US to pressure Iran over 'plot to kill Saudi envoy'

<p> </p><p>US Attorney General Eric Holder says the alleged conspiracy was "conceived, sponsored and directed from Iran" Continue reading the main story Related Stories Clinton hails break-up of 'plot' Middle East rivalries play out in US The US secretary of state has called for a "very strong message" to be sent to Iran, after allegations of a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the US. Hillary Clinton said Washington was preparing new penalties against Iran, which is already subject to a variety of international sanctions. Two Iranians were charged over the plot which US officials said implicated Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. Meanwhile the US issued a worldwide alert about possible anti-US actions. "The US government assesses that this Iranian-backed plan to assassinate the Saudi ambassador may indicate a more aggressive focus by the Iranian government on terrorist activity against diplomats from certain countries, to include possible attacks in the United States," the alert said. It urged Americans residing and travelling abroad to review the information available when making travel plans. Iran has dismissed the allegations as false and baseless. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote The idea that they would attempt to go to a Mexican drug cartel to solicit murder-for-hire to kill the Saudi ambassador, nobody could make that up, right?” Hillary Clinton US secretary of state 'Well-grounded suspicions' Mrs Clinton praised those involved in the operation to uncover the plot. "It was a terrific achievement by our law enforcement and intelligence communities, and we will be consulting with our friends and partners around the world about how we can send a very strong message that this kind of action, which violates international norms, must be ended," she said at a news conference. "This case will, I think, reinforce the well-grounded suspicions of many countries about what they're up to." Mrs Clinton said the suspected plotters had been trying to involve hired killers from Mexican drug cartels. "The idea that they would attempt to go to a Mexican drug cartel to solicit murder-for-hire to kill the Saudi ambassador, nobody could make that up, right?" she said. US Attorney General Eric Holder said Iran's involvement in the plot was "a flagrant violation of US and international law". Continue reading the main story Analysis Mohammad Manzarpour BBC Persian There is a long history of animosity between Iran and Saudi Arabia which stretches back to before the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Religiously, the Wahhabi rulers of Saudi Arabia and the Shia clerics of Iran reject each other's interpretation of Islam. Geopolitically, the two are staunch rivals, engaged in a seemingly never-ending battle for greater regional influence. They have also been engaged in proxy wars for decades, taking different sides in the Iran-Iraq war, Afghanistan, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. But it is the Saudis' military intervention in Bahrain which may have prompted the alleged plot. It was little criticised in the West but was seen in Iran as a blatant assault on the Shia majority in Bahrain. In a statement, UK Prime Minister David Cameron's office said: "Indications that this plot was directed by elements of the Iranian regime are shocking... We will support measures to hold Iran accountable for its actions." US officials have said military action was not being considered. The US Treasury Department placed five Iranians, including the two men charged, under sanctions on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in the plot. The two accused were named as Manssor Arbabsiar, a 56-year-old naturalised US citizen with dual Iranian and US passports, and Gholam Shakuri, based in Iran and said to be a member of Iran's Quds Force, a unit of the Revolutionary Guard Corps. The other three were described as high-ranking members of the Quds force. Mr Arbabsiar, who was arrested at New York's John F Kennedy airport on 29 September, has confessed to his involvement in the alleged plot, Mr Holder said. A lawyer for Mr Arbabsiar said he would plead not guilty when he was officially indicted. 'Shocking' Mr Shakuri was said to be in Iran. US officials said that on 24 May 2011, Mr Arbabsiar made contact with an informant for the US Drug Enforcement Agency, who was posing as a Mexican drug cartel member. Manssor Arbabsiar appeared at a court in New York City on Tuesday Over a series of meetings, it is said that details emerged of a conspiracy involving members of the Iranian government paying $1.5m (£960,000) for the assassination of Saudi ambassador Adel al-Jubeir on US soil. Justice department officials said the initial envisaged target was the Saudi embassy. But in conversations secretly recorded for the US authorities, Mr Arbabsiar also allegedly considered having the ambassador killed at a purported favourite restaurant, despite the possibility of mass casualties. The plot would have been carried out with explosives, Mr Holder said. But he added that no explosives were ever put in place and the public was not in danger. Mr Holder said Mr Arbabsiar, with approval from Mr Shakuri, wired $100,000 to a US bank account for the informant as a downpayment. Mr Arbabsiar and Mr Shakuri have been charged with conspiracy to murder a foreign official, weapons conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit international terrorism charges. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote The choice of ambassadorial target is a direct expression of the acerbic tensions in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia, a key US ally, and Iran” Kim Ghattas BBC News, Washington Alleged plot reflects Middle East rivalries Unnamed US officials also told journalists that the Israeli embassy in Washington was also to have been attacked. Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency called the charges a "propaganda campaign" by the US government against Tehran. The allegations were "a comedy show fabricated by America", Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told the semi-official Iranian news agency, Fars. Mr Arbabsiar appeared briefly at a New York City court on Tuesday. He did not enter a plea and was held without bail. He could face a life prison sentence if convicted on all charges, the Department of Justice said.</p>

US to pressure Iran over 'plot to kill Saudi envoy'

  US Attorney General Eric Holder says the alleged conspiracy was "conceived, sponsored and directed from Iran" Continue reading t...

Read more »

US issues travel alert linked to Iran plot

<p> </p><p>The US State Department late on Tuesday issued a worldwide travel alert for US citizens, warning of the potential for anti-US action after the United States accused Iran of backing a plot to kill Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington.   Murder Plot Iranians charged over assassination plot / Reuters American authorities uncover plot to bomb Israeli, Saudi embassies in Washington, assassinate Saudi ambassador Full story "The US government assesses that this Iranian-backed plan to assassinate the Saudi ambassador may indicate a more aggressive focus by the Iranian government on terrorist activity against diplomats from certain countries, to include possible attacks in the United States," it said in a statement on its website.   The alert expires January 11, 2012, it said.</p>

US issues travel alert linked to Iran plot

  The US State Department late on Tuesday issued a worldwide travel alert for US citizens, warning of the potential for anti-US action after...

Read more »

British man arrested on Tenerife with 34 heroin capsules in his body

<p> </p><p>34 year old British man has been arrested at the Los Rodeos Tenerife North Airport after found to be carrying 75 capsules of heroin inside his body. News has just been released of the arrest which took place last Wednesday afternoon, and a statement from the Guardia Civil says the total weight of the drug recovered was 913 grams. Apparently when stopped by customs officials on arrival from the Spanish mainland, suspicions were raised when the Briton was unable to give a clear explanation as to the reason for his visit to Tenerife. The man, who has not been named in reports, was subjected to medical and police surveillance in the Canaries Universitario Hospital until all the capsules had been passed. That was checked by x-ray.</p>

British man arrested on Tenerife with 34 heroin capsules in his body

  34 year old British man has been arrested at the Los Rodeos Tenerife North Airport after found to be carrying 75 capsules of heroin inside...

Read more »

arrested after argument over loud motorcycle noise

<p> </p><p>Rock Hill man was arrested and accused of threatening a couple by telling them he would have Hells Angels motorcycle gang burn down their home, police say. Gerald Anthony Rodgers, 52, has been charged with assault and battery. Rodgers had driven by the couple's Rock Hill home Monday night and revved his motorcycle, startling the couple's dog, according to a York County Sheriff's Office report. The man and Rodgers began arguing about the noise. Then, Rodgers told the man he had placed his family in danger and that he and the Hells Angels would burn down the home. Rodgers told deputies threats had been made both ways, the report states. He claimed the man had threatened him with a knife. Rodgers was then arrested and taken to York County Detention Center.</p>

arrested after argument over loud motorcycle noise

  Rock Hill man was arrested and accused of threatening a couple by telling them he would have Hells Angels motorcycle gang burn down their ...

