Babak Belurs

Rabu, 17 November 2021

Liverpool bomber began making 'relevant purchases' for attack in April - Sky News

The Liverpool bomber began making "relevant purchases" for his attack in April, counter-terror police have said.

Emad al Swealmeen died when an explosive device detonated and set fire to the taxi he was in outside Liverpool Women's Hospital on Remembrance Sunday.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said "a complex picture" was "emerging over the purchases of the component parts of the device".

"We know that al Swealmeen rented the property from April this year, and we believe relevant purchases have been made at least since that time," he said a statement.

"We have now traced a next of kin for al Swealmeen who has informed us that he was born in Iraq.

"Our enquiries have found that al Swealmeen has had episodes of mental illness, this will form part of the investigation and will take some time to fully understand."

Mr Jackson said a post-mortem examination had confirmed the cause of death as "injuries sustained from the fire and explosion".

He also appealed for people who knew al Swealmeen - especially during this year - to come forward, but said police currently "are not finding any link to others in the Merseyside area of concern".

It comes after the home secretary said the attacker was able to exploit Britain's "dysfunctional" asylum system to remain in the country.

Priti Patel said the system was a "complete merry-go-round" with a "whole industry" devoted to defending the rights of individuals intent on causing harm.

Al Swealmeen, 32, is understood to have arrived in the UK from the Middle East in 2014 and had an application for asylum rejected the following year, but was still in the country.

Ms Patel told reporters: "These people have come to our country and abused British values, abused the values of the fabric of our country and our society.

"And as a result of that, there's a whole industry that thinks it's right to defend these individuals that cause the most appalling crimes against British citizens, devastating their lives, blighting communities - and that is completely wrong."

Al Swealmeen is believed to have converted from Islam to Christianity in Liverpool's Anglican cathedral in 2017.

There have been reports of growing unease within the Home Office at the role of the Church of England in converting asylum seekers.

Others have raised concerns that some in Liverpool may have pretended to convert to Christianity in a bid to enhance their chances of remaining in the UK.

Liverpool Cathedral said it has "robust processes for discerning whether someone might be expressing a genuine commitment to faith".

A spokesman said an asylum seeker must be "closely connected" with the congregation for at least two years before staff would support their application.

Malcolm Hitchcott, who along with his wife took al Swealmeen into their home to live with them, said he had contacted them in 2017 when he was "desperate" for somewhere to stay.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Hitchcott said: "He was very quiet but deeply moved by faith in Jesus. I used to pray every day for half an hour in the dining room with him. I don't think he was pretending about his faith."

The couple described al Swealmeen as artistic and a motor racing fan. He was reported to have changed his name to Enzo after the racing driver Enzo Ferrari.

Police also said on Wednesday that the burnt-out taxi had been removed from outside the hospital but that specialist officers were still conducting searches.

Footage showed cabbie David Perry running from the car moments after Sunday's explosion, with his wife saying it was "an utter miracle" he escaped relatively unscathed.

Police have searched a property in Rutland Avenue in Liverpool that al Swealmeen had rented since April, as well as a property in Sutcliffe Street where it's believed he lived previously.

Four men arrested under terror laws in Liverpool on Sunday, and another man detained on Monday, have been released without charge.

The incident has been declared a terrorist attack and the UK threat level raised to severe, meaning an attack is "highly likely" - though police have stressed there is no specific intelligence another attack is imminent.

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2021-11-17 10:41:42Z
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Liverpool bomber ‘exploited UK's asylum system’, Priti Patel claims - Metro

Liverpool bomber ‘exploited UK's dysfunctional asylum system’, Priti Patel claims — Emad Al Swealmeen, 32, was the only person to die in the Liverpool terror attack on Sunday (Picture: Rex/Getty)

The suspect in the Liverpool bombing was able to exploit the UK’s ‘dysfunctional’ asylum system to remain in the country, Priti Patel has claimed.

The home secretary has described the system as a ‘complete merry-go-round’ with a ‘whole industry’ devoted to defending the rights of people intent on causing harm.

Emad Al Swealmeen, 32, died when homemade device exploded outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital in a terror attack moments before the 11am two-minute silence on Remembrance Sunday.

The suspect had an application for asylum rejected in 2015 after arriving from the Middle East the previous year but was still in the country six years later.

But Ms Patel’s comments come as new research shows most migrants make the dangerous journey across the English Channel to flee persecution.

The Tory politician said the Liverpool case showed why the Government was right to reform the asylum system while on a flight to Washington, according to reports.

She said: ‘The case in Liverpool was a complete reflection of how dysfunctional, how broken, the system has been in the past, and why I want to bring changes forward.

