Inquest Into Sydney Cafe Attack Learns Of Terrorist's Secret Life

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A self-styled cleric who launched a deadly attack on a cafe in Sydney, Australia, last year led a complex and secretive life, an inquest has heard. Man Haron Monis also made "grandiose" claims about being persecuted in the country of his birth, Iran.

The inquest, which began in January, is examining the circumstances of the December siege in which Monis took 18 people hostage. The stand-off ended when police stormed the Lindt cafe in Martin Place. Monis and two hostages died.

Isolated Existence

Chinese Navy Extending Its Military Presence

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

China is to focus on projecting its military presence beyond its borders at sea, according to a strategy document. The navy will shift its focus to "open seas protection", rather than "offshore waters defence" alone. It will also speed up developing its cyber force to tackle "grave security threats", the State Council said. China has been accused of aggressively pursuing territorial claims in the South China Sea which has sparked concern in Washington. The strategy document highlighted four areas of critical importance - the ocean, outer space, nuclear force and cyber space. Its recent naval policy has prompted the most controversy. In recent years, China has focused on building up its navy. It has launched an aircraft carrier and invested heavily in submarines and other warships. It has also exercised its claims over islands in the South China Sea which the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei variously dispute.

Australia:Children Of Terrorist's Removed From Their Care

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Australians fighting overseas with terror groups could have their children removed from their care, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has said. His comments came after news emerged that the wife of one Australian Islamic State (IS) militant wanted to return home with their children. But Mr Dutton said such decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis.

Proposals announced on Tuesday could see some Australians lose citizenship for supporting terror groups.

Best Interests

Attack In Kabul Leaves Four Taliban Dead

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Four gunmen have been killed after trying to storm a guesthouse in a diplomatic area of the Afghan capital, Kabul, police say. The attack resulted in an overnight gun battle in the Wazir Akbar Khan district, home to several embassies and official buildings. The Taliban says it launched the attack. It lasted at least six hours. The assailants were armed with a rocket propelled grenade launcher and other weapons, the interior ministry said. No civilian or military casualties were reported. "Four attackers who had one RPG launcher, three AK-47s and one grenade launcher were killed in Wazir Akbar Khan," deputy interior minister Mohammad Ayoub Salangi said on Twitter.

al-Shabab Militants In Gun Battle With Kenyan Police

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Kenyan police have been involved in a fierce gun battle with militant Islamists in north-eastern Garissa County, leaving one officer wounded, a government spokesman has told the BBC.

The al-Shabab militants had ambushed the police near Yumbis town in Garissa County, Mwenda Njoka added. He dismissed as propaganda al-Shabab's claim that at least 20 policemen were killed in the attack. Al-Shabab is a Somalia-based group which has stepped up attacks in Kenya.

In April, it carried out a siege on Garissa University College and 148 people were killed.

Vehicles Burnt

President Of Burundi Requests Public Money For Elections

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Burundi's government has asked its people to donate money to help with controversial elections scheduled for June. The appeal for funds were made on the government's official Facebook page. It comes after the European Union said it will withhold more than $2m (£1.3m) of funding for the elections. There have been weeks of violent protests and a failed coup against President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term. The plea asks for money "from patriotic citizens to reinforce a culture of democracy based on the choice of the people". It then gives details of a bank account to put the money directly into.

Burundi Sees Mass Exit Of More Than 100,000

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

In the last month, more than 100,000 people have left the land-locked African state of Burundi. They fear that a failed coup and protests against the president could send the country back into a civil war. The protestors say the current situation is due to political differences, and not to do with the ethnic conflict 10 years ago which saw hundreds of thousands of people killed.

Suicide Attacks Increase In Northern Nigeria

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The UN children's agency says there has been an "alarming" increase in the number of suicide attacks in northern Nigeria, with many of them involving women and children.

There had been 27 attacks so far this year, compared with 26 for the whole of last year, Unicef said in a statement. Three-quarters of the attacks were carried out by female bombers, some as young as seven, it added. Militant Islamist group Boko Haram is waging an insurgency in Nigeria. BBC Nigeria analyst Naziru Mikailu says Boko Haram may be increasingly resorting to suicide attacks, following its loss of territory to regiona…

Libya PM: Car Attack By Gunmen In Tobruk

June 1, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Libyan Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni says he has survived an assassination attempt by gunmen who attacked his car in the city of Tobruk.

"Thank God, we managed to escape," Mr al-Thinni told TV news channel al-Arabiya after bullets hit his car as it left a parliament session in the city. A government spokesman said the prime minister escaped unharmed but one of his bodyguards was wounded. Libya has been in turmoil since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted from power in 2011. Mr al-Thinni is trying to run the country from Tobruk after being expelled from the capital, Tripoli, by militias in 2014. His…

Saudi State Oil Company Separated From Oil Ministry

May 5, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Saudi Arabia's state oil company is to be separated from the oil ministry as part of a wider restructuring.

The move was approved by the Supreme Economic Council, which was set up by King Salman this year to replace the Supreme Petroleum Council.

The new 10-member council is headed by the King's son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He was appointed this week as the new deputy crown prince and is regarded as second in line to the throne.