Read more »

Triple-murder case involving local Hells Angel goes to grand jury

<p> </p><p>The triple murder case involving a local Hells Angels member and two others is before a grand jury and a second case involving the same biker is heading there as well. According to a source close to the case, the grand jury is in session and interviewing witnesses in the Aug. 28 murder of three Pittsfield men. Adam Lee Hall, 34, of Peru; Caius Veiovis, 31, of Pittsfield; and David Chalue, 44, of North Adams and Springfield, allegedly kidnapped then murdered David Glasser in order to keep him from testifying against Hall, a member of the Berkshire County chapter of the Hells Angels, in an assault and kidnapping trial that had been set to begin Sept. 19. The two other victims, Edward Frampton -- Glasser's roommate -- and their friend, Robert Chadwell, were killed because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time, according to police. All three were allegedly abducted Aug. 28 from 254 Linden St., where Glasser and Frampton lived. A fourth defendant, David Casey, 62, of Canaan, N.Y., has been charged as an accessory to the murder for allegedly helping Hall bury the bodies with an excavator in Becket. It was unclear whether Casey was part of the current grand jury proceedings. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. The grand jury is a secret proceeding made up of no more than 23 jurors who serve for up to three months. Unlike a criminal trial, the prosecutor questions witnesses, Advertisement while any attorney representing a witness is excluded from objecting, arguing or addressing the prosecutor or the jurors, according to the state's criminal procedure law. If at least 12 jurors find there is enough evidence, then the defendants can be indicted and the case can move on to the superior court level. Hall is also facing child pornography and extortion charges for allegedly forcing a 16-year-old to send him nude photographs of herself. He was arraigned Sept. 6 in Central Berkshire District Court on those charges. On Sept. 29, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office pulled the case from district court in order to bring it to the grand jury in hopes of prosecuting Hall on the charges in superior court. Meanwhile, the police investigation is continuing. The case is headed up by the Massachusetts State Police and the Pittsfield Police, with the assistance of the FBI and other agencies, under the direction of the district attorney. Investigators were back at Hall's compound located at 40 East Main St. in Peru on Monday and were seen digging on the property with an excavator. A large-scale police search had been conducted at the site last month. The warrants in the case were set to be unsealed this week, but at the request of authorities, they won't be revealed until the end of the month</p>

Triple-murder case involving local Hells Angel goes to grand jury

  The triple murder case involving a local Hells Angels member and two others is before a grand jury and a second case involving the same bi...

Read more »

Sûreté du Québec moves in on alleged Hells Angels drug ring

<p> </p><p>Several marijuana grow-op sites were busted and at least one restricted firearm was seized as police conducted eight early-morning raids with a Hells Angels connection Thursday in the Montéregie region east of Montreal, Sgt. Valérie Bolduc of the Sûreté du Québec said. A total of nine suspects were formally charged on Thursday afternoon with the production and possession of illegal drugs as well as firearms charges while another suspect is to be charged on Friday. Three other suspects were released either on a promise to appear or to be summoned to court later while one suspect was released without being charged. “Several SWAT teams were involved,” Bolduc said, refusing to specify the number. About 100 SQ officers, with the assistance of local police, swept into residences in Acton Vale, St. Théodore d’Acton and Durham beginning “very early” Thursday, she said. Bolduc said it was part of an SQ effort launched last spring following a series of tips received from the public, to dismantle what she described as “a well-established, long-standing drug ring .... believed to involve the Hells Angels” biker gang. One of those detained is a man in his 50s, known to police and believed to be the ringleader. The ring is believed to have distributed and sold cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamines, Bolduc added. The array of criminal charges will probably include negligent storage of firearms, she added, in addition to production of cannabis and possession of various drugs for the purposes of trafficking. “It’s too early” to be able to disclose the full number and type of weapons seized, Bolduc said</p>

Sûreté du Québec moves in on alleged Hells Angels drug ring

  Several marijuana grow-op sites were busted and at least one restricted firearm was seized as police conducted eight early-morning raids w...

Read more »

Katie Price a victim of £14k fraud

<p> </p><p>GLAMOUR girl Katie Price has fallen victim to a fraudster who impersonated the model and stole £14,000. 11 comments Related Stories Jordan’s new man is Danny Cipriani KATIE Price strikes up amazing romance with hunky rugby star – days after dumping toyboy Katie & Leandro in shock 'split'Leandro: I want to marry Katie PriceKatie Price trend is way off- track A busty woman donned a blonde wig and sunglasses during a visit to a bank - believed to be a HSBC in Lincolnshire - and withdrew money. She took out £9,000, followed by two payments of £2,500. The real Katie, 33, who is currently enjoying a fling with rugby ace Danny Cipriani, only learnt of the fraud when her credit cards were rejected during a shopping trip in Brighton. A source told a newspaper: "Katie tried to make a couple of purchases. When she went to pay by credit card, her PIN kept getting declined and the card was eventually blocked – much to her embarrassment. "She tried to pay with three different cards and the same happened with all three. "After calling her bank and speaking directly to her branch manager, she was informed they had received a call from a woman posing as her 24 hours previously who had cancelled the cards. "Katie then asked what the balance of one of her accounts was and informed it was around £14,000 less than the amount she was expecting. A £9,000 withdrawal had been made, followed by two £2,500 ones, and none of them were by her." The source added items were ordered using Katie's credit card details and real address for billing purposes, but were to be delivered to an address in the north. HSBC's fraud department have contacted the police who are trying to track down the person responsible. Investigating officers have obtained CCTV footage of a Jordan look-a-like attempting to withdraw cash. Katie said: "It's really horrible. All I know is that police have footage of these people pretending to be me – I don't even know if it is a man or a woman. "Obviously my ego hopes it was, at least, a female impostor."</p>

Katie Price a victim of £14k fraud

  GLAMOUR girl Katie Price has fallen victim to a fraudster who impersonated the model and stole £14,000. 11 comments Related Stories Jo...

Read more »

Self-styled ‘Lord’ Davenport - known as 'Fast Eddie' - masterminded an ‘advanced fee fraud’ scheme that ripped off scores of businesses.

