Anti-terror specialists join investigation into death of British journalist David Knowles

David Knowles, 32, who worked on a pro-Ukraine podcast for the UK Telegraph, died suddenly while on holidays in Gibraltar.

David Knowles was head of audio development at The Telegraph newspaper.

Specialist counter-terrorism police from Scotland Yard have been drafted into investigating the sudden death of a British investigative journalist.

David Knowles, a 32-year-old audio journalist for the UK Telegraph who hosted Ukraine: The Latest podcast for the media organisation, died suddenly while on holidays in Gibraltar on Sunday, September 8.

Local Gibraltar authorities were due to conduct an autopsy on Thursday and had asked for the assistance of British specialists. It is understood the nature of Mr Knowles’ work, which was pro Ukraine and critical of Russia, and his relatively young age may have prompted the request out of an abundance of caution.

Earlier reports said Mr Knowles had suffered a suspected cardiac arrest. However Russia’s history in brutally dealing with critics in Britain, such as Sergei Skripal and Alexander Litvinenko, are well catalogued.

Counter-terror police from Scotland Yard flew to Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, to assist in the investigation.

Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) said in a statement they had made a policing “mutual aid” request for specialist support, adding “there are no specific concerns at this time with regard to the death”.

Scotland Yard confirmed its involvement and said detectives from UK Counter-Terrorism Policing were appointed to provide support to the RGP investigation due to their existing capability and their experience of dealing with international inquiries.

A Counter-Terrorism Policing spokesman said: “A request to UK Policing was received from the Royal Gibraltar Police to assist with an investigation into a sudden death of a British national in Gibraltar on Sep 8.

“Primacy for the investigation remains with RGP and any further inquiries in relation to this should be directed to them.”

Mr Knowles had launched the weekday award-winning podcast initially on Twitter space at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022.

He had visited Ukraine on several occasions including taping Ukrainian residents and officials for the podcast. Kyiv Independent journalists said Mr Knowles had interviewed them about the war.

Business editor Liliane Bivings said Mr Knowles death was “a huge loss for all of us”.

“David was a crucial part of keeping the world informed about Ukraine. He was a great journalist, but more importantly a great person who was a joy to be around,” she said.

Mr Knowles’s podcast co-host and Telegraph journalist, Dominic Nicholls, was upset when he announced the death of Mr Knowles in Monday’s episode.

“Folks, I’ve got some bad news. Our beautiful friend David Knowles died suddenly at the weekend after a health emergency,” he said.

Mr Knowles’s father, Peter, also a journalist, told The Telegraph his eldest son’s commitment to journalism was “intense”. He said David was “utterly engaged with the story of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the impact on its people, making four trips to the country and always planning the next”.

A spokesman for Mr Knowles’s family said on Thursday: “We note the statement from the Royal Gibraltar Police today about David, particularly the assertion that ‘there are no specific concerns at this time with regard to the death’.

“We do not wish to say anything further while the authorities continue their investigations, and ask that the family’s privacy be respected.”

In Westminster, politicians paid condolences to David’s family.

Leader of the Commons, Lucy Powell, said: “ Investigative journalism is so important to our democracy, and we should do whatever we can as a country to support it.”