‘It’s a complete merry-go-round and it has been exploited. A whole sort of professional legal services industry has based itself on rights of appeal, going to the courts day-in day-out at the expense of the taxpayers through legal aid. That is effectively what we need to change.’

She added: ‘These people have come to our country and abused British values, abused the values of the fabric of our country and our society.

‘And as a result of that, there’s a whole industry that thinks it’s right to defend these individuals that cause the most appalling crimes against British citizens, devastating their lives, blighting communities – and that is completely wrong.’

The suspect had an application for asylum rejected six years ago (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)

Home Secretary Priti Patel during a visit to Thames Valley Police Training Centre in Reading, following the news that over 11,000 police officers have now been hired as part of the Government pledge to recruit 20,000 extra officers by 2023. Picture date: Thursday October 28, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story POLITICS Patel. Photo credit should read: Steve Parsons/PA Wire — Ms Patel claims there is a ‘whole industry’ devoted to defending the rights of people intent on causing harm (Picture: PA)

liverpool bombing — Taxi driver David Perry incredibly escaped after the car exploded

Data from the Refugee Council suggests ‘majority of people crossing the Channel are likely to be recognised as being in need of protection’ at the initial decision stage. A third would not be allowed to stay in the UK.

Between January 2020 and June this year, 91% of migrants came from 10 countries where human rights abuses and persecution are widespread, including Afghanistan, Iran and Syria.

The UK’s terror threat was raised from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’ in the aftermath of the Liverpool bombing.

This means an attack is now deemed to be ‘highly likely’ but not imminent.

Investigators are ‘keeping an open mind’ on the motivation which is currently unknown.

Speaking to The Sun, an unnamed source claimed Al Swealmeen could have detonated a suicide bomb after being ‘pushed over the edge’ when his asylum applications were repeatedly turned down.

A Christian couple who took in the ‘desperate’ Liverpool terror suspect back in 2017 have said the news is ‘almost too impossible to believe’.

Malcolm and Elizabeth claim he had been an ‘absolutely genuine’ Christian with a ‘real passion for Jesus Christ’.

It comes amid growing concern within the Home Office at the role on the Church of England in converting asylum seekers.

Mr Hitchcott told BBC Radio Merseyside: ‘He arrived here on April 1, 2017. He was with us then for eight months, and during that time we saw him really blossoming in regards to his Christian faith.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: In this aerial photograph police officers continue their forensic investigations at the scene of the car explosion at Liverpool Women's Hospital on November 16, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Authorities named the suspect in Sunday's bombing as Emad Al Swealmeen, who detonated a homemade explosive while in the back of a taxi outside Liverpool Women's Hospital. Mr Swealmeen died in the taxi, whose driver escaped with minor injuries. Four men arrested elsewhere in Liverpool following the blast were released without charge. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) — Police officers continue their forensic investigations at the scene of the car explosion (Picture: Getty Images Europe)

‘He really had a passion about Jesus that I wish many Christians had, and he was ready to learn.

‘He was keen on reading his Bible and every night we used to pray – my wife and him, and if there was anybody else in the house – we prayed for half an hour or so and studied the scriptures.

‘He was absolutely genuine, as far as I could tell. I was in no doubt by the time that he left us at the end of that eight months that he was a Christian.’

Taxi driver David Perry escaped the blast alive, with a shocking video showing him staggering from the vehicle at the last moment.

Four men arrested under terrorism laws in the Kensington area of Liverpool – aged 21, 26 and 29 and 20 have now been released from police custody following interviews.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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2021-11-17 07:10:00Z
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Selasa, 16 November 2021

Elgin marbles: Boris Johnson tells Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis that dispute over Parthenon sculptures is 'matter for British Museum' - Sky News

Boris Johnson has told the Greek prime minister that the issue of the Parthenon sculptures was "one for the trustees of the British Museum" during talks in Downing Street.

At a meeting in Number 10 on Tuesday, Kyriakos Mitsotakis pressed Mr Johnson on the long-running row over the sculptures, also known as the "Elgin marbles".

But the prime minister, despite telling his Greek counterpart he understood the "strength of feeling" in Greece on the issue, veered away from UK government responsibility in the 200-year-old dispute.

Following the leaders' talks, a Downing Street spokesperson said: "Prime Minister Mitsotakis raised the issue of the Parthenon sculptures.

"The prime minister said that he understood the strength of feeling of the Greek people on this issue, but reiterated the UK's longstanding position that this matter is one for the trustees of the British Museum.

"The leaders agreed that this issue in no way affects the strength of the UK-Greece partnership."

