Sharp Fall In Profits For Barclays

March 3, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Barclays has reported a sharp fall in profits as it sets aside more funds to cover potential fines for misconduct.

Statutory pre-tax profits fell 21% to £2.26bn for the year to 31 December 2014.

The group increased its provision to cover any fallout from a probe into currency market manipulation by £750m to £1.25bn.

But stripping out this and other provisions, profits rose 12% to £5.5bn, the bank said.

Boss Antony Jenkins was awarded a £1.1m bonus - his first as chief executive - pushing his total pay package to £5.5m for 2014.

More Groundwork Needed For National Security Strategy

March 3, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The UK's next national security strategy will be prepared in an "unnecessary rush", MPs and peers say.

The joint Parliamentary committee on the strategy said not enough groundwork had been done to prepare for it.

Last published in 2010, the document sets out threats to national security and how the government will respond.

The government said preparatory work had started but that it was "right" for the final strategy to be published after May's general election.

IS Using Love To Persuade Young Women To Join Them

March 2, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

In a few months' time, perhaps even weeks, you might remember the story, but will you remember the names? Kadiza Sultana, 16; Shamima Begum, also 16; and Amira Abase, 15.

All three London schoolgirls said they were going out for the day and now it is thought they have left the UK, gone to Turkey and slipped across the border to join Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria.

Their names are important to me, because they focus my mind on them as individuals, as young girls, with a promising future ahead of them, with friends, siblings and parents.

Islamic State Smashing Statues

March 2, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The Islamic State (IS) group has released a video appearing to show the destruction of statues in Mosul museum, some of which are thousands of years old.

Why is it doing this, and where else has cultural heritage been affected by conflict? BBC News explains in 60 seconds.

Boris Nemtsov Russian Opposition Politician Killed

March 2, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A leading Russian opposition politician, former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, has been shot dead in Moscow, Russian officials say.

An unidentified attacker in a car shot Mr Nemtsov four times in the back as he crossed a bridge in view of the Kremlin, police say.

He died hours after appealing for support for a march on Sunday in Moscow against the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the murder, the Kremlin says.

President Putin has assumed "personal control" of the investigation into the killing, said his spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

US Homeland Security Department Avoids Shutdown

March 2, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The US Homeland Security Department has avoided a partial shutdown as Congress passed a one-week funding extension, hours before a midnight deadline.

The House of Representatives voted 357-60 in favour of the short-term bill after it had been passed in the Senate.

President Barack Obama, who said he would back a short-term deal to avert a shutdown, signed it shortly afterwards.

It ensures the department's 250,000 employees will be paid while a longer-term funding agreement is discussed.

The two-thirds majority vote was reached about two hours before the midnight (05:00 GMT Saturday) deadline.

Mexican Drug Lord "La Tuta" Captured By Police

March 2, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Mexican police have captured the country's most wanted drug lord, Servando "La Tuta" Gomez.

Mr Gomez, leader of the Knights Templar drug cartel, was arrested in Morelia in Michoacan state without a shot fired.

He was taken to Mexico City, where he was paraded before television cameras, before being flown by helicopter to a maximum security prison.

President Enrique Pena Nieto wrote on Twitter that the rule of law had been strengthened because of the arrest.

Police said they located him by following one of his messengers, part of a close network providing him with food and clothing.

Former Head Of MI6 Warns Of Russian Threat

March 2, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Russia has become a danger to Britain and the country must be prepared to take steps to defend itself and its allies, the former head of MI6 says.

Sir John Sawers, who recently retired after five years as chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Russia poses a "state to state threat".

Sir John said dealing with such threats would require more defence spending.

But he called on issues with Russia to be addressed by "increased dialogue".

He said he was disappointed how, after the end of the Cold War, Russia's and Europe's paths had failed to converge.

MP David Davies Accuses Intelligence & Security Committee Of Failing To Do Its Job

March 2, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The committee monitoring the security services has been taken in by the "glamour" of spying and is failing to do its job, its founder has said.

Conservative MP David Davis said the Intelligence and Security Committee had been "captured by the agencies they are supposed to be overseeing".

And ex-chairman Sir Malcolm Rifkind acted as a "spokesman" for MI5, MI6 and GCHQ rather than a watchdog.

Sir Malcolm said the criticisms were "ludicrous" and had no basis in fact. He said Mrs Davis had been "captured" by the civil liberties lobby.

Excited By It

Advocacy Group Cage Causes Controversy Over Mohammed Emwazi

March 2, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

As details emerged about the identity of "Jihadi John", the masked Islamic State militant pictured in several hostage videos, questions started to arise about Cage, the advocacy group that had been in close contact with the man now known to be called Mohammed Emwazi between 2009 and 2012.

Cage has caused controversy by suggesting that MI5 harassment could have contributed to the radicalisation of the Kuwaiti-born computer graduate who grew up in west London.

Human rights groups say they are doing "vital work" but critics have called the organisation "apologists for terror".