Security News

Cyanide ‘killed Chicago lottery winner’ Urooj Khan

janvier 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The death of a Chicago lottery winner has led to a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination found he died of cyanide poisoning.

Urooj Khan, 46, died suddenly as he was about to collect almost $425,000 (£264,000), but his death was initially attributed to natural causes.

The local coroner reopened his case after a relative came forward.

Chicago police confirmed they were now investigating Khan’s death as a homicide.

« It’s pretty unusual, » Cook County Medical Examiner Stephen Cina said, commenting on the rarity of cyanide poisonings. « I’ve had one, maybe two cases out of 4,500 autopsies I’ve done. »

Mr Cina’s office found that Khan died shortly after ingesting a lethal dose of cyanide.

Indian troops shot dead near Kashmir’s Line of Control

janvier 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Two Indian soldiers have been shot dead in the disputed Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, officials say.

The Indian army said a patrol was attacked by Pakistani soldiers in « a grave provocation » near the so-called Line of Control.

Pakistan denied the accusation. The deaths came two days after a Pakistani soldier was killed near the LoC.

Kashmir is claimed by both nations in its entirety and has been a flashpoint between them for more than 60 years.

Tuesday’s shootings took place near Mendhar, 220 km (140 miles) north of the Indian city of Jammu, Indian officials said.

Egypt finance: Qatar steps in to ease Cairo cash crisis

janvier 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Qatar has lent Cairo a further £1.25bn and donated an extra £300m in an effort to control a currency crisis prompted by Egypt’s political turmoil.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani announced the doubling of funds after meeting Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi in Cairo.

Egypt faces the threat of a currency crisis after the Egyptian pound hit its lowest level in eight years.

Authorities warn the country’s central reserves are at a « critical level ».

Needed to defend the local currency against devaluation, the reserves have dropped from $36bn (£22.3bn) before the uprising to just $15bn, the Central Bank of Egypt disclosed late last month.

Meanwhile, the American credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgraded Egypt’s long-term credit rating to « B- » – the same level as that of Greece.

President Morsi has promised to make tackling the country’s failing economy a key priority.

Nearly two years after the ousting of his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, continuing political unrest has exacerbated Egypt’s financial problems, which helped fuel the uprising.

Honduras police seize $50,000 gold-plated AK-47 rifle

janvier 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The authorities in Honduras have seized a gold-plated, jewel-encrusted AK-47 assault rifle, complete with two silver magazines.

The gun, estimated to be worth more than $50,000 (£30,000), is believed to belong to drug traffickers.

Following a tip-off, police also found a number of weapons, along with other military equipment and passports.

Two security guards were detained during the raid at a ranch 300km (186 miles) from the capital, Tegucigalpa.

Honduran authorities said the gold-plated rifle had an engraving associated with the Malverde drug gang – which is allegedly connected to Mexico’s Zetas cartel.

« It’s an exclusive design and a fine carving, » said police chief Leonel Sauceda.

More than 30 other weapons were found, including assault rifles, grenade launchers and grenades, night-vision kits, bayonets and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Police also found bullet-proof vests and 11 cars and two car-removal lorries.

Honduras has the highest homicide rate in the world, according to a UN ranking, with nearly 92 killings per 100,000 habitants in 2011.

DR Congo’s M23 rebels declare unilateral ceasefire

janvier 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have declared a unilateral ceasefire ahead of a second round of peace talks with the government.

The rebels told a news conference in the Ugandan capital Kampala that they hoped the government would follow suit.

An attempt last month to negotiate an end to the nine-month rebellion in the east of the country failed.

Up to 800,000 people have been displaced since the rebels took up arms against the Kinshasa government in May.

« We’ve been for peace… today we’re declaring that we’re in a ceasefire, » M23 spokesman Francois Rucogoza told the news conference in Kampala.

« Even if the government refuses to sign a ceasefire agreement we’ll continue with the negotiations, » he added.