Hospital Find Signs Of Poisoning While Treating Alexi Navalny

August 24, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The Berlin hospital treating the seriously ill Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, says he appears to have been poisoned.

The Charite hospital released a statement saying "clinical evidence suggests an intoxication through a substance belonging to the group of cholinesterase inhibitors". His condition was "serious but not life-threatening" the statement said. He fell ill on an internal flight in Russia on Thursday.

Police Killers Lenient Sentences To Be Reviewed

August 21, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The killers of PC Andrew Harper have had their sentences referred to the Court of Appeal after the Attorney General considered them to be "unduly lenient".

Suella Braverman QC said attacks against emergency workers should be "punished with the greatest severity".

PC Harper, 28, suffered catastrophic injuries when he was dragged behind a getaway car in Berkshire last August. Henry Long, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole were convicted of manslaughter.

Putin Rival In Coma After Suspected Poisoning

August 20, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny is unconscious in hospital suffering from suspected poisoning, his spokeswoman has said.

The anti-corruption campaigner fell ill during a flight and the plane made an emergency landing in Omsk, Kira Yarmysh said, adding that they suspected something had been mixed into his tea.

The Kremlin said that it wished Mr Navalny a "speedy recovery".

Mr Navalny, 44, has been a staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin.

Brother Of Manchester Arena Bomber Jailed For 55 Years

August 20, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has been jailed for at least 55 years for the murders of 22 people.

Hashem Abedi helped his older sibling Salman to plan the atrocity that killed 22 men, women and children and injured hundreds more on 22 May 2017. He was convicted after a court heard he was "just as guilty" as his brother, who detonated the bomb at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

Abedi, 23, refused to leave his cell at the Old Bailey for the sentencing.

Berlin Motorway Crash 'An Islamist Attack'

August 19, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A man who rammed several vehicles on a motorway in Berlin is being investigated for what prosecutors say was "an Islamist-motivated attack".

Three people were seriously injured when the suspect's car collided with vehicles on the A100 motorway shortly before 19:00 (17:00 GMT) on Tuesday evening.

Witnesses said the 30-year-old Iraqi suspect claimed to have a "dangerous object" in a box of ammunition. Nothing was later found inside.

Police Officer Calls Fire Service To Release Him From Handcuffs

August 19, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A police officer had to call on the fire service to release him from handcuffs after getting stuck in them during a demonstration.

The Northamptonshire Police officer was showing new recruits how to use hinged handcuffs when the incident happened.

The training sergeant thanked Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service for cutting the cuffs off him.

Man Appears In Court Charged With Biting Police Officer

August 18, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A man who attacked three police officers during the Covid-19 lockdown, one of whom he bit, has been jailed.

Christopher Hill assaulted officers when they told him he was breaching restrictions by visiting his partner's home in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. He was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for 10 months after previously admitting three counts of assault by beating and criminal damage.

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins described Hill, 30, as the "lowest of the low".

Hill, of John Street, Waterfoot, in Lancashire, attacked the officers during a scuffle in Drake Street on 9 April.

Ex CIA Officer Charged With Espionage

August 18, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A former Central Intelligence Agency officer has been arrested on charges of conspiring with a relative, who also worked for the CIA, to spy for China.

Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 67, was arrested on Friday and charged, said the US justice department. He is accused of divulging classified national defence information to Chinese intelligence officials. It is the latest espionage arrest at a time of growing tension between Washington and Beijing.

al-Shabab Storm Beach Hotel In Mogadishu Killing Twelve

August 17, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Somali special forces say they have ended a siege at a hotel in the capital Mogadishu that was stormed by armed al-Shabab militants.

At least 12 people were killed at the beachside Elite Hotel, in addition to five militants, according to the police. The attackers detonated a car bomb outside the hotel on Sunday before storming it and seizing hostages.

The recently built hotel is owned by an MP and is popular with officials.

Witnesses said the initial blast was heard across Mogadishu and there was chaos as people fled the area.

Afghan Government Release Taliban Prisoners

August 14, 2020 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Afghanistan's government has started releasing the last 400 Taliban prisoners, paving the way for long-delayed peace talks.

Eighty prisoners were set free on Thursday, officials said, some whose crimes include attacks on Afghans and foreigners. The release was a condition to begin negotiations to end 19 years of conflict in the country.

Peace talks are expected to start in Qatar within days of the full release.

The release was "to speed up efforts for direct talks and a lasting, nationwide ceasefire", Afghanistan's Office of the National Security Council said in a Tweet.