United Kingdom Claims French students tortured before killings 05/07/08 19:07 CET

Following the arrest of a man in connection with the brutal murders of two French students in London British media have reported the victims may have been tortured to reveal their bank card numbers. The 21-year-old suspect was arrested early on Saturday morning.

Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, who were both 23, were tied up, repeatedly stabbed and left in a blazing flat in southeast London The extreme violence used has shocked both Britain and France.

Police are investigating a possible link between the murders and a burglary at the mens’ apartment a week earlier in which a laptop computer was stolen. Experts found no evidence of forced entry, suggesting keys might have been taken at the time.

Detectives say two game consoles were stolen from the flat on the day of the murders and have appealed for information about a white man seen fleeing the scene. Police have not commented on the torture claims.