ST. LUCIA (19 Sep 2003) -- Police investigating the murder of a British animal rights campaigner in the Caribbean island of St Lucia said yesterday that she had been the victim of a targeted killing.

Jane Tipson, 53, who had led a battle against plans by Caribbean companies to capture dolphins and keep them in a pen for tourists to swim with, was shot dead at 1.20am on Wednesday as she drove along a private road towards her home.

Detectives believe that the shooting happened after she wound down her window to talk to someone she knew. Her sister Barbara, 50, who was driving another vehicle in front, stopped after she thought she heard a tyre bursting.

But when she went to investigate she found Ms Tipsons body with a single bullet wound to the neck.

Ms Tipson, who emigrated to St Lucia more than 20 years ago, owned the Snooty Agouti restaurant in Gros Islet near by, famed for its cocktails and live jazz.

However, she was better known as the founder and president of Slaps, the St Lucia Animal Protection Society. Last year the group launched a campaign against plans to capture dolphins and keep them for a dolphin encounter programme for tourists.

Ms Tipson, who lived with her sister near the northern town of Castries, said last October: "Dolphin capture is under increasing attack in the rest of the world. They (investors) look at the Caribbean and target us because they think we have no regulations and no information about this kind of thing."

Minvielle & Chastanet, a large St Lucian company, announced that it wanted to capture the dolphins with investment from the Bermuda-based Dolphin Fantaseas.

A permit is being sought for 12 bottlenose dolphins for the £600,000 facility.

Corporal Modestus Louis, of the St Lucia Police, told The Times:  "This was a targeted killing but inquiries at this stage have not revealed a motive," said Corporal Modestus Louis of the St. Lucia Police. "Ms Tipson was very outspoken on animal rights issues and she was instrumental in some recent animal protection legislation. We are looking into the possibility that she made enemies. We are not ruling out anything at this stage."

The murder brought to 22   the number of killings in the former British colony this year. Police have blamed much of the violence on drug gangs.

A spokeswoman for the Snooty Agouti Restaurant said that staff were devastated.

SOURCE - The London Times

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