<p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; background-color: #ffffff;"><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Davenport set up Gresham Ltd in 2005 and pretended it was a respectable business with 50 years of sourcing huge commercial loans. He charged companies advance fees for loans of up to £157million but the money never materialised.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The scam conned at least 51 victims and from 2007 to 2009 Gresham Ltd received more than £4.5million from unsuspecting clients, the court heard.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">‘To outward appearances it was long-established, wealthy and prestigious,’ said <a class="entity" href="http://www.metro.co.uk/explore/people/mayo_simon" style="font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; outline-style: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Simon Mayo</a> QC, for the prosecution. ‘It was essentially worthless. Its only business was fraud.’</span></p><div class="img-cnt figure" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: auto; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; min-height: 1px; zoom: 1; clear: both; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="Edward Davenport and Tamara Beckwith" height="488" src="http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/06/article-1317887059430-0E3DA13B00000578-86093_466x488.jpg" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" width="466" /><span class="img-cap legend" style="padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 6px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; color: white; display: block; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The businessman had many high-profile friends including socialite Tamara Beckwith (right) (Picture: Rex Features)</span></span></div><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Davenport owns Sierra Leone’s former high commission at Portland Place, London, used in The King’s Speech – and a gay porn film.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 45-year-old is pictured on his website with celebrities including Cowell and Hugh Grant, Knightley, Beckham and Mick Jagger.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">He boasted of 'beautiful homes and a collection of sports cars which would make any man jealous including a Ferrari 360 Spider, an Aston Martin Virage Volante, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a Lamborghini'. </span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Davenport was banned last year from using his home for activities including a ‘porn disco’, sex party and pole-dancing lessons. </span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">He was jailed last month for seven years and eight months with accomplice Peter Riley, 64, of Brentwood, Essex. They were convicted of conspiracy to defraud. Borge Andersen, 66, of South Kensington, got 39 months for the crime.</span></p><div class="img-cnt figure" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: auto; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; min-height: 1px; zoom: 1; clear: both; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="Elizabeth Emanuel" height="442" src="http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/06/article-1317887542846-0E3E425600000578-408217_466x442.jpg" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" width="466" /><span class="img-cap legend" style="padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 6px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 6px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; color: white; display: block; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Con victim: Royal dress designer Elizabeth Emanuel was among those who paid money to Davenport (Picture: PA)</span></span></div><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">According to Gresham Ltd accounts, Andersen received £159,564 from the fraud, Riley £695,407 and Davenport £773,000. A total of £349,025 vanished, the court heard.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The convictions at Southwark crown court can be revealed because a reporting order was lifted yesterday.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Princess Diana's wedding dress designer Elizabeth Emanuel - who had been one of Davenport's victims - welcomed his sentence.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 58-year-old turned to him in 2008 in the hope of raising £1m for her business, Art Of Being, and was asked to pay £20,000 - later reduced to £5,000 - for his company to complete due diligence.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">'I think justice has been served,' she said.</span></p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: large;">'The amount I lost was nothing compared to everybody else but he was happy to take my £5,000. It sums up the sort of person he is.'</span></p><span style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><br /><br /></span></span></p>

Self-styled ‘Lord’ Davenport - known as 'Fast Eddie' - masterminded an ‘advanced fee fraud’ scheme that ripped off scores of businesses.

  Davenport set up Gresham Ltd in 2005 and pretended it was a respectable business with 50 years of sourcing huge commercial loans. He charg...

Read more »

WHOEVER shot the son of Mark Sandery broke "the paramount rule" of outlaw bikies, sources close to the gangs have warned.

<p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><div class="article-media article-media-large media-count-1 first-image-650w366h" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: -7px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; overflow-x: visible !important; overflow-y: visible !important; position: static; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="image image-fader js-fader largest-image-366h js-ready js-fader-hover" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="fader-item js-fader-item image-650w366h js-fader-active" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="image-frame" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><img alt="Shooting at Semaphore" height="366" src="http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2011/10/03/1226157/597606-shooting-at-semaphore.jpg" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" width="650" /></div><p class="caption" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span class="start" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </span><span class="caption-text" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Two men broke into this Semaphore house, smashed windows and shot the son of Finks club member Mark Sandery. </span><span class="image-source" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Source:</em> Sunday Mail (SA)</span><span class="end" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </span></p></div><div class="fader-item js-fader-item image-650w366h" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="image-frame" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><img alt="a child, 11, was shot at this semaphore house" height="366" src="http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2011/10/02/1226156/441673-a-child-11-was-shot-at-this-semaphore-house.jpg" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" width="650" /></div><p class="caption" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span class="start" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </span><span class="caption-text" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A Finks member, right, who was at this Semaphore house where the son, 11, of notorious Fink Mark Sandery was shot on Friday night. Picture: Digitally enhanced image</span><span class="image-source" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Source:</em> AdelaideNow</span><span class="end" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </span></p></div><div class="controls fader-controls js-fader-controls" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><p class="fader-prev-button js-fader-prev" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </p></div></div></div></div><div class="story-intro" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><strong><br /></strong></p></div><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Advertiser</em>  has been told the shooting of the boy, 11, goes against the core values of bikies.</p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"When it comes to dealing with rivals, there are no hard and fast rules except for two," a source said yesterday.</p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"You try not to do it in public, and the paramount rule is that you never, ever hurt the wife or the kids.</p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"To a lot of the guys, their children mean everything ... that's why you just don't do it."</p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Sandery was a member of the Finks Outlaw Motorcycle Club, but there are conflicting reports on whether he remains a member.</p><p style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">His son was injured when two male intruders burst into a home on Military Rd, Semaphore, on Friday night.</p></span></p>

WHOEVER shot the son of Mark Sandery broke "the paramount rule" of outlaw bikies, sources close to the gangs have warned.

  Two men broke into this Semaphore house, smashed windows and shot the son of Finks club member Mark Sandery.  Source:  Sunday Mail (SA)   ...

Read more »

Drug-dealing killer: Chicago cop stopped DEA investigation of me

<p> </p><p>high-level drug trafficker admits he was involved in three killings after a Chicago Police officer scuttled a federal investigation into his illegal activities in the mid-1990s, according to a recent court filing. Saul Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty last month to federal drug conspiracy charges, was an informant for Officer Glenn Lewellen for years. But Rodriguez told authorities he and Lewellen were also longtime partners in crime. They allegedly worked together to rip off other drug dealers, splitting millions of dollars in loot. Lewellen recruited Rodriguez as a police informant in early 1996. Rodriguez’s undercover name was “Bill Pager.” From 1996 to 2001, the Chicago Police Department paid him $807,000 for information that led to seizures of drugs and cash, prosecutors said. All the while Rodriguez was making cases for the police, however, he was committing crimes. And Lewellen repeatedly stepped in to keep Rodriguez out of jail, prosecutors said. Rodriguez’s statements to authorities are included in a 188-page document containing evidence prosecutors intend to present against Lewellen and other defendants who face trial in the same case. Rodriguez has agreed to testify against them. According to the document, Lewellen in mid-1996 persuaded the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to stop investigating Rodriguez after 154 pounds of marijuana were seized from a secret compartment in his Buick. Lewellen told the DEA its investigation would harm ongoing Chicago Police Department cases, prosecutors said. Lewellen, who joined the police force in 1986, retired in 2002 to become a homebuilder. But he still managed to obstruct a separate DEA investigation of Rodriguez, prosecutors said. In 2006, Lewellen warned Rodriguez not to speak to a drug courier whose phone was wiretapped, Rodriguez said. At the time, the DEA was investigating Rodriguez’s ties to a cocaine wholesaler, prosecutors said. Lewellen told Rodriguez he got the information from an “agent” who previously worked in Colombia, but didn’t say what agency was involved in the investigation, according to Rodriguez. As Lewellen was allegedly protecting Rodriguez from the DEA, Rodriguez was involved in the murders of three men, prosecutors said. Rodriguez has confessed to orchestrating the slayings in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Rodriguez has also told authorities he arranged for a friend to “escape” from a prison in Mexico in 2003. He said he met with the prison warden while on vacation in Mexico and promised to pay him a $250,000 bribe in exchange for his friend’s freedom. In addition to his career as a drug dealer, Rodriguez became involved in managing boxers and developing real-estate in Chicago and Nevada, records show. The document detailing Rodriguez’s statements to federal prosecutors, filed last month, provides new details about Rodriguez’s relationship with Lewellen. For example, Rodriguez said he bought Lewellen a Ford Crown Victoria equipped with a siren. Lewellen allegedly drove the car while posing as a legitimate cop during drug rip-offs, Rodriguez said. Rodriguez has told authorities that another Chicago Police officer participated in at least one rip-off, but he believes the officer is now deceased. The prosecution’s evidentiary document also provides more information about the three murders in which Rodriguez admits to having a role. Rodriguez said he persuaded Lewellen to frame Juan Luevano with a drug case in 1999. Luevano, who was dating Rodriguez’s former girlfriend, was released from jail after posting bond in the case. Rodriguez said he then met with a high-ranking Satan Disciples gang member who was in prison. The gang leader was angry Luevano was dating his wife, Rodriguez told authorities. The gang leader asked Rodriguez to find someone to “get” Luevano. So Rodriguez said he hired a high-school pal, Manuel Uriarte, to kill Luevano. Uriarte and Andres Flores allegedly shot Luevano to death in 2000 near his home in Cicero, prosecutors said. They’re charged with murder in the same federal drug conspiracy case. Rodriguez also admitted he arranged for the 2001 murder of Michael Garcia. Rodriguez said he acted at the request of a friend who suspected Garcia had killed his brother, prosecutors said. And Rodriguez said he was involved in the 2002 murder of Miguel De La Torre. Rodriguez said he arranged the kidnapping of De La Torre to scare him into providing information about the location of cocaine and money. Rodriguez said he hired Miguel Uriate and his brother Jorge Uriate to squeeze the information from De La Torre, a drug dealer. If De La Torre refused to talk, they agreed the Uriates would kill him, Rodriguez said. Rodriguez admitted he provided Uriate brothers with an electrical cord they used to strangle De La Torre in a garage. Jorge Uriate also faces murder charges in the same case. Lewellen, who is free on $1 million bail awaiting trial, is not charged with any of the killings.</p>