The stance appeared to represent a shift from Mr Johnson, who as recently as March said it was the UK government's "longstanding position" that the sculptures were "legally acquired" by the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Lord Elgin, in the early 19th century and were now "legally owned" by the British Museum's trustees.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Johnson's official spokesman had said the possession of the sculptures was "purely for the museum" and "not one for the UK government".

The 17 figures were taken by Lord Elgin's staff around 200 years ago and have been the subjects of a long dispute.

The Greek PM argues they were "stolen" from Athens. Prior to his visit to London, Mr Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph: "They belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest."

Before meeting Mr Johnson, he had also raised the prospect of loaning other treasures to the British Museum in return for the Parthenon sculptures.

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Outlining its position on the dispute, the British Museum's website states that Lord Elgin's transport of the sculptures to England happened "with the full knowledge and permission of the legal authorities of the day in both Athens and London".

It adds: "The trustees' policy and their willingness to consider loans to Athens has been made clear to the Greek government, but successive Greek governments have refused to consider borrowing or to acknowledge the trustees' ownership of the Parthenon sculptures in their care.

"This has made any meaningful discussion on the issue virtually impossible."

The Parthenon sculptures were made between 447BC and 432BC and decorated the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens.

Lord Elgin removed about half of the remaining sculptures from the ruins of the Parthenon between 1801 and 1805, before they entered the British Museum.

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2021-11-16 20:12:07Z
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Boris Johnson proposes ban on MPs working as paid consultants as Labour outlines plan - BBC News

Boris Johnson has set out plans to stop MPs from working as paid consultants, ahead of a Commons debate on banning some second jobs.

The surprise announcement came just as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer briefed reporters on his party's own plans to ban MPs' outside employment.

It follows weeks of political pressure amid a row over former Tory MP Owen Paterson, who broke lobbying rules.

The PM said a ban would stop MPs from "exploiting their positions".

The debate over MPs' jobs outside of Parliament has intensified since Mr Paterson was found to have used his position to lobby for two firms paying him.

He resigned as an MP earlier this month, after the government U-turned on a bid to block his suspension and to overhaul the disciplinary process for MPs.

At a press conference, Sir Keir said his party would ban all second jobs, apart from "public service" roles or professions requiring registration.

The Labour leader said these included MPs working as NHS doctors and nurses, or in the police and as Army reservists.

But he said work he had done in providing legal advice alongside being an MP - but before becoming leader - would no longer be allowed.

Sir Keir had called the conference to set out his party's position ahead of a debate it had called on the outside jobs issue on Wednesday.

After the press conference, he said Mr Johnson's plan - which was announced during the briefing - was a "significant victory for the Labour Party".

He told reporters: "Be under no illusion, the prime minister has only done this U-turn because his back was against the wall."

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The PM's proposals would implement a recommendation originally made in a 2018 report from ethics watchdog, the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

In a letter to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Mr Johnson said the government now wanted to see it adopted "as a matter of urgency".

"An MP's primary role is, and must be, to serve their constituents and to represent their interests in Parliament," he wrote.

He added that a ban, which it is thought would affect around 30 MPs, would ensure MPs continue to "command the confidence of the public".

He also said the government supported another recommendation in the report - to update MPs' code of conduct to state any outside roles, paid or unpaid, should not "prevent them from fully carrying out their range of duties".

The proposal comes after the spotlight was shone on Tory MP and former Attorney General, Sir Geoffrey Cox, who earned over £700,000 doing legal work in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) on top of his MPs' salary.

Implementing both changes would require an alteration to the MPs' code of conduct, requiring a formal vote in the House of Commons.

Analysis box by Laura Kuenssberg, political editor

Ouch. Politics is a harsh old business.

Sir Keir Starmer's team had decided to put him out in public to make a decisive statement, positioning him as the sleaze-buster in chief.

Yet, just as the moment arrived, even during the introduction by his deputy, Angela Rayner, someone else decided to intervene before Sir Keir was able to open his mouth.

Yes, you guessed it, one Boris Johnson.

The prime minister who a fortnight ago ordered his troops to protect one of their own who had fallen foul of the existing rules on lobbying, and defended the tradition of MPs being able to do outside work, is now proposing tighter rules and harsher penalties.

I hope you'd forgive me for gently pointing out that the timing of this change of heart is about as subtle as being smacked in the face.

But while it may have taken some of the fizz out of Labour's event, it's a pretty clear admission from No 10 that its response to the handling of sleaze allegations has been messy, and simply, as many of MPs on their own side freely worry about, not good enough, not near it.

