'I am not a murderer': Fleeing boyfriend of murdered Martine breaks his silence

The Arab playboy who fled Britain hours before his ex-girlfriend was found dead has denied murdering her.

Breaking a ten-day silence, 21-year-old Farooq Abdulhak said he was "not happy" about being branded a criminal and insisted he was not an "escapee".

Speaking through his lawyer in Yemen, the billionaire's son said he would be happy to see UK detectives there.

Party-loving Abdulhak is the last known person to have seen his fellow business student Martine Vik Magnussen alive, according to police.

The 23-year- old daughter of a Norwegian millionaire left a London nightclub with Abdulhak in the early hours of March 14.

He flew out of Britain the next day, and a day later her semi-naked body was found hidden under rubble in the basement of his block of flats in central London.

Abdulhak is now believed to be living in his father's £3million mansion in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a.

The country does not have an extradition agreement with Britain.

Scotland Yard has not named him as a suspect but says it "urgently" wants to interview him.

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His lawyer, Mohammed Al Bakwli, said he had advised Abdulhak not to speak directly to the media.

Mr Al Bakwli said: "He is not happy about being described as a criminal, as a murderer, when there is no such accusation against him. He is not an escapee.

"Things were written like he was the last man to see her alive."

Asked if that meant Abdulhak was saying he was not the last person to see Miss Magnussen alive, his lawyer replied: "No comment."

He said Abdulhak was "available" to speak to Metropolitan Police officers if they wanted to travel to Yemen.

He said: "Farooq is not in hiding, he is available. If there is a request, through the proper legal channels, he is available to speak."

Asked repeatedly if Abdulhak would like to declare himself completely innocent, he replied: "No comment."

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Abdulhak's father Shaher is one of the wealthiest and most powerful citizens in Yemen, and a personal friend of the country's president.

He has issued one statement, expressing condolences to Miss Magnussen's family and saying he would not put up with any wrongdoing by a member of his family.

Mr Bakwli said: "It is not true he would disown Farooq. Whatever he has done or not done, he is still his son. But he has said he will not protect him if he has done wrong."

Farooq Abdulhak - nicknamed "DP" by friends for his love of Dom Perignon champagne - was born in Yemen but has lived most of his life in Britain.

He and Miss Magnussen were classmates at the £10,000-ayear Regent's College private university in London.

They were also friends on the Facebook social networking website, which now has an online forum dedicated to her memory and to solving the crime.

Called "International hunt for the truth about the murder of Martine Vik Magnussen", it has nearly 6,000 members.