Head of intelligence service attends funeral for spy found dead in flat

Spy Gareth Williams was laid to rest yesterday in a service attended by the head of intelligence service MI6.

Sir John Sawers made the journey from London to the small Bethel Methodist Chapel in Anglesey to support Mr Williams's family and represent the code-breaker's colleagues who could not attend.

Sir John, the public face of the agency, took his place in the 115-year-old church through the front door – unlike a number of other intelligence men ushered into the building through a back door to protect their identities.

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Mr Williams, 31, was on secondment at the Secret Intelligence Service from GCHQ in Cheltenham, when he was found dead last month.

His body was discovered trapped in a padlocked North Face holdall placed in the bath of his flat in Pimlico, London.

Mystery surrounds his death and police continue to investigate.

No trace of drugs or alcohol was found in the cycling enthusiast's body.

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Outside church, when asked if the investigation would ever get to the bottom of what happened to Mr Williams, Sir John said it was not for him to say.

He insisted it was a police matter and said: "It has been a desperately sad period for the family since Gareth died.

"It has been very difficult for them and I wanted to be here today as the only public face of the Secret Intelligence Service.

"My deepest sympathies go to the family.

"Gareth was a hugely talented person and he was very modest and generous as well.

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"He did really valuable work with us in the cause of national security."

In the church, tributes were led by Islwyn Williams, the headteacher of the code-breaker and cipher specialist's primary school, Ysgol Morswyn.

Mr Williams said of all the children he taught, the spy made the strongest lasting impression and was academically brilliant.

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