Spanish Journalists Held Hostage Freed

May 9, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Three Spanish journalists, kidnapped while working in Syria last year, have been released and have arrived in Madrid to a rapturous reception from friends and family.

Antonio Pampliega, Jose Manuel Lopez and Angel Sastre disappeared from the northern city of Aleppo 10 months ago. The three were flown on a Spanish defence ministry jet from Turkey. They appear to have been captives of al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, the al-Nusra Front.

Al-Nusra was in charge of the part of Aleppo from which they were kidnapped nearly a year ago. However the circumstances of their release have not been disclosed.

BBC Reporting Team Dismissed From North Korea

May 9, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

BBC correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes and his team have been expelled from North Korea after being detained over their reporting.

The correspondent, producer Maria Byrne and cameraman Matthew Goddard were stopped by officials on Friday as they were about to leave North Korea.

Wingfield-Hayes was questioned for eight hours by North Korean officials and made to sign a statement. All three remained in Pyongyang before flying to Beijing on Monday.

After arriving in Beijing, Byrne tweeted that they were "very happy" to be back but were not doing any interviews.

Air strike On Syrian Refugee Camp Could Amount To War Crime

May 6, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

An air strike on a Syrian refugee camp that reportedly killed at least 28 people could amount to a war crime.

Stephen O'Brien, the UN humanitarian affairs chief, called for an inquiry into the attack on the Kamouna camp in the northern Idlib province. Syrian or Russian forces are suspected. Syria's military denied involvement in the strike on a rebel-held area.

Kim Jong-un Pleased With Nuclear Achievements

May 6, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has opened a rare party congress by praising his country's nuclear achievements.

Appearing before thousands of delegates, he said: "Unprecedented results have been accomplished."

This year saw the country announce its fourth nuclear weapon test and that it sent a rocket into space. The showpiece congress, the first in 36 years, is a chance for the North Korean leader to cement his power.

Australian Man Killed In Iraq Was IS Recruiter

May 5, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

An Australian man considered a senior recruiter for so-called Islamic State (IS) has been killed in a US air strike in Iraq, Australia's government says.

Attorney-General George Brandis said US officials had confirmed Neil Prakash was killed in Mosul on Friday. Prakash, also known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, was linked to attack plots in Australia and had appeared in propaganda videos and magazines.

Some 110 Australians are estimated to be fighting for IS in the Middle East.

Russian Lawyer Charged With Espionage

May 5, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A lawyer with dual Russian-Polish citizenship has been charged with espionage in Poland, Polish media say. The man, named only as Stanislaw Sz, is the son of a Russian national goalkeeper who moved to Poland in 1991.

Mr Sz was arrested in October 2014 but released after three months. He could face up to 10 years in jail.

IS Militants Kill US Navy Seal In Northern Iraq

May 4, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A US Navy Seal who was advising Kurdish Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq has been killed by Islamic State (IS) militants, US defence officials say.

The special warfare operator was named as Charlie Keating, aged 31, from the state of Arizona.

Peshmerga officials said the militants breached the frontline north of the IS-held city of Mosul on Tuesday morning. The American was the third to be killed in combat since the US-led coalition campaign against IS began in 2014.

Brent Cross Shopping Centre Jewellery Raid

May 4, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A jewellery shop has been raided at a north London shopping centre, with sledge hammers and pick-axes recovered afterwards.

Five men have been arrested after the store in Brent Cross shopping centre was targeted at 02:30 BST. Scotland Yard said at least 12 suspects had smashed windows and stolen items from Goldsmiths Jewellers.

The area was searched by officers with the help of police dogs and a helicopter.

Ransoms Of Up To £273,000 Paid To Pirate Gangs Off Nigerian Coast

May 3, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Ransoms of up to $400,000 (£273,000) have been paid to gangs which hijacked ships in the Gulf of Guinea in 2015, a maritime report says.

The region was the most dangerous in the world for seafarers, with pirates becoming more violent, it added. A total of 32 seafarers had been kidnapped so far this year compared with 15 in 2015, the report said. Kidnapping for ransom took place mainly in the oil-producing areas off Nigeria's coast, it added.

Australia: Somali Asylum Seeker Sets Herself On Fire As A Protest

May 3, 2016 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A Somali woman seeking asylum in Australia has set herself on fire in protest at her detention at a centre on the Pacific island of Nauru.

The 21-year-old suffered critical injuries after covering herself in fuel and setting herself alight.

Last week, a 23-year-old Iranian died after setting himself alight at the same facility. Nauru is one of several off-shore detention centres for asylum seekers operated by Australia. Human rights groups have strongly criticised Australia's policies towards asylum seekers.