Police said today they had found the body of a man who may be linked to investigations into collapsed energy trading giant Enron which have led to plans to extradite three Britons to the United States.
A police spokesman said the body was found on the ground in parkland in east London yesterday. "Officers were called to reports of a man's body being found in parkland close to Newgate Street.
A member of the public discovered the man and contacted police," he said. Sky News said the body was believed to be that of a man - not one of the three being extradited - who was questioned by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in connection with collapse of Enron in 2001.
Police said they believed they knew the identity of the man, but refused to comment any further, saying "detailed inquiries are ongoing to confirm this".
"Regarding the death being linked to the Enron investigation, investigating officers are retaining an open mind on the circumstances and background to the case," the spokesman said.
Police said a man was reported missing last Thursday from his home in Woodford Green, northeast London. Three bankers - David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby - are due to be extradited to the US on Thursday to face charges related to an Enron company.
The three, who worked for NatWest bank, now part of Royal Bank of Scotland, are accused of an 11 million pound fraud whereby they allegedly advised the NatWest to sell part of the Enron company for less than it was worth and then bought back into it, making a fat profit.
They deny the charges. Their case has prompted a furious row in Britain over a new extradition treaty under which the U.S. does not have to provide evidence to support requests for extradition of suspects from Britain.
An emergency debate was taking place in parliament today on the extradition treaty, but Prime Minister Tony Blair rejected calls for him to renegotiate it.