Police Are Solving Fewer Crimes

July 18, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The proportion of crimes solved by police in England and Wales has fallen to the lowest level recorded, according to Home Office data.

In the 12 months to March, 7.8% of offences saw someone charged or summonsed, down from 9.1% a year ago. The data began to be compiled in 2015.

It comes after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick acknowledged too many offences were being left unsolved, in a speech about the future of policing. She said sifting through vast amounts of phone and computer data was partly responsible and called for investment in resources, technology and expertise to drive…

US Judge Jails Mexican Drug Lord To Life

July 17, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A US judge has sentenced Mexican drug kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán to life in prison plus 30 years.

Guzmán, 62, was found guilty of 10 charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering, by a federal court in New York in February. He escaped a Mexican jail through a tunnel in 2015, but was later arrested. He was extradited to the US in 2017. He is a former head of the Sinaloa cartel, which officials say was the biggest supplier of drugs to the US.

During the trial, witnesses said he had tortured his cartel's enemies.

Brother Of Manchester Bomber To Be Charged With Murdering 22 Victims

July 17, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The younger brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi is to appear in court charged with murdering the 22 victims of the attack, police say.

Hashem Abedi, 22, was detained in Libya shortly after the May 2017 suicide bombing in which hundreds were injured. He was extradited earlier, and arrested by British officers upon his arrival in the UK, Greater Manchester Police said. Mr Abedi is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court "in due course", the force said.

Police said prosecutors had authorised them to bring charges against Mr Abedi in respect of:

Weapons Seized By Anti-Terror Police In Italy

July 15, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Anti-terrorism police in northern Italy have seized an air-to-air missile and other sophisticated weapons during raids on far-right extremist groups.

Three people were arrested - two of them near Forli airport. Neo-Nazi propaganda was also seized, in raids in several cities.

Italian media say the raids were part of an investigation into Italian far-right help for Russian-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine.

The missile is reported to be Qatari. The Turin special police force, called Digos, led the operations, assisted by police in Milan, Varese, Forli and Novara.

Second UK War Ship Sent To The Gulf

July 12, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The UK has brought forward plans to send a second warship to the Gulf amid rising tensions with Iran.

HMS Duncan is currently in the Mediterranean and is expected to join HMS Montrose in the region next week. It comes after the UK government said Iranian boats tried to impede a British oil tanker in the Gulf on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Iran has reiterated calls for the UK to release an Iranian-owned oil tanker that was detained by Royal Marines in Gibraltar last week.

An Iranian official, speaking to state news agency IRNA, warned the UK not to get involved in "this dangerous game".

Man Found Guilty Of Planning UK Terror Attack

July 12, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A man has been found guilty of trying to make a bomb to be used in a driverless car.

Farhad Salah was convicted at Sheffield Crown Court of preparing to commit acts of terrorism.

Jurors heard how Salah, 24, an Iraqi Kurd, posted on social media about using a driverless car in an attack. The jury failed to reach a verdict on his co-defendant, chip-shop owner Andy Star, who was charged with the same offence.

Royal Navy Ship Defends British Tanker From Iranian Boats

July 11, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Iranian boats tried to impede a British oil tanker near the Gulf - before being driven off by a Royal Navy ship, the Ministry of Defence has said.

HMS Montrose, a British frigate shadowing the BP-owned tanker, was forced to move between the three boats and the tanker, a spokesman said. He described the Iranians' actions as "contrary to international law".

Iran had threatened to retaliate for the seizure of one of its own tankers, but denied any attempted seizure.

Women And Children Massacred In Papua New Guinea

July 10, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Children and pregnant women are among those murdered in a tribal massacre in Papua New Guinea's Highlands area.

PM James Marape called the news "one of the saddest days of my life", promising to track down the perpetrators. It is one of the worst outbreaks of tribal violence in PNG for years. "It's a very sad story," Philip Undialu, governor of Hela told news agency Reuters, explaining the killings were part of a conflict running for years.

Libyan General Found To Have French Anti-Tank Missiles

July 10, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

France has denied breaching a UN arms embargo after four of its anti-tank missiles were found on a base loyal to a rogue Libyan general.

The country's defence ministry says the "unusable" US-made Javelin missiles were never intended to be passed to any group, and were due to be destroyed.

However, they were discovered in a camp south of the capital Tripoli, used by forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar. Gen Haftar's forces are currently fighting for control of the city.

Boris Johnson Denied Access To Some Intelligence When He Was Foreign Secretary

July 5, 2019 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Downing Street attempted to withhold sensitive intelligence from Boris Johnson when he became foreign secretary, the BBC has learned.

This caused concern in the intelligence services, since the foreign secretary authorises sensitive operations. Sources close to Mr Johnson said he had access to everything he needed to see.

The Conservative leadership frontrunner told activists he was "extremely dubious about the provenance of the story", claiming it was "not true".