A man who was arrested over the 2012 murder of a British family and a cyclist in the French Alps has been released and has been “ruled out” as a suspect in the investigation, prosecutors said.

On Wednesday, police detained the man for questioning as part of a new investigation into the killing of Saad al Hilli, 50; his wife Iqbal, 47, and mother-in-law Suhaila al Allaf, 74, on a road near Annecy on 5 September 2012.

All three died after their BMW was sprayed with bullets at point-blank range in a lay-by.

French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, 45, also died after being shot seven times.

In a statement, the Annecy prosecutor said: “No charges have been brought against the person who was questioned.

“The explanation given and the verifications done allow us to rule out his participation in the facts. The investigation continues.”

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