Boris Johnson backs ban on MPs' lobbying work in wake of Westminster sleaze row - Sky News

Boris Johnson has set out plans to ban MPs from working as paid political consultants or lobbyists in the wake of Westminster's sleaze row.

In a letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the prime minister said there was a need to ensure rules for MPs are "up to date, effective and appropriately rigorous".

Mr Johnson said he believed the code of conduct for MPs should be updated in order to ensure their work "continues to command the confidence of the public".

The prime minister's intervention comes two weeks after he encouraged his Conservative MPs to save one of their colleagues, ex-cabinet minister Owen Paterson, from an immediate commons suspension over a breach of lobbying rules.

A resulting outcry over the actions of Mr Johnson and Tory MPs' prompted a swift government U-turn. But the prime minister has yet to stem further accusations of Westminster sleaze in fresh scrutiny of MPs' outside earnings following the furore over Mr Paterson.

There have also been signs that the continuing sleaze row has caused political harm to both the prime minister and the Conservative Party, with Labour having pulled ahead of the Tories in recent opinion polls.

In his letter to Sir Lindsay on Tuesday, Mr Johnson gave his backing to suggested reforms by a 2018 report from the committee on standards in public life, which advises Downing Street on arrangements for upholding ethical standards of conduct among public servants.

The committee's proposed reforms included updating the code of conduct to state that MPs' outside earnings "should be within reasonable limits and should not prevent them from fully carrying out their range of duties".

As part of the Westminster sleaze row, Conservative MP Sir Geoffrey Cox has been criticised after he was revealed to have voted by proxy in the commons while undertaking lucrative legal work in the Caribbean.

Mr Johnson also supported the report's recommendation to update the code of conduct to ban MPs from "any paid work to provide services as a parliamentary strategist, adviser or consultant".

The prime minister wrote in his letter: "Adopting these specific recommendations would ensure that MPs who are neglecting their duties to their constituents and prioritising outside interests would be investigated, and appropriately punished by the existing disciplinary authorities.

"They would also ban MPs from exploiting their positions by acting as a paid political consultants or lobbyists."

Mr Paterson, who has since resigned as an MP, was found to have breached lobbying rules during his £110,000 per year consultancy work for Randox, a clinical diagnostics company, and Lynn's Country Foods, a meat processor and distributor.

In his letter, Mr Johnson added it was "a matter of regret" that the commons had "not yet taken forward these specific recommendations" of the 2018 report and said the government "would like to see them adopted as a matter of urgency".

He also set out his belief that changes to MPs' code of conduct "must be done on the basis of a cross-party consensus" in the commons.

The prime minister's letter was released just minutes before Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was due to speak at a news conference to set out his party's own plans in the wake of the Westminster sleaze scandal.

Labour had aimed to force a commons vote on Wednesday on a motion to end MPs' paid directorships and commercial consultancies.

Sir Keir said on Tuesday he would need to "look carefully" at the prime minister's proposals.

"If he is accepting the motion in full then that's a significant victory for us in our work to clean up politics," the Labour leader added.

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Speaking to broadcasters later, Sir Keir said: "I rather hope that all my press conferences are this successful, that whilst I'm making a demand of the prime minister, he concedes, caves in."

He added: "What I want to see from the prime minister now is him following through and ensuring that his MPs vote for this tomorrow so we can have that binding decision of the house and move forward.

"We've had two weeks of corruption and sleaze. Let's follow through and let's see that vote go through tomorrow."

Questions arose about how far the recommendations supported by the prime minister would impact on MPs' other work.

The 2018 report found that a "handful of MPs" held parliamentary advisory and consultancy roles, and that there was a "small number of cases... where the public and media reaction to outside interests of MPs suggest that reasonable limits... have been breached".

Dr Hannah White, from the Institute for Government think-tank and who previously worked for the committee on standards in public life, said the "key" to the prime minister's plans would be the definition of "paid political consultants or lobbyists".

"Is a former minister who has knowledge of a policy area allowed to take an advisory role (as long as no paid advocacy) because that isn't 'just' parliamentary strategy?" she asked.

"Will it be up to the parliamentary commissioner for standards to determine what 'reasonable limits' on outside activity means?

"To date MPs have argued its up to them to determine how they fulfil their role - so who can decide if they are fulfilling 'their range of duties'?"

Earlier on Tuesday, the government completed its U-turn in the row over Mr Paterson as MPs formally backed the findings against him.

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2021-11-16 16:07:30Z
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Claire Holland press conference live - new search for woman who went missing in 2012 - Bristol Live

Avon and Somerset Police are conducting "a significant police operation" this week in connection with the 2012 disappearance of Claire Holland from Bristol.

