New lead in asylum murder hunt

Families have been fleeing the Sighthill area

Police say they have made a significant step forward in identifying one of the suspects in their hunt for the killer of an asylum seeker in Glasgow.

They say one of the two men they are eager to trace was wearing a distinctive jacket, which it is hoped someone may recognise.

A team of more than 30 detectives are now working on the case. Firsat Yildiz, also known as Firsat Dag, was stabbed to death a week ago.

The Kurd, from Turkey, was attacked in Glasgow's Sighthill area as he made his way home from a night out.

Police want to trace the wearer of a jacket like this

A police spokesman said it had now been established that one of the two suspects was wearing a red jacket with distinctive yellow stripes.

Alex McAllister, the detective superintendent in charge of the inquiry, said: "It doesn't appear to be a commonly available jacket and if anyone who knows or has a jacket like it, we need to hear from them."

Police believe Mr Yildiz spent last Saturday evening in a city centre Turkish restaurant before making his way home with a 16-year-old.

The pair walked up North Hanover Street past the Lomond Audi car showroom and the Glasgow Outdoor Experience in Kyle Street.

The spokesman said drivers and pedestrians would have been in the area at the time and they are particularly keen to speak to people who got out of a white taxi, in Kyle Street, at about the time Mr Yildiz was passing.

Police have released more detail about the murder

Officers also want to speak to a man who was walking alone in Sighthill Park around midnight who they believe may also be an asylum seeker.

He is described as small, with short dark hair, wearing a dark green polo shirt and light coloured combat-style trousers and he was carrying a black satchel over his shoulder.

Mr McAllister said police still had no indication as to the motive for the killing and stressed he was keeping an open mind.

He said the attack was "very brief" and lasted a matter of minutes, adding that there was no indication that Mr Yildiz had been followed.

He said: "My assessment of this attack is that there is a random element to it, which is why it has been difficult to establish a motive.

Alex McAllister: "Keeping an open mind"

"It could just be random violence, but I cannot exclude a racial motive. I am working on limited information."

Most of the police's information so far has been supplied by Mr Yildiz's companion, who Mr McAllister said had been "extremely helpful".

And he said police were also looking at other racist incidents in Glasgow and people with previous convictions for racism in an attempt to narrow down their inquiries.

He said: "We are looking at racist incidents elsewhere in the city, but as yet I haven't identified any one crime of a racist nature which I would directly and unequivocally link to this incident at this time.

"We will also have a good look at individuals who have been identified or accused of racist incidents or attacks in the past, principally to eliminate them from our inquiries."