PHOTOGRAPHS of a British SAS sniper lying on a Welsh bridge with his long-range rifle have prompted a fresh investigation into a Princess Diana assassination theory.

Reports from London's Mail on Sunday reveal the image was found on a computer ­belonging to the Special Forces marksman known as Soldier N, who is said to have told his wife that members of the SAS "arranged" the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed.

The picture shows a soldier in a public area in the Welsh countryside aiming his rifle­ ­towards a highway as if poised to open fire.

The Mail on ­Sunday reported the image was passed to the Metropolitan Police, which is investigating the improbable assassination theory.

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The allegation first came to light during the second court martial of Sgt Danny Nightingale, who was found guilty of illegally possessing a gun and ammunition.

It was outlined in a letter, written by the mother-in-law of Soldier N, who was a key witness for the prosecution.

The picture was one of 90 images of Special Forces soldiers found on Soldier N's home computer.

He faces a Ministry of Defence investigation after he was also said to have illegally stored secret SAS tactical documents, videos of operations in Afghanistan and emails to his then wife from Afghanistan identifying the location of SAS units, times and dates of operations, and tactics used to kill and capture insurgents.

In all likelihood the men in the photograph taken on the bridge were engaged in a ­counter-terrorism training exercise, practising a procedure.

It is thought that the bridge and a section of road beneath it were closed at the time.

Simon McKay, solicitor for Dodi Fayed's father Mohamed Fayed, said the photograph not only "causes concern and anxiety by everyone affected by this case but also the public generally, who are entitled to answers".

Soldier N is said to have claimed that a former member of the elite regiment was in charge of an assassination squad that moved in on Dodi's driver Henri Paul, flashing a blinding light into his eyes.

This has now been denied by Soldier N himself.

Scotland Yard said yesterday it was "not appropriate to give a running commentary."

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Originally published as Sniper link to Princess Diana