Claire, from Lawrence Weston, was last seen at the Seamus O’Donnell’s pub on St Nicholas Street, Bristol, on the evening of Wednesday, June 6, 2012.

She was reported missing by her family on Thursday, June 14, 2012, and has not been seen since. Today (Tuesday, November 16), police are giving a press conference on the developments in the case, and you can follow live updates below.

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Avon and Somerset Police are treating Claire's disappearance as suspicious, and the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) is releasing CCTV footage today showing Claire on the day she disappeared as part of a renewed appeal for help and information from the public.

A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of Claire's murder in 2019, but the now 39-year-old remains released under investigation.

A handout photo of Claire Williams (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)

Police will be carrying out "intelligence-led searches" over the coming days involving the specialist dive team in parts of the city centre and other areas through the week.

Senior Investigating Officer Det Insp Darren Hannant said: “We’d like the public to cast their mind back to The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend, which was on the weekend of 2-5 June in 2012. Claire went missing the day after this significant national event.

“CCTV shows Claire walking along Baldwin Street heading towards the Seamus O’Donnell’s pub at around 9.30pm on Wednesday 6 June, but we don’t have any footage showing where she went afterwards, but staff have confirmed she did leave the pub later that evening just after closing time, around 11.15pm. It is possible she headed in the direction of the Fountains, near the Harbourside, but we don’t have any footage of her doing so, despite extensive reviews of more than 1,000 hours of available CCTV.

“At this time, we’re treating Claire’s disappearance as suspicious. Claire had no known reason to go missing of her own accord and had made plans for the week following her disappearance.

“Claire’s family are being kept up to date on the progress of this investigation and we’re committed to providing them with the answers they need. Specially trained liaison officers will continue to support them at this very difficult time.”

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Claire is described as white, 5ft tall, of slim build, with shoulder-length brown hair, which was sometimes tied back in a ponytail.

Police are asking the public to speak to them if they saw a woman matching Claire's description or who matches the CCTV footage an photos released by the force.

Officers will also be messaging all of Claire's friends on Facebook to appeal for any information which could help.

We will bring you the latest updates from senior police officers at a press conference taking place shortly.

This is a live blog - follow below for the latest updates

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2021-11-16 13:37:00Z
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Liverpool terror attack: Councillor sorry over Corbyn wreath tweet - BBC News

A Conservative councillor has faced calls to resign over a doctored photo depicting Jeremy Corbyn at the scene of Sunday's Liverpool terror attack.

The image of a burning taxi, with the former Labour leader holding a wreath superimposed into the scene, was posted from Paul Nickerson's Twitter account.

He faced a wave of condemnation and calls to stand down as a result.

Mr Nickerson, who has since deleted the tweet and apologised, has been approached for comment.

The East Riding of Yorkshire councillor, who represents the Minster and Woodmansey ward, has also been suspended.

The tweet, which the BBC has chosen not to reproduce, contained the image and the caption: "Unsurprisingly".

It is thought the image was a reference to a row which erupted when pictures of Mr Corbyn attending a wreath-laying ceremony at a Tunisian cemetery surfaced.

After the post was deleted, Mr Nickerson, wrote: "I would like to apologise for a political tweet sent from my account yesterday which has been upsetting for some people and I unreservedly apologise to all concerned."

A local Labour Party group has written to council leader Jonathan Owen, urging him to take disciplinary action.

Members of the Beverley and Holderness branch said "elected officials" needed to act in a professional manner, and Mr Nickerson's conduct had been "condemned at both a local and national level".

The tweet not only implied Mr Corbyn was a terrorist sympathiser, but "more importantly, he made light of a horrendous terrorist act", they said.

Mr Nickerson also faced heavy criticism online, with a string of replies condemning him and urging him to apologise.

One reply said: "The apology is meaningless. The fact is you thought this was acceptable to start with. Absolute disgrace."

Another said: "You need to resign. Even if you thought this was funny before the public backlash that just shows even more how unfit you are to be in your role.

"What an abhorrent human you are."

Another simply read: "You should hold your head in shame."

Mr Nickerson also faced allegations of hypocrisy after a post he made earlier this month, urging people to "temper our language towards politicians of all colours", emerged.

More news from across the region

Sunday's explosion was caused when a homemade bomb built by 32-year-old Emad Al Swealmeen went off outside Liverpool Women's Hospital.

Taxi driver David Perry, who had driven the suspect to the scene, escaped before his car caught fire and has since been discharged from hospital.

Four men arrested under terrorism laws have since been released without charge.

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk.

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2021-11-16 14:51:15Z
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Rabu, 17 November 2021

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Selasa, 16 November 2021

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