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CNN Live Event/Special
Dodi Fayed's Father Talks About Inquest into Deaths
Aired January 06, 2004 - 10:38 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I think the father of Dodi Fayed is now giving the statement here. Let's listen in.
MOHAMMED AL-FAYED, FATHER OF DODI AL-FAYED: Thank you very much for coming and showing interest in this great tragedy.
You know, it's very difficult for me and a very difficult time for me, very emotional. And I prefer not to discuss or to answer anything because everyone has to appreciate this very, very difficult time for me.
And if you like to ask any questions, I have here Mr. John McNamara, who basically been very closely working with me, trying to find the truth about what happened to my son and Princess Diana.
It takes a long time. It's six years now, and I'm just fighting all the time, as a loving father who lost his son in such a horrific accident.
I appreciate your interest, and thank you for coming.
QUESTION: Mr. Al-Fayed, can you tell us what you think happened on that dreadful night?
AL-FAYED: I already mentioned and I'm mentioning it all the time, it is absolute black and white, horrendous murder.
QUESTION: Mr. Al-Fayed, do you think that this is going to get to the truth of what happened?
AL-FAYED: I believe in God, and I hope with what happened today, with the inquest, I am hoping that the truth will come out. And now I must leave.
(CROSSTALK)
AL-FAYED: I think the police inquiry is part of the inquest, you know. The coroner has to use the police, and I hope the choice of the police force completely to be independent.
QUESTION: Does that go far enough for you?
AL-FAYED: I'm hoping. I don't think -- still it is just the beginning.
QUESTION: Mr. Al-Fayed, what do you think of the revelations in today's Daily Mirror that in fact Diana thought that Prince Charles was trying to have her killed?
AL-FAYED: Yes, but I'm always saying this from the beginning, that is the head of the royal family. And I suspect not only Prince Charles, but without Prince Philip, who is racist at the core.
QUESTION: What evidence do you have for that, Mr. Al-Fayed? Those are damning allegations.
AL-FAYED: No, but I'm saying it, I'm not worried, I'm saying it all the time, from the beginning.
QUESTION: But what evidence do you have for that?
AL-FAYED: The evidence has already been detailed in the application which I made in (inaudible) review in Scotland.
QUESTION: Can you tell us what it is, here and now?
AL-FAYED: No, it's not the time now. I explain, it's very difficult time for me to talk about that.
QUESTION: Mr. Al-Fayed, are you hopeful that there will still be a public inquiry?
AL-FAYED: And I leave you now. Thank you very much. And if you like to have any more questions, here is Mr. McNamara and Mr. Stern (ph) can carry on answering any questions you like.
Thank you very much.
KAGAN: Listening in there to Mohammed Al Fayed, the father of Dodi Fayed. He has insisted for years, pretty much since the accident happened, that there was some kind of royal conspiracy behind the death of his son, and Diana and the chauffeur in that case.
Our Paula Hancock standing by.
Paula, this is man who has not given up. He has pushed for the inquest, not just into Diana, but into his son, and as you said, that one's going to start later today, or it was scheduled to start later today.
PAULA HANCOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, yes, the inquest is certainly scheduled. What Mohammed Al Fayed himself wanted there was a public inquiry. He says he's happy with this inquest, but he didn't think that it might go far enough. I mean, there's been so many conspiracy theories. This tragic accident happened more than six years ago, but that has done nothing dull the amount of conspiracy theories that are around, experts say many of them coming from Mohammed Al Fayed's camp himself.
There are a couple experts that I have been speaking to, do say that they do not think there is a tremendous amount of credence in them. Obviously, this is man who is very upset. He has lost his son, and he is desperate to find out exactly what happened. But also, he has been going through quite a few appeal and legal processes in the French courts. Experts say that could be one reason why the British inquiry has been -- has taken so long to come to London, for example. This is the first inquest on British soil, because the French appeal processes have been going on for so long -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Paula Hancock, thanks for putting that all in perspective for us. We appreciate that. More on that throughout as there are developments throughout the day in London.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 6, 2004 - 10:38 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I think the father of Dodi Fayed is now giving the statement here. Let's listen in.
MOHAMMED AL-FAYED, FATHER OF DODI AL-FAYED: Thank you very much for coming and showing interest in this great tragedy.
You know, it's very difficult for me and a very difficult time for me, very emotional. And I prefer not to discuss or to answer anything because everyone has to appreciate this very, very difficult time for me.
And if you like to ask any questions, I have here Mr. John McNamara, who basically been very closely working with me, trying to find the truth about what happened to my son and Princess Diana.
It takes a long time. It's six years now, and I'm just fighting all the time, as a loving father who lost his son in such a horrific accident.
I appreciate your interest, and thank you for coming.
QUESTION: Mr. Al-Fayed, can you tell us what you think happened on that dreadful night?
AL-FAYED: I already mentioned and I'm mentioning it all the time, it is absolute black and white, horrendous murder.
QUESTION: Mr. Al-Fayed, do you think that this is going to get to the truth of what happened?
AL-FAYED: I believe in God, and I hope with what happened today, with the inquest, I am hoping that the truth will come out. And now I must leave.
(CROSSTALK)
AL-FAYED: I think the police inquiry is part of the inquest, you know. The coroner has to use the police, and I hope the choice of the police force completely to be independent.
QUESTION: Does that go far enough for you?
AL-FAYED: I'm hoping. I don't think -- still it is just the beginning.
QUESTION: Mr. Al-Fayed, what do you think of the revelations in today's Daily Mirror that in fact Diana thought that Prince Charles was trying to have her killed?
AL-FAYED: Yes, but I'm always saying this from the beginning, that is the head of the royal family. And I suspect not only Prince Charles, but without Prince Philip, who is racist at the core.
QUESTION: What evidence do you have for that, Mr. Al-Fayed? Those are damning allegations.
AL-FAYED: No, but I'm saying it, I'm not worried, I'm saying it all the time, from the beginning.
QUESTION: But what evidence do you have for that?
AL-FAYED: The evidence has already been detailed in the application which I made in (inaudible) review in Scotland.
QUESTION: Can you tell us what it is, here and now?
AL-FAYED: No, it's not the time now. I explain, it's very difficult time for me to talk about that.
QUESTION: Mr. Al-Fayed, are you hopeful that there will still be a public inquiry?
AL-FAYED: And I leave you now. Thank you very much. And if you like to have any more questions, here is Mr. McNamara and Mr. Stern (ph) can carry on answering any questions you like.
Thank you very much.
KAGAN: Listening in there to Mohammed Al Fayed, the father of Dodi Fayed. He has insisted for years, pretty much since the accident happened, that there was some kind of royal conspiracy behind the death of his son, and Diana and the chauffeur in that case.
Our Paula Hancock standing by.
Paula, this is man who has not given up. He has pushed for the inquest, not just into Diana, but into his son, and as you said, that one's going to start later today, or it was scheduled to start later today.
PAULA HANCOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, yes, the inquest is certainly scheduled. What Mohammed Al Fayed himself wanted there was a public inquiry. He says he's happy with this inquest, but he didn't think that it might go far enough. I mean, there's been so many conspiracy theories. This tragic accident happened more than six years ago, but that has done nothing dull the amount of conspiracy theories that are around, experts say many of them coming from Mohammed Al Fayed's camp himself.
There are a couple experts that I have been speaking to, do say that they do not think there is a tremendous amount of credence in them. Obviously, this is man who is very upset. He has lost his son, and he is desperate to find out exactly what happened. But also, he has been going through quite a few appeal and legal processes in the French courts. Experts say that could be one reason why the British inquiry has been -- has taken so long to come to London, for example. This is the first inquest on British soil, because the French appeal processes have been going on for so long -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Paula Hancock, thanks for putting that all in perspective for us. We appreciate that. More on that throughout as there are developments throughout the day in London.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