Drug-dealing killer: Chicago cop stopped DEA investigation of me

  high-level drug trafficker admits he was involved in three killings after a Chicago Police officer scuttled a federal investigation into h...

Read more »

Feds indict 23 Texas Syndicate gang members

<p> </p><p>Federal authorities Tuesday announced the indictment of 23 reputed Texas Syndicate gang members and associates on charges including four murders, drug trafficking and extortion. Those charged are primarily in the Uvalde and Hondo areas, but the prison-born criminal group has members throughout the state. Their alleged crimes were committed over the past nine years, according to the indictment, which details the structure and goals the gang, which is led by officers with ranks. The indictment also delves into the gang's strict rules and penalties, including being killed, for going against the organization or disobeying orders. "The (Texas Syndicate) will not hesitate to kill anyone who interferes with the business of the gang or who commits a violation of Texas Syndicate rules. Among those charges under RICO, the acronym for Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization: Cristobal "Little Chris" Velasquez, 33, of Uvalde; Sotero Rodriguez Martinez "June", 41, of Uvalde; Chuco Mario "Mariachi" Martinez, 35, of Uvalde; Larry "Little Larry" Munoz, Jr.,36, of Uvalde; Brian "Tata" Esparza, 31, of Uvalde; Charles "Horse" Esparza, 32, of Uvalde; Ervey "Mad Max" Sanchez, 31, of Uvalde; Mark Anthony Vela, 35, of Hondo; Charles Olan Quintanilla, 32, of Hondo; George "Curious" Sanchez,36, of Uvalde; and, Inez "Bebito" Mata, 41, of Uvalde. Others charged in the case are not accused of violating the RICO law.</p>

Feds indict 23 Texas Syndicate gang members

  Federal authorities Tuesday announced the indictment of 23 reputed Texas Syndicate gang members and associates on charges including four m...

Read more »

Dancehall star Vybz Kartel has been charged with the murder of Jamaican promoter Barrington Burton

<p><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;"><div id="main-content-picture" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; display: block; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Vybz Kartel " height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Music/Pix/pictures/2011/10/4/1317728058322/Vybz-Kartel--007.jpg" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" width="460" /><div class="caption" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 12px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">. Photograph: Scott Gries/Getty Images</div></div><div id="article-body-blocks" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Jamaican dancehall star <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/artist/7cc385f3-333c-48de-b341-3d728de74973" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Vybz Kartel</a> has been charged with murder. A police statement issued in Kingston on Monday said that the 35-year-old artist was charged with murder, conspiracy to murder and illegal possession of a firearm. Investigators accuse the rapper, whose real name is Adijah Palmer, of conspiring with others to kill a 27-year-old promoter who was murdered earlier this year.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">"The allegation is that on Monday, July 11, 2011, Palmer, along with other men, conspired to murder Barrington Burton o/c 'Bossie', a 27-year-old businessman/promoter of a Gregory Park address in St Catherine. Burton was murdered while he was standing with friends along Walkers Avenue in Gregory Park," the police release said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Kartel's defence attorney was reported to have said that his client was prepared to fight the charges. Kartel was initially arrested on Friday for marijuana possession.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Kartel has previously been arrested on charges including assault and illegal gun possession. Those charges were later dropped. A long-running feud with fellow artist Mavado is alleged to have fuelled mob attacks in inner-city neighbourhoods of Kingston. In December 2009, <a href="http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20091209/ent/ent5.html" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">the two met government ministers</a> in an attempt to calm the situation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Kartel has worked on collaborations and remixes with the likes of Jay-Z, Rihanna and MIA. His international hits include Ramping Shop, Dollar Sign and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORi4xwSwWlM" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Clarks</a>. The success of the latter song last year sent sales of the British shoes soaring in Jamaica. A businessman in his own right, Kartel also has his own brands of rum and condoms as well as his own<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/fashion/fashion-blog/2011/sep/07/skin-bleaching-whitening-vybz-kartel?INTCMP=SRCH" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">controversial range of skin-lightening cosmetics</a>.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Recently, the singer also became the star of locally produced reality TV show <a href="http://www.teachaspet.com/" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Teacha's Pet</a>. Officials from the telecommunications company that sponsors the show were said to be discussing the new charges levelled against Kartel last night.</p></div></span></p>

Dancehall star Vybz Kartel has been charged with the murder of Jamaican promoter Barrington Burton

. Photograph: Scott Gries/Getty Images Jamaican dancehall star  Vybz Kartel  has been charged with murder. A police statement issued in King...

Read more »

tattoo-faced sex offender living in Springfield, Missouri may win the prize for scariest mugshot ever with this menacing photo.

