Was Brit Exec Killed for Links to Booted China Boss?

The Chinese blogosphere has been buzzing ever since rising political star Bo Xilai was suddenly ousted from his important post in Chongqing. But now his downfall is being connected to the mysterious death last year of a British executive stationed in China, reports Bloomberg. Neil Heywood allegedly died of drinking too much. But conflicting reports and gossip—for instance, Heywood reportedly did not drink alcohol—have caused the British Embassy to call on the Chinese government to investigate Heywood's death more thoroughly.

Apparently Wang Lijun, the former Chongqing police chief whose accusations against Bo led to the party leader's downfall, brought evidence to Bo that Heywood had been poisoned. Wang spent a night inside the US consulate in Chengdu on Feb. 6, but was taken away by Chinese security agents the next day, and has not been seen since. Heywood reportedly had a business dispute with Bo's wife, who has been linked to organized crime in the region. (More Bo Xilai stories.)