(BBC) A friend of the Manchester Arena bomber is refusing to appear as a witness at the public inquiry into the attack. Ahmed Taghdi, who was due to appear earlier, is citing health issues and concerns about possible questioning after hearing some […]
(BBC) The Manchester Arena bomber transferred money to his family in Libya hours before the attack, a public inquiry into the 2017 bombing has heard. Rabie Zreba, who