<p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; background-color: #ffffff;"><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>What a difference a few years make.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>A tattoo-faced sex offender living in Springfield, Missouri may win the prize for scariest mugshot ever with this menacing photo.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Michael Campbell, 36, has been in and out of jail since the mid-nineties but as his 2008 mugshot shows, he still has found time to get his entire face etched in ink - including a pentagram emblazoned on the centre of his forehead.</span></p><div class="thinCenter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; min-height: 1px; width: 470px; padding: 0px;"><div class="thinArtSplitter" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div class="splitLeft" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><img alt="Before and after: Convicted Missouri sex offender Michael Campbell's booking photos in 2003 and 2008 show two very different looking men" class="blkBorder" height="389" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/03/article-0-0E35B68800000578-662_224x389.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 1px solid black;" width="224" /></div><div class="splitRight" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><img alt="Before and after: Convicted Missouri sex offender Michael Campbell's booking photos in 2003 and 2008 show two very different looking men" class="blkBorder" height="389" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/03/article-0-0E35B68C00000578-989_224x389.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 1px solid black;" width="224" /></div></div><p class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Before and after: Convicted Missouri sex offender Michael Campbell's booking photos in 2003 and 2008 show two very different looking men</p></div><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>The before photo was snapped following an arrest in 2003 for theft in Jefferson County, Colorado and shows Campbell sporting three facial tattoos, including Pit bull dog in the centre of his neck.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Five years later, following a second arrest in Jefferson County, he appears as a completely different looking man - with a mosaic of demonic markings on his face. <br /></span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> </p><div class="relatedItemsTopBorder" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> </div><div class="relatedItems" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><h4 style="min-height: 1px; font-size: 1em; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"></h4></div><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> </p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>A pentagram etched on his forehead, and the markings of a skeleton on his nose are frightening additions, along with the surprisingly whimsical addition of a polka dot bow tie tattooed in the centre of his neck.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Campbell, a Colorado native, has been in and out of jail for over a decade. In 1995, at age 20, he was convicted for the attempted sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. <br /></span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Most recently he was arrested for going within 500ft of a playground or public pool. Campbell was booked on Sunday and later released.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>According to the Missouri sex offender registry, Campbell also has tattoos on his back, left and right arms, chest and abdomen.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>But he is not alone in the competition of scariest mugshots.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Caius Veiovis, 31, has undergone extensive implants to create horns on his head and had the number of the devil - 666 - tattooed on his forehead.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Veiovis' terrifying mugshot was released last month when he was arrested as part of a gang who are said to have kidnapped and murdered three Hells Angels. The horn-headed Satan-worshipper is said to have drank the blood of one of his victims.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>And in June, the mugshot of 26-year-old Randon Reid, arrested in Phoenix, Arizona, showed a man with manic eyes and a scary gurning smile taken into custody after shots were fired at a grounded plane parked at Deer Valley Airport.</span></p><span><br /><br /></span></span></p>

tattoo-faced sex offender living in Springfield, Missouri may win the prize for scariest mugshot ever with this menacing photo.

What a difference a few years make. A tattoo-faced sex offender living in Springfield, Missouri may win the prize for scariest mugshot ever ...

Read more »

Fake death pensioner 'was greedy'

<p> </p><p>Anthony McErlean, 66, was jailed for six years for faking his own death in Honduras in 2009 to get a life insurance claim worth £520,000. He also admitted two counts of theft from a pension fund from the Port of London Authority of £27,000 pounds and £40,658 pounds from the Department of Work and Pensions. The pensioner had impersonated his wife to claim he himself had died after being hit by a truck as he was changing a tyre on a road in the Central American country. A fake witness statement was produced to back up story which said farm workers took his body away to the village of Santa Rosa De Aguan. Suspicious officials at the insurance company contacted the Insurance Fraud Bureau, who alerted the Police.</p>

Fake death pensioner 'was greedy'

  Anthony McErlean, 66, was jailed for six years for faking his own death in Honduras in 2009 to get a life insurance claim worth £520,000. ...

Read more »

Thurlbeck to fight sacking claim

<p> </p><p>The News of the World's former chief reporter has broken his silence over the phone-hacking scandal to insist he played "no part" in the matter that led to his sacking. Neville Thurlbeck, 49, was fired by News International earlier this month after being arrested in April on suspicion of conspiring to intercept voicemails while working at the now-defunct Sunday tabloid. He issued a strongly-worded statement in which he vowed to fight his unfair dismissal claim against his former employers "to the end". Mr Thurlbeck's alleged role in the scandal has been closely scrutinised since details emerged of a June 2005 email headed "for Neville" which contained transcripts of illegally intercepted voicemail messages. The email, which surfaced in April 2008, appeared to contradict News International's previous stance that phone hacking was confined to a single "rogue reporter". Speaking out for the first time since his name was linked to the scandal through the "for Neville" email, Mr Thurlbeck said: "At the length, truth will out. I await that time with patience, but with a determination to fight my case to the end." The Sunderland-born journalist alleged that his former employers withheld the reason for his dismissal for nearly a month. He said he found out why he was sacked from Scotland Yard but did not reveal any details for legal reasons. In a statement issued by his law firm DWF, he went on: "I took no part in the matter which has led to my dismissal after 21 years of service. I say this most emphatically and with certainty and confidence that the allegation which led to my dismissal will eventually be shown to be false. "And those responsible for the action, for which I have been unfairly dismissed, will eventually be revealed." Mr Thurlbeck has lodged employment tribunal papers against his former employers. A hearing in his case planned to take place at the East London Tribunal Service was cancelled on Friday.</p>

Thurlbeck to fight sacking claim

  The News of the World's former chief reporter has broken his silence over the phone-hacking scandal to insist he played "no part...

Read more »

Hell's Angels biker gangs shut down in Frankfurt

<p><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;"><h1 style="font-size: 14px; color: #003282; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px;"></h1><div class="clearing" style="clear: both; line-height: 0; display: block; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: initial none initial;"> </div><div style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: #003282; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: initial none initial;"><div class="picBoxDetailTop" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: #003282; float: left; width: 194px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: initial none initial;"><a href="http://www.dw-world.de/popups/popup_lupe/0,,15429845,00.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: #333333;" target="_blank"><img alt="German members of the Hell's Angels" border="0" src="http://www.dw-world.de/image/0,,15429691_1,00.jpg" style="float: left; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></a><div class="captionBox" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: #003282; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: initial none initial;"><em class="caption" style="display: block; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 8px; color: #555555; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.4em; font-style: normal; background-color: #f4f4f4;"><a href="http://www.dw-world.de/popups/popup_lupe/0,,15429845,00.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: #555555; font-size: 10px;" target="_blank">Displaying the Hell's Angels badges is now an offense</a></em></div></div><div class="detailTeaserBox" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: #003282; float: left; width: 374px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: initial none initial;"><h4 class="detailContentTeasertext" style="font-size: 12px; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; line-height: 1.4em; display: block; margin: 0px;">Hell's Angels motorbike gangs have been outlawed from the German city of Frankfurt. State authorities banned the bikers after accusing of them of criminal activity and seizing control of the streets.</h4></div><div class="clearing" style="clear: both; line-height: 0; display: block; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: initial none initial;"> </div></div><div class="detailContent" style="padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; border: initial none initial;"><p style="font-size: 12px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; color: #333333;"> </p><p style="font-size: 12px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; color: #333333;">State authorities have banned the Hell's Angels motorbike gangs in Frankfurt, on the grounds that they were engaged in criminal activity.</p><p style="font-size: 12px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; color: #333333;">Boris Rhein, interior minister for the state of Hesse, accused the gangs of running drug and prosecution rackets through which they had seized control of the streets.</p><p style="font-size: 12px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; color: #333333;">"This is a clear signal that we won't allow a state within the state," said Rhein, adding that the gangs were disciplined by a vow of silence.</p><p style="font-size: 12px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; color: #333333;">All assets of the outlawed Westend and Frankfurt chapters of the Hell's Angels were seized under the ban. Each chapter is believed that have around 90 members.</p><p style="font-size: 12px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; color: #333333;">Two other Hell's Angels groups were banned in other parts of Germany in June and last year, although gangs in the rest of Germany remain legal.</p></div></span></p>

Hell's Angels biker gangs shut down in Frankfurt

  Displaying the Hell's Angels badges is now an offense Hell's Angels motorbike gangs have been outlawed from the German city of Fra...

