Government's Cobra committee has discussed the kidnap of Herts tourist Judith Tebbutt.
David Cameron said the civil emergencies committee met following the snatching of Mrs Tebbutt and the killing of her husband David as they holidayed in Kenya on Sunday.
Mr Cameron told the Commons at Prime Minister's Questions: "We are doing everything we possibly can on this desperately tragic case. I chaired a meeting of Cobra about this issue yesterday (Tuesday) to make sure we are co-ordinating everything the Government does."
The PM also confirmed the Foreign Secretary William Hague has met the Tebbutts' relatives on Wednesday morning. Answering a question from the family's MP Richard Harrington, the PM added: "It's not right to air all of these issues in public but I can reassure you and all the Tebbutt family we will do everything possible to help."
Meanwhile a team of Metropolitan Police officers have already begun work in Kenya. A Met Police representative told Heart "A small team of Metropolitan Police Service officers have travelled to Kenya to assist and support the Kenyan authorities with their investigation. The Kenyan authorities remain the lead investigators.''
WHAT WE KNOW
Judith Tebbutt, and 58 year-old husband David Tebbut, were attacked at the Keynan Safari site of Kiwayu.
The incident took place inside the safari park, not far from the Kenyan border with Somalia on Sunday.
The Kneesworth House Hospital in Bassingbourn, north of Royston told us, Judith has been a member of their social work team at Kneesworth House, since 2004.
Judith, 56, who is from Bishop's Stortford, works with patients with psychiatric and mental health difficulties.
A representative for Partnerships in Care, who run Kneesworth House told Heart: "Jude Tebbutt is a member of the Social Work Team working at our Partnerships in Care Kneesworth House Hospital. Jude has been with the company for seven years and is a dedicated team member known to many of the patients and staff at the hospital.
Our thoughts are with Jude and her family at this time and we are hoping to shortly hear of her safe return."
Tuesday 13th September, the Press Assocation are reporting police in Kenya have arrested a man suspected of being involved in the murder of David.
District Commissioner Stephen Ikua is cited as saying a local man had been arrested on suspicion of helping co-ordinate the attack and was being held at a police station on the nearby island of Lamu. Meanwhile, the Kenyan military has joined the hunt for Mrs Tebbutt.
Officials have said the Tebbutts were attacked on the first night of their stay at the resort, with reports suggesting that bandits broke into their accommodation.
There are suspicions that the gang, thought to be from Somalia, used a speedboat to get away from the isolated island resort, which has played host to artist Tracey Emin, actress Imelda Staunton and reportedly Sir Mick Jagger.
The couple had come from visiting the Masai Mara reserve and were the resort's only guests.
Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said the bandits could gain access to the couple's accommodation, which had a piece of cloth as a door, "so easily''.
He told a press conference it was possible that Mr Tebbutt, who worked for publisher Faber & Faber, had "resisted'' which may have been why he was shot. He said that if the attackers were hoping for a ransom for Mrs Tebbutt, it was likely they would get in contact.