Di verdict: Fayed disappointed

London - Mohamed al-Fayed, the father of Diana, princess of Wales' boyfriend Dodi Fayed, maintained that the couple were murdered, after an inquest jury on Monday returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

The Egyptian tycoon said he was "disappointed" by the verdict, which pinned the blame on the grossly negligent driving of Fayed's chauffeur Henri Paul and the pursuing paparazzi pack.

After a six-month inquest, the six-man, five-woman jury at the High Court in London returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

They found that the drunk driving of Paul, who was also killed in the crash, was a contributory factor in their deaths, as was the fact that Diana and Fayed were not wearing seatbelts.

"It's been a long fight to uncover the truth about the deaths of my son Dodi and Diana, princess of Wales," Al Fayed said in a statement read outside the High Court.

"I'm not the only person who says they were murdered. Diana predicted that she would be murdered and how it would happen," he said.

"So I am disappointed."

Al Fayed went on: "For 10 years, I have endured two police investigations. The French and the Scotland Yard inquiries were wrong. These inquests prove it," he added.

"They said it was an accident and their findings are now dismissed.