AMSTERDAM, 14/02/03 - A fresh investigation into the relationship between Volkert van der G.'s girlfriend and a woman who threw a pie containing excrement at Pim Fortuyn on 14 March last year has produced nothing. No relationship was found between the two women, the Public Prosecutor's Office (OM) announced yesterday.

Van der G. is suspected of assassinating politician Pim Fortuyn on 6 May. Fortuyn's brother Marten asked the OM a month ago to investigate the alleged relationship between Van der G.'s girlfriend Petra L. and the pie-thrower after information reached him that they were bosom friends. The OM had already exhaustively investigated the possible relationship. "A complete new detective operation was therefore not carried out," the OM noted.

The OM arrested Petra L. last year in connection with the discovery of chemicals in the house in Harderwijk she shared with the Van der G. Experts established that explosives could be made from the substances, but the OM dropped the case against her after Van der G. stated that she was innocent.