Wednesday March 22, 9:20 AMBreaking News (This is London - Evening Standard) Lawrence murder: two arrested By Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent Two men are being questioned today in connection with the murder of Stephen Lawrence after a breakthrough in the seven-year inquiry. Detectives are expected to make further arrests in the next few days. The men, both in their twenties, are being held at a police station in south London after secret and meticulously-planned operations in Scotland and south London. It is understood that neither of those arrested are members of the original gang of five suspects who have been named in connection with the murder of the black teenager. The arrests last night came as Stephen's parents and Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Grieve, who is leading the third investigation into the killing, made a fresh witness appeal on the BBC's Crimewatch UK. In a statement Scotland Yard said: "Two men were arrested in connection with the murder. They are currently in custody in a south London police station. They were not arrested as a result of the Crimewatch appeal." Police refused to elaborate on the identities of the suspects. Stephen, an 18-year-old A-level student, was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack by white youths at an Eltham bus stop in April 1993. Three of the five original suspects were formally acquitted of the murder when a private prosecution brought by the Lawrences collapsed at the Old Bailey. However, during last night's programme Mr Grieve emphasised that he believed three people could still be prosecuted for murder. Later he said the television appeal had generated calls relating to people the police are "very, very interested in". It also emerged that DNA tests are now being carried out on a 2ft knife which police believe they have identified as the murder weapon. A coat found near the scene is also being subjected to tests which can pinpoint DNA samples from tiny pieces of material such as dandruff. Mr Grieve, the head of the Yard's Racial and Violent Crimes Task Force, said: "We have got new witnesses. We have got new ways of analysing the massive amount of witness statements we have already collected. There are new developments in scientific evidence which are nothing short of miraculous in finding conclusive evidence." The new developments came after one of the biggest and most intensive inquiries ever mounted by Scotland Yard, involving a team of 90 detectives operating from a secret location in south London. Detectives have deployed techniques normally associated with the intelligence services in the fight against terrorism and carried out highly-sophisticated surveillance operations on a number of suspects over a nine-month period. A number of new witnesses have contacted police and last night there was a suggestion that a girlfriend of one of the youths involved had heard his confession to the murder. There was also speculation last night that one of those who took part in the attack may have been a woman. Stephen's parents, Neville and Doreen Lawrence, told the BBC programme: "As long as the killers are out there, then the pressure is going to be on." Mrs Lawrence urged the mothers and girlfriends of any of the youths involved to come forward. "The boys would have fully confessed to them," she said. She added: "There is one particular girl who I understand had heard from one of them about the death of Stephen and I would like to appeal to her and other mothers and young women, wives, girlfriends - anybody who would know anything to come forward and phone in." Mr Lawrence said: "It is known that the youths who killed Stephen had a history of criminal activity and anyone with information about their crimes, past and present, should come forward because it may help solve Stephen's murder." Anyone with information should call 0800 169 6819. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------