Read more »

Firebombing probed in east-end Montreal

<p> </p><p>Montreal police believe a firebombing in the east-end borough of Pointe-aux-Trembles Wednesday night may be linked to street gangs. Police are investigating after someone threw a Molotov cocktail between two vehicles parked behind and apartment building on the corner of Marien Avenue and De la Gauchetière Street at around 8:30 p.m. “It's a citizen who was near the scene who put out the fire,” said Const. Danny Richer of the Montreal police. “So far the investigation seems to indicate that the vehicle targeted is linked to street gangs. That's why the investigation has been transferred to the Montreal police arson squad.” One of the vehicles belongs to a suspected member of a street gang, he said. No one was injured in the attack. Arson investigators are now speaking to witnesses.</p>

Firebombing probed in east-end Montreal

  Montreal police believe a firebombing in the east-end borough of Pointe-aux-Trembles Wednesday night may be linked to street gangs. Polic...

Read more »

Evansville police have arrested one person and are looking for two others in connection with a rash of what officers say are gang-related shootings this week on the city's South Side.

<p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">At least two people have been wounded by the gunfire since Tuesday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Police say there have been multiple fights and shooting incidents involving two South Side gangs, "Wag Block" and "J Block," over the past several months, but this is the first time two people have been shot within a 24-hour period.</p><div class="inline_wrapper inline-left photothumb_inline" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; float: left; clear: both; width: 191px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="inline_bucket" style="font-size: 0.875em; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; padding: 14px; margin: 0px; border: 1px solid #d2d2d2;"><a href="http://www.courierpress.com/photos/2011/sep/29/97969/" style="font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: #3f649d; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" title="View Full Size"><img alt="Kenneth Fox was arrested in connection with Wednesday night's shooting. " src="http://media.courierpress.com/media/img/photos/2011/09/29/420110929190000003_t160.JPG" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" /></a><p class="caption" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Kenneth Fox was arrested in connection with Wednesday night's shooting.</p></div></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The shootings have occurred in four-block area between Madison and Jackson avenues west of U.S. 41.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"Pretty soon, somebody's child is going to get shot," said Jerry Dejarnett, 58, one of the few residents of the area willing to talk about the shootings. Dejarnett said this is the most violent period he's witnessed in his three years of living there.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">In the most recent shooting Wednesday night, two women and two girls — ages 3 and 4 — were targeted.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">No one in that incident was injured, police said, and the two people shot earlier are recovering fine, according to police, but officers doubt the retaliations they suspect are happening are over.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"I think things may be quiet for a day or two," said Sgt. Larry Nelson, "but you can always expect more violence when you have drugs and you have gangs."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Nelson wouldn't disclose how police plan to respond, but he noted that there has been a "heavy concentration" of marked and unmarked police cars in that area.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Police arrested Kenneth Fox, 25, early Thursday in connection with Wednesday night's shooting. He remains in Vanderburgh County Jail without bond on preliminary charges of attempted murder with a firearm and criminal gang activity.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Police are looking for David "Buck" Burge, 30, and Rayshaad L. Bushrod, 23, both of whom reportedly accompanied Fox and are reportedly in the "J Block" gang, according to an Evansville Police Department probable cause affidavit.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">According to Fox's arrest affidavit, Wednesday's drive-by shooting happened in the 1000 block of Jefferson Avenue about 9:42 p.m.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Police found multiple shell casings in the street. One of the women, who lives on that street, told officers that Fox, Burge and Bushrod were in a gray Chevrolet Avalanche when they fired handguns from the vehicle at her, another woman and the two children.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Police found the gray Chevy Avalanche abandoned with its motor running in the 300 block of West Oregon Street near Harriett Street.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Officers learned Fox had a girlfriend who lived in the 1200 block of North Harriett St. about two blocks from where the vehicle was found.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Officers surrounded the house and Fox surrendered without incident.Sgt. Larry Nelson said that victim "knew of" the three men, and according to Fox's affidavit, she told 911 dispatchers, "It was the same subjects who were shooting last night."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">That earlier shooting occurred near the intersection of Jackson and Evans avenues about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday when a man was shot in the right shoulder. Three black males were reported to have been seen running away from the area.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Lt. Monty Guenin said the 26-year-old man who was wounded in the shoulder, had refused to cooperate with police.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Fox has not been charged in connection with that incident, but police believe Wednesday's incidents are related.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The victim of Tuesday's afternoon shooting was also uncooperative, police on scene said. This shooting happened in the 700 block of Madison Avenue about 12:30 p.m., and, responding to a report of shots fired, police initially didn't know there was a victim.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The shooting suspect, 20-year-old Royce Oneal Calvin, was located and arrested a short while later.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Then officials received a call from St. Mary's Hospital about a 23-year-old man from that area man who had been shot in the leg.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">He told police he had seen some men arguing, heard gunshots and then got shot. He got a ride to the hospital, police said, and he refused to press charges when police mentioned they had arrested Calvin.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Calvin admitted to shooting in that area around that time and said he possibly had shot someone, according to his arrest affidavit.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">He remains in Vanderburgh County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail and was preliminarily charged with criminal recklessness, possessing a handgun without a license and battery with a firearm resulting injury.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">According to that police report, Calvin has a tattoo on his arm that reads "300 WNG BLOCK."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Nelson said they've been tracking several other gangs on the city's South Side, and he said the fights, shootings and bullets that have struck homes and vehicles in that area are all likely gang-related.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"They're not random," he said. "I can tell you that."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"I'm very scared and nervous," said Hazel Hooker, a 60-year-old woman who lives in the 700 block of Madison Avenue.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; font-size: inherit; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"I'm worried about the small children for one thing," she said, "because bullets don't have eyes."</p></span></p>

Evansville police have arrested one person and are looking for two others in connection with a rash of what officers say are gang-related shootings this week on the city's South Side.

At least two people have been wounded by the gunfire since Tuesday. Police say there have been multiple fights and shooting incidents involv...

