Factory Workers Missing After IS Attack In Syria

April 7, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Dozens of people are reported missing in the wake of an attack by the so-called Islamic State (IS) on a cement factory east of Damascus.

Workers were reportedly taken from a dormitory where they were staying on the outskirts of the town of Dumeir. A factory administrator said no-one had been able to contact the workers since the assault on Monday.

The area around Dumeir has seen fierce fighting between government forces and IS in recent days. The workers were employed at the Badiyah factory, just outside Dumeir, about 25 miles (40km) from the capital.

EgyptAir Hijacker To Be Extradited

April 7, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Cyprus has agreed to extradite to Egypt the man accused of hijacking an airliner last week, reports say.

Seif al-Din Mustafa, 58, used a fake suicide belt to hijack the EgyptAir flight and forced it to fly to Larnaca. He has been held in Cyprus and the extradition process is expected to be fast-tracked, AFP reported.

Mr Mustafa has been described as being mentally disturbed and can be charged with air piracy, kidnapping and threatening behaviour.

Illegal Weapons Trade In Libya Via Facebook

April 7, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A new study suggests there is a growing market in the illegal trade of guns and weapons in Libya via social media sites, in particular Facebook.

The report covered 18 months and found sales of a wide range of items - from handguns to rocket-propelled grenades. Most were offered for sale on "closed" or "secret" Facebook groups.

The illicit sale of guns is a violation of Facebook's terms of service, and a spokesperson said they encourage people to report any such postings.

Singaporean Man Extradited To the US On Arms Charge

April 5, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A Singaporean man has been extradited to the US to face charges of illegally exporting US technology allegedly used in explosive devices in Iraq.

Lim Yong Nam is indicted for allegedly sending thousands of radio parts to Iran in violation of a trade ban. The parts were allegedly sent from there to Shia militias in Iraq.

Mustard Gas Used By IS In Syria

April 5, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

State media in Syria have accused militants from so-called Islamic State (IS) of using mustard gas against government forces in the north-east.

Troops came under fire at an air base which IS has been trying to capture in Deir al-Zour, they say. Meanwhile, rebels have shot down a Syrian fighter plane over the province of Aleppo.

Unconfirmed reports say militants from Nusra Front have captured one of the crew alive.

Azerbaijan And Armenian Forces Agree Ceasefire

April 5, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces have agreed on an immediate ceasefire after nearly four days of fighting in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The announcement came from the Armenian separatists and Azeri defence ministry. Ethnic Armenians have controlled the mountainous enclave in Azerbaijan and adjacent territory since the 1990s.

Syrian Forces Retake The Town Of al-Qaryatain

April 4, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Syrian forces and their allies have retaken the central town of al-Qaryatain from so-called Islamic State (IS), dealing a further strategic blow to the militant group, state media say.

It comes days after IS was pushed out of the nearby ancient city of Palmyra.

IS captured al-Qaryatain in August, and abducted hundreds of residents, including dozens of Christians. Many were later freed. A monitoring group said there were still pockets of fighting in the town.

Several Bomb Attacks In Iraq Kill And Wound Many

April 4, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

At least 25 people have been killed and dozens wounded in bomb attacks across Iraq, media reports say.

As many as 10 suicide bombers carried out the attacks, which reportedly targeted members of the security forces and allied Shia Muslim militias. The Islamic State (IS) group, which holds territory in the north and west, said it was behind some of the attacks.

In the deadliest attack, at least 14 people were killed when a bomber blew himself up in a restaurant.

Unseen Footage Of British Double Agent Uncovered

April 4, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A previously unseen video of one of Britain's most infamous spies describing his career as a Soviet agent has been uncovered by the BBC.

The tape is of Kim Philby giving a secret lecture to the Stasi, the East German Intelligence Service, in 1981. It is the first time the ex-MI6 officer can be seen talking about his life as a spy from his recruitment to his escape.

He describes his career rising up the ranks of MI6 whilst providing its secrets to the Soviet Union's KGB. He ends with advice to the East German spies.

Dear Comrades

Man Arrested At Gatwick Airport On Terror Related Offences

April 4, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A man, 24, has been arrested at Gatwick Airport and a woman, 20, in west London on suspicion of Syria-related terrorism offences, West Midlands Police says.

There was "no risk to any passengers at Gatwick Airport or to the wider public" related to the arrests, the force said.

The man was detained by counter-terrorism officers before boarding a flight. The pair are now being held at a police station in the West Midlands.