Car driver identified by witnesses in Diana inquest

London, Oct 30: A French couple yesterday identified the driver of the mysterious white Fiat Uno that allegedly collided with the Mercedes carrying princess Diana and Dodi Fayed before the Diana inquest.

George and Sabine Dauzonne both picked out Vietnamese security guard Le Van Thanh saying he drove out of the Alma tunnel moments after the smash which killed the princess and her lover.

''It is very difficult but I would say that the man rings clearly a bell,'' said Ms Dauzonne, referring to two images of Van Thanh posing alongside his Uno.

Dodi's father, Mohamed Al Fayed, has claimed that French photographer James Andanson was the driver of the Fiat Uno and was part of a conspiracy ordered by Prince Philip to murder Diana and his son.

Andason committed suicide in 2000.

The French couple, however, singled out the photographs of Van Thanh as possibly being the man they saw that night.

Mr Dauzonne was driving his wife home from dinner when they spotted the white Uno emerging from the underpass.

He said, ''it was moving extremely slowly and weaving from side to side.

Fearing a crash, he flashed the car's lights and honked before the other car's driving forced him to come to a virtual halt, Daily Mail quoted Mr Dauzonne as saying.

Van Thanh, however, has refused to co-operate with the inquest.

He was questioned by Paris detectives three months after the crash and released after he produced an alibi which said he was working at the time.

The British authorities have no power to compel him, as a French citizen, to appear before the inquest.

UNI