Son Of Osama Bin Laden Killed

August 1, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Hamza Bin Laden, the son of al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden, died in an air strike, US media outlets report, citing intelligence officials.

The place and date of death were unclear. The Pentagon did not comment.

Bin Laden, thought to be aged about 30, had released audio and video messages calling for attacks on the US and other countries. As recently as February, the US government offered $1m (£825,000) for information leading to his capture.

His death was widely reported by US media outlets including NBC News, the New York Times and CNN, citing unnamed US intelligence officials.

Schools At Risk Of Violence Could Be Policed

July 31, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Schools in areas with a higher risk of youth violence should be given dedicated police officers, say MPs.

In its report, the committee called for more investment into neighbourhood policing - including a commitment to get a dedicated police officer into "all schools in areas with an above-average risk of serious youth violence" by April 2020. It said by committing the money for the officers in the government's autumn spending review, it would become part of a drive to "rebuild vital links" with the communities affected.

US Government Faces Criticism On Resuming The Death Penalty

July 26, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The US federal government's move to resume executions after a 16-year hiatus has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and leading Democrats.

Several candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination called for the death penalty to be abolished.

On Thursday Attorney General William Barr said five inmates would be executed. They had been convicted of murders or rapes of children or the elderly, he said. The executions have been scheduled for December 2019 and January 2020.

Short-Range Missiles Fired By North Korea

July 25, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

North Korea has fired two short-range missiles into the sea, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

They were launched over the sea early on Thursday, from Wonsan on North Korea's east coast.

A JCS official said at least one of the missiles travelled about 690km (428 miles) and appeared to be a new design. It marks the first time North Korea has fired any missiles since leader Kim Jong-un's impromptu meeting with Donald Trump late last month. It also comes after anger from the North over planned military exercises between South Korea and the US, an annual event. The North warned they co…

Eighteen Year Old Arrested On Terror Charges

July 25, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of a terrorism offence.

The 18-year-old, from north-east London, was arrested on Thursday morning on suspicion of possessing a document containing information useful to terrorism.

Police said he was being held at a south London station under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Iran Claim To Have Arrested CIA Spies

July 24, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Iran says it has arrested 17 spies who it says were working for the CIA, and sentenced some of them to death.

The intelligence ministry said the suspects had been collecting information in the nuclear, military and other sectors.

US President Donald Trump has dismissed the Iranian allegations, saying they are "totally false". Washington and Tehran are at loggerheads over Iran's nuclear programme and tensions have grown.

Terror Threat Level System To Include Right Wing Extremists

July 23, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Risks posed by right-wing extremists in the UK are to be included in the terror threat level system from now on.

Previously the system only assessed the threat from "international terrorism".

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said the assessment will now cover all forms of terrorism "irrespective of the ideology that inspires them" - including right-wing, Northern Ireland, and Islamist. The changes do not affect the current threat level of "severe", meaning an attack is "highly likely".

Violence In Hong Kong Escalates

July 22, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Hong Kong has been left in shock after a night of violence on Sunday, which saw dozens of masked men storm a train station.

The men - dressed in white shirts and suspected to be triad gangsters - assaulted pro-democracy protesters and passers-by in the Yuen Long area.

This is the first time this kind of violence has been seen in the ongoing anti-extradition demonstrations. Several lawmakers questioned why police were slow to arrive at the scene.

Venezuelan Fighter Jet Shadowed US Reconnaissance Aircraft

July 22, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The United States military has accused a Venezuelan fighter aircraft of endangering the crew of a US navy plane in international airspace.

The Venezuelan plane made an "unsafe approach" and "aggressively shadowed" the US reconnaissance aircraft over the Caribbean Sea, US Southern Command said on Sunday.

Venezuela said the US plane had entered Venezuelan airspace without permission. Relations between the two countries have been tense for years.

French Army To Use Sci-Fi Team For Future Threats

July 19, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The French army is to create a "red team" of sci-fi writers to imagine possible future threats.

A new report by the Defence Innovation Agency (DIA) said the visionaries will "propose scenarios of disruption" that military strategists may not think of. The team's highly confidential work will be important in the fight against "malicious elements", the report states.

It comes amid efforts by the French to innovate its approaches to defence.