German Synagogue Attack Was Far Right Terror

October 10, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A shooting at a synagogue in the German city of Halle on Monday was a far-right terror attack, said Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht.

Alleged perpetrator Stephan Balliet had four kilos (9lb) of explosives in his car, Ms Lambrecht said in a statement with attorney-general Peter Frank.

Mr Frank said the gunman had been planning a massacre. The suspect, 27, faces two counts of murder and nine counts of attempted murder, German media report.

The German national is due to appear in court on Thursday afternoon.

Turkish Troops Increase At The Syrian Border

October 9, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Turkey has boosted its forces on the Syrian border ahead of a long-threatened incursion that could target Kurdish forces allied to the US.

Troops would cross into Syria "shortly", a presidential aide said.

Turkey wants to create a "safe zone" cleared of Kurdish militia that will also house some of Turkey's 3.6 million Syrian refugees.

Donald Trump has withdrawn US troops in the area in a controversial decision widely condemned at home and abroad. He again defended his move on Tuesday, saying the Kurds had not been abandoned, calling them "special".

Man Charged Under The Official Secrets Act

October 9, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A man has been charged under the Official Secrets Act for an alleged "damaging disclosure" of defence information.

The Metropolitan Police said Simon Finch, 49, from Swansea, was alleged to have accessed the information as a civil servant or government contractor. He has been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 9 October.

A Counter Terrorism Command probe was launched around 28 October 2018.

Under the 1989 act, a disclosure is considered damaging if it "damages the capability" of the Armed Forces, leads to loss of life, injury to its personnel or endangers UK interests abroad.

Top al-Qaeda Leader Killed

October 8, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A top al-Qaeda leader has been killed in a joint US-Afghan military operation, according to Afghanistan's intelligence agency.

Asim Umar, the head of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), died in a raid on a Taliban compound in Helmand province on 23 September, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said.

At least 40 civilians were reported to have been killed in the same operation. The US and al-Qaeda have not confirmed Umar's death.

Hijacked Lorry Driven Into Motorists In Western Germany

October 8, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

An attack on motorists in the western town of Limburg is being investigated as terrorism, security sources have told German media.

On Monday, a man hijacked a lorry and ploughed into eight vehicles waiting at a traffic light, injuring eight people. Seven were treated in hospital.

A thirty-two year-old suspect has been arrested. Originally from Syria, the man has been living in Germany since 2015, local reports say.

Knife Crime On The Rise In Regional Towns

October 7, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The rate of knife attacks in some regional towns and cities is higher than in many London boroughs, analysis of police figures suggests.

Overall, London remains the most dangerous part of England and Wales - but data, obtained from 34 of the 43 police forces, shows the rate of serious knife crime offences rising sharply in some areas outside London, and outstripping some of the city's boroughs in places like the city of Manchester, Slough, Liverpool and Blackpool.

Deadly Knife Attack At Paris Headquarters

October 3, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A knife-wielding employee has killed three officers and one administrative worker at police headquarters in the centre of the French capital, Paris.

The attacker, who has not been named, was shot dead by police. Witnesses described scenes of panic, with many people fleeing the building in tears. The area in the île de la Cité has been sealed off.

The attack comes a day after police went on strike across France over increasing violence towards officers. The Paris prosecutor said a murder investigation had been launched.

Fake Blood Sprayed Over London Treasury Building

October 3, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Environmental protesters have sprayed fake blood over the Treasury building in central London.

The Extinction Rebellion demonstrators parked an old fire engine outside the 100-year-old building with 1,800 litres of coloured water on board. But they quickly lost control of the hose and the red liquid was instead sprayed across the road.

Ship Master Believed Stowaways Could Be Boko Haram Terrorists

October 2, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The master of a container ship locked four stowaways in quarantine after fearing they were Boko Haram terrorists, a court has heard.

The men, from Nigeria and Liberia, allegedly armed themselves with metal poles and threw faeces onboard the ship in the Thames Estuary in December.

Samuel Jolumi, 27, Ishola Sunday, 28, Toheeb Popoola, 27, and Joberto McGee, 20, deny attempting to hijack the ship.

Antonio Raggi told the Old Bailey he was "worried" for his crew's safety.

Iran Sentences Man To Death For Spying For US

October 1, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Iran's judiciary says it has convicted three people of spying for the US, sentencing one of them to death, and another person of spying for the UK.

Spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said two men, Ali Nafariyeh and Mohammadali Babapour, had received 10-year prison sentences for working for the CIA.

Mohammad Amin Nasab was jailed for 10 years for aiding British intelligence.