That suspicion was evident when two diplomats, one British and one Irish working for the UN and EU, were expelled in late 2007 for allegedly talking to Taliban groups, talks the men believed were taking place with the full knowledge of the Karzai government.
Patrick Henri Devillers's return to China could indicate that Mr. Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, will soon stand trial for the suspected murder of Neil Heywood, a British business consultant, diplomats following the case said.