Read more »

Gun charges filed: A known gang member was charged with several gun violations including aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon by a gang member

<p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;"><div class="article-image-container" style="margin-top: -0.1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: -15px; clear: left; float: left; min-width: 240px; width: 240px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Story Image" id="imgWidth" src="http://couriernews.suntimes.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=uE8UMlkR8Bdn$U2rhwLtd8$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYspEi$_R7DVR8wEc157VVQiWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" style="border: 2px solid #cecece;" /><p class="image-description" style="margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: #7a7878; font-size: 0.84em; line-height: 14px; padding: 0px;">Mario A. Prado, 19, of the 400 block of St. Charles Street, Elgin, was arrested by Elgin police on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a street gang member, possession of a firearm without a firearm owners identification card, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, possession of a firearm under the age of 21, unlawful contact with a street gang member and resisting a police officer following an arrest Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011.</p></div><div id="internal-side-bar" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; float: left; width: 225px; clear: left; padding: 0px;"></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; color: #ff3300; background-color: #f1f1f1; display: inline; font-size: 10px; padding: 2px;">Updated: <span class="date-time">September 29, 2011 2:23AM</span></p> <br /><br /><p class="subhead" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; color: #3d3c3c; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px;"> </p><p class="breakout.bullet" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; color: #3d3c3c; padding: 0px;">Gun charges filed: A known gang member was charged with several gun violations including aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon by a gang member, after officers found a loaded sawed-off shotgun up his sleeve Tuesday night, police said. Mario A. Prado, 20, of the 400 block of St. Charles Street, Elgin, was stopped by police at National and Raymond streets about 7 p.m. while driving with another known gang member, police said. Prado also was charged with possession of a firearm without a firearm owners identification card, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, possession of a firearm under the age of 21, unlawful contact with a street gang member and resisting a police officer. “The Elgin Police Department will continue to aggressively pursue gangs — especially with our gang and drug units,” said Police Chief Jeff Swoboda. “We’re sending a very clear message: Gangs and gang activity will not be tolerated in our city.” Prado was in the Kane County jail Wednesday in lieu of $250,000 bond; he is to appear in court Oct. 6.</p></span></p>

Gun charges filed: A known gang member was charged with several gun violations including aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon by a gang member

Mario A. Prado, 19, of the 400 block of St. Charles Street, Elgin, was arrested by Elgin police on charges of unlawful possession of a firea...

Read more »

Accused killer teen shows young face of Winnipeg gang war

<p> </p><p>Winnipeg's street-gang war took another tragic turn this week when police announced a 14-year-old boy is the suspected shooter in the city's 32nd homicide of 2011. The teenage is facing a first-degree murder charge in a homicide Sunday morning that police say was sparked by tension between rival gangs. David Michael Vincett, 20, was gunned down while walking on the city's Boyd Avenue around 3 a.m. Police arrested the 14-year-old suspect Tuesday evening. He has been detained at the Manitoba Youth Centre. He cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Const. Jason Michalyshen, spokesman for the Winnipeg Police Service, said police believe the homicide is tied to another recent killing. Clark Stevenson, 15, was stabbed to death as he rode his bike Sept. 10, in what police say was a gang-related confrontation. Days later, an 18-year-old man and 14-year-old boy were arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Before his death, Stevenson had boasted online about being a member of a local street gang. After the arrests, police acknowledged the homicide was motivated by gang tensions. "These groups appear to be in conflict with one another right now, and we're aware of that . . . and unfortunately we have two incidents where we have openly acknowledged that's the case," said Michalyshen. The boy accused of shooting Vincett was affiliated with gangs and may have had "similar associations" as Stevenson, police said. "These don't appear to be random acts, certain individuals appear to be targeted," Michalyshen said. He said before the shooting, Vincett and another teenager traded words about belonging to rival street gangs, before, it's alleged, a gun was pulled out and fired. Police said Vincett was dead by the time officers arrived. There was no indication the two knew each other before the shooting, police said. Michalyshen didn't describe Vincett as a gang associate, but did say "at the time he may have associated himself or verbalized that he was associated to a particular street gang." Winnipeg has had 10 more homicides this year than in all of 2010. On Wednesday, a woman whose own teenage son was shot to death 16 years ago said nothing has changed in the city since the day he died. Nancy Flett, the assistant executive director of the Indian Metis Friendship Centre, is also the mother of Joseph Beeper Spence, a 13-year-old who was slain in 1995. She said the violence in the city "sickens her." "People don't want to be out on the streets, people don't want to walk around on the streets. The only ones you see are a bunch of youth either on bikes, or people driving around," said Flett. "They just randomly go after people. They don't care if they're innocent or not, or if they're not connected in any way." She said society has to be concerned because "all the youth involved in gangs are getting to be younger and younger." Vincett's sister, Judith Ree, described him as a "good kid" in a message to the Winnipeg Free Press. Vincett, the father of a 10-month-old baby, had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. "He was the kind of person who would give the shirt off his back to keep (you) warm or his last five bucks to feed (you)," Ree said. "Everyone makes mistakes in life . . . he just wanted everyone to like him."</p>

Accused killer teen shows young face of Winnipeg gang war

  Winnipeg's street-gang war took another tragic turn this week when police announced a 14-year-old boy is the suspected shooter in the ...

Read more »

Teenage girl shot as she holds baby boy in her arms

<p> </p><p>teenage girl was shot in the street with two friends while clutching her baby son in her arms. Jessica Chrichlow, 18, collapsed to the ground alongside two sisters – named locally as Sammy, 17, and Alex, 19 – after being caught in the crossfire of a botched gangland attack, witnesses said. Police said it was “hugely fortunate” that the 11-month-old baby escaped injury. Detective Chief Inspector Mick Foote said: “It was a random, reckless act and we are fortunate we are not dealing with a fatal shooting here.” The three victims had been outside in John Fearon Walk, North Kensington, west London, enjoying balmy temperatures on Thursday evening when the attacker got off a bike and screamed “mother f****r” at the group, a neighbour, who did not want to be named, said. Police said the child may have been missed by inches as the bullet hit his mother. Mr Foote added: “I do not believe the girls were the intended targets. What’s particularly devastating is that the young girl was carrying a young child. This was totally unprovoked.” As a hunt was launched for several young men seen on bicycles on the west London housing estate on Thursday night, the officer said he was “working on the basis” that the shooting was gang-related. One neighbour said her 12-year-old daughter saw the shooting from her bedroom window. Jacky Cinesey said: “I have sent her to school in tears today. These girls were just outside enjoying the sunshine. It’s horrifying.” The girls had been enjoying the weather in a back garden when they began talking to a “large group” of boys outside, Mr Foote said. “It appears that a man on his own has gone towards the crowds and discharged a single shot from a shotgun,” he said. The gunman fled the scene and joined three other hooded males on bicycles, he added. Miss Chrichlow’s mother Isabel, who lives nearby, spoke only to confirm her daughter had been shot. Another local, Jenny Kantinda, 30, said she knew the three victims. “They were just sweet girls, we have had enough,” she said. Neighbour Leslie Arandi, 55, added: “The gangs are always cycling around here smoking drugs. I’m fed-up with it. Hopefully now the authorities will take notice.” Sammy has been discharged from hospital while the other two victims remain in a stable condition. The investigation is being led by Trident detectives, who deal with gang crime in the black community. Karen Buck, MP for Westminster North, expressed her concern as she visited the troubled Mozart Estate where the attack took place.</p>

Teenage girl shot as she holds baby boy in her arms

  teenage girl was shot in the street with two friends while clutching her baby son in her arms. Jessica Chrichlow, 18, collapsed to the gr...

Read more »

UBS CEO Gruebel resigns over rogue trading loss

<p> </p><p>UBS chief executive Oswald Gruebel has resigned over a $2.3 billion loss caused by rogue trading at its investment division, which is to be restructured now to prevent similar incidents in future, the Swiss bank said Saturday. Gruebel, who had come under heavy pressure from shareholders over the scandal, said he hoped his resignation would allow the bank to restore its reputation in the eyes of clients and investors. Article Controls EMAIL REPRINT NEWSLETTER SHARE "As CEO, I bear full responsibility for what occurs at UBS ( UBS - news - people )," he said in a memo to staff. "From my first day on the job I placed the reputation of the bank above all else. That is why I want to and must act according to my convictions." UBS Europe chief Sergio P. Ermotti will take over immediately as interim chief executive until Gruebel's replacement is appointed. Gruebel's departure caps 10 days of speculation over his future following the bank's announcement that a single London-based trader had evaded internal control systems and gambled away $2.3 billion. The trader, 31-year-old Kweku Adoboli, was arrested Sept. 15 and charged with fraud and false accounting. A judge ordered him Thursday to be held in jail until a hearing next month.</p>

UBS CEO Gruebel resigns over rogue trading loss

  UBS chief executive Oswald Gruebel has resigned over a $2.3 billion loss caused by rogue trading at its investment division, which is to b...

Read more »

Media group faces new hacking blows

<p> </p><p>New allegations about the phone-hacking scandal have hit News International, with claims of more victims and fresh legal rows. It was revealed tonight that former News of the World editor Andy Coulson is suing News Group Newspapers, the publishing arm of the media giant. Papers were served at the High Court on Thursday "regarding the termination of the payment for his legal action". A spokesman for law firm DLA Piper, which represents Mr Coulson, said: "We can confirm that proceedings have been issued." News International declined to comment. It had been reported earlier this month that News International was paying DLA Piper for their legal advice to Mr Coulson following his arrest. Mr Coulson resigned from his position as Prime Minister David Cameron's spin chief in January and was later arrested on suspicion of corruption and phone hacking. He is on police bail. It has also emerged that the family of Jade Goody fear the late celebrity could have had her phone hacked and are reportedly set to contact Scotland Yard. The police force said it would not comment on individual cases. Publicist Max Clifford told The Guardian that Ms Goody's mother Jackiey Budden also believes she was targeted. He said: "She will be going to the police. She believes her phone was hacked by the News of the World, and Jade's. Jade told me, 'I'm convinced my phone is being hacked'." News International also declined to comment on the allegations. In addition, it has been alleged tonight that Neil Wallis, the former deputy editor of News of the World was paid more than £25,000 by News International while working at Scotland Yard as a police consultant. A Scotland Yard spokesman said that Mr Wallis's contract with the police force included confidentiality, data protection and conflict of interest clauses, all of which would have prohibited him from selling on any information while employed by them.</p>

Media group faces new hacking blows

  New allegations about the phone-hacking scandal have hit News International, with claims of more victims and fresh legal rows. It was reve...

Read more »

Europe leaves Bulgaria, Romania out in Schengen cold

<p> </p><p>Europe left Bulgaria and Romania out in the cold Thursday, when Finland and the Netherlands blocked their entry into the passport-free Schengen travel area. The Dutch and the Finns refused to let them in, at a meeting of EU interior ministers dogged by concerns about illegal migration, citing poor progress in the fight against corruption and organised crime. "Two member states today made it impossible for us to make a decision on Schengen enlargement," Polish Interior Minister Jerzy Miller, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, lamented after the talks. "This leads me to a rather sad conclusion regarding mutual trust among the member states," Miller added, saying Bulgaria and Romania were promised a place in Schengen when they joined the European Union in 2007. "Today the promise has been broken," he said, adding that Romania and Bulgaria had made "huge progress." But the Dutch and Finnish governments disagreed. "What we wanted to avoid was to take a decision today that we would later regret," said Dutch Immigration Minister Gerd Leers. "Imagine you have a door with eight of the best locks in the world. But before that door is standing someone who lets everybody in -- then you have a problem," he said. The ministers did not vote, sending a decision to an EU summit in October, but the Dutch minister said his government was unlikely to change its mind. Schengen's enlargement requires unanimous consent. Poland sought to convince EU peers to accept a two-step solution that would allow Romanian and Bulgarian air and sea borders to open by October 31, while a date on opening land borders would be put off to next year. All nations backed the compromise except for the two opponents, diplomats said. "We don't have complete confidence that these countries will be able to secure outer EU borders because of corruption, among other issues," said Finnish Interior Minister Paeivi Raesaenen. Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov told national radio that Finland and the Netherlands "presented abstract arguments" against the bids and were "isolated compared to other EU members." Schengen, an area stretching from Portugal to Poland, through which road, rail and even air travellers need only basic identity papers to move freely, has come under growing strain this year over fears about illegal migration. Greece's struggle to police its porous border with Turkey, fears that the Arab revolutions could unleash a wave of boatpeople, and rising populism in some nations have sparked calls for a shake-up of the whole system. Romania has accused the Dutch centre-right government of being held hostage to the far-right. The Dutch centre-right government rules with the backing of Geert Wilders' far-right Freedom Party (PVV). In Finland, the far-right True Finns made major gains in recent elections. After the Dutch indicated their likely stance in advance of Thursday's talks, Romanian border authorities this week blocked Dutch trucks carrying tulips from the Netherlands -- officially over a bacteria scare. Romanian daily Adevarul linked the move to the Schengen dispute, calling it the "war of the flowers." The trucks were finally allowed into Romania on Thursday.</p>

Europe leaves Bulgaria, Romania out in Schengen cold

  Europe left Bulgaria and Romania out in the cold Thursday, when Finland and the Netherlands blocked their entry into the passport-free Sch...

Read more »

French court fines women for wearing veils

<p> </p><p><img alt="" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq8_PHkfL6ZIb-jygWlyhOqUS0Rcj7m1UVCUrIIGA0BBH6r1RDsVmPtZjCYaHbX10X_y56MFBDmwM0Zld0boMh7Pu4qktue0-tjPI3AJabzpmVP3QDCM33TQ6pImjr544TLTKvGvcT9g/" style="vertical-align: text-bottom;" width="180" />France's fines on women for wearing the full-face covering niqab veil, imposed for the first time by a court on Thursday, are a "travesty of justice," Amnesty International says. Police have issued several on-the-spot fines since the ban came into force in April but the hearing saw the first two court-issued fines, and the Muslim women vowed to appeal their case all the way to the European Court of Human Rights. "This is a travesty of justice and a day of shame for France. These women are being punished for wearing what they want," Amnesty International's deputy director for Europe and Central Asia John Dalhuisen said in a statement. Advertisement: Story continues below "Instead of protecting women's rights, this ban violates their freedom of expression and religion." The court in the northern cheese-making town of Meaux ordered Hind Ahmas, 32, to pay a 120 ($A163) fine, while Najate Nait Ali, 36, was fined 80 euros. It did not order them to take a citizenship course, as the prosecutor had wanted. The women were arrested when they brought a birthday cake for local mayor and lawmaker Jean-Francois Cope, who is head of President Nicolas Sarkozy's right-wing UMP party that pushed through Europe's first anti-burqa law. France is not the only country to try to ban the Muslim full-face veil - Belgium and some Italian cities have similar laws, while other countries are planning to follow suit - so a European ruling could have broad effect. French officials estimate that only around 2,000 women, from a total Muslim population estimated at between four and six million, wear the full-face veils traditionally worn in parts of the Arab world and South Asia. Many Muslims and rights activists say the right-wing president is targeting one of France's most vulnerable groups to signal to anti-immigration voters that he shares their fear that Islam is a threat to French culture.</p>

French court fines women for wearing veils

  France's fines on women for wearing the full-face covering niqab veil, imposed for the first time by a court on Thursday, are a "...

Read more »