LONDON: A British coroner opened an inquest Monday into the mysterious death of a wealthy Egyptian businessman suspected of involvement in Middle East espionage. Ashraf Marwan, 62, fell to his death from the balcony of his London apartment in June 2007. Marwan was the son-in-law of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and a trusted aide to Nasser's successor, Anwar Sadat. Historians and intelligence agents have accused him of being an Israeli spy who passed on vital information before the 1973 Yom Kippur War — or of being a double agent loyal to Egypt. The inquest at London's City of Westminster Coroner's Court will try to determine whether he died by suicide, accident or foul play. It is due to last three days. In Britain, inquests must be held any time someone dies unexpectedly, violently or of unknown causes. The goal is to determine the facts rather than to blame any individuals. Marwan moved to London after the 1981 assassination of Sadat and kept a low profile as a wealthy businessman. In 2002, Marwan was named in a book by Israeli historian Ahron Bregman as a spy who had tipped off Israel about the coming Yom Kippur invasion. Israeli media later reported that he had in fact been a double agent who fed false, misleading information to the Israelis about the war, which began when Egypt and Syria launched a two-pronged attack on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. Israel was nearly defeated, but ultimately prevailed. Marwan was decorated by the Egyptian state for his role in the war. His funeral in Cairo was attended by high-profile mourners, including President Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal. Marwan's widow, Mona Nasser, said in an interview published Sunday that her husband had expressed fears for his life in the days before his death. She told The Observer newspaper that she believed the Israeli spy agency was responsible for his death. "He knew they were coming after him," she was quoted as saying. "He was killed by Mossad."
