Suicide or Murder?

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T2K
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Suicide or Murder?

Post by T2K » 16th Feb, '13, 14:23

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/afbddb44 ... z2L2Z7tvf7

29 Year Old American PhD working in Singapore for Huawei on a "dual use" technology project. Told his parents he felt he was compromising American security on the project he was working on. Found dead in his shophouse apartment, supposedly suicide (according to SPF) but his parents have doubts. The FT story is well researched - hard to draw a conclusion on this.

What do you think?
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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by baloo » 16th Feb, '13, 14:29

I think I need to subscribe to FT to read the story.
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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by Kooky » 16th Feb, '13, 17:58

I can see it without a subscription. Read it earlier from a FB link.

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by slinky » 16th Feb, '13, 18:42

Definitely raises some questions when the first thing his mother says after reading the apparent suicide notes was 'my son may have killed himself, but he didn't write this.'

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by Morrolan » 16th Feb, '13, 20:24

Huawei's involved? Well, there's your answer...

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by T2K » 18th Feb, '13, 13:28

It just strikes me that, in 1994, the US president got directly involved on behalf of some useless little American punk here in Singapore who deserved the cane.

Now, in 2013, there seems to be relative silence from the US gov't about what appears to be, at best, a suspicious situation. Especially considering that Huawei has been the subject of congressional hearings. I hope there is more going on behind the scenes.
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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by slinky » 18th Feb, '13, 13:46

So much of this story just doesn't add up. I hope the FT article helps push further investigation on this, because as it stands now, I can't see how they can leave it as it is. Maybe he really did kill himself, but it's important to be as sure as possible and I can't see how anyone can be sure that's the right conclusion based on the info in the FT article.

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by Lili Von Shtupp » 18th Feb, '13, 13:52

Suicide or not, I think Singapore, US and China won't want to touch this with a ten foot pole. I think all media inroads will be solidly blocked.
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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by slinky » 18th Feb, '13, 13:53

That's what I don't understand, Lili, why do you think that's the case?

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by Kooky » 18th Feb, '13, 14:55

There is a lot that doesn't add up. The police say he drilled, etc., but his mother says no evidence of that. His girlfriend allegedly found him hanging - what does she say?

(And is anybody concerned for her welfare?)

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by T2K » 18th Feb, '13, 15:27

Good point! If she suddenly "decided to jump off the MBS pool deck due to grief, suicide, case closed" that will pretty damn suspicious.

The US gov't has been very anti-Huawei, one would think some senator or representative would pick this cause up. Surely the family has contacted their state's elected congressmen.
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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by slinky » 18th Feb, '13, 15:41

Kooky wrote: His girlfriend allegedly found him hanging - what does she say?

(And is anybody concerned for her welfare?)
Apparently he was found hanging in the bathroom and a chair was 5 feet away from him and upright. Does that sound like a plausible suicide scene to anyone??

You bring up a good point about the girlfriend, K, she has a name that doesn't sound typically Singaporean (to me at least) - if she's a foreigner, I hope she has trusted friends here she can rely on.

Also, someone apparently accessed that hard drive after his death - why would they look at it and then leave it behind?

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by Morrolan » 18th Feb, '13, 16:04

i got the impression from the article that the FBI, at least, is chomping at the bit to be let loose on the case, but an invitation to do so does not seem to be forthcoming...

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by Lili Von Shtupp » 7th Mar, '13, 13:16

The Washington Post has picked up the story.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201 ... h-inquiry/

This article would have you believe that the FBI wants to investigate but is held back by the local authorities. But I can't figure out why the FBI would want to stir up that kind of crap. I would imagine all parties involved would just want this to quietly go away, except, of course, for this man's family.
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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by slinky » 7th Mar, '13, 14:34

BBC had it on their site this week as well.

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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by Calatrava » 26th Mar, '13, 16:14

Hard to believe that it's suicide. He told his gf that he was unhappy at work, parents that he feared for his safety and America. And he was packing up! Who takes their own life in the midst of packing!
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Re: Suicide or Murder?

Post by Lili Von Shtupp » 27th Mar, '13, 11:18

Calatrava wrote:Who takes their own life in the midst of packing!
Seriously, have you seen how much crap Kooky takes with her on trips?
A woman walked into a pub and asked the barman for a double entendre. So he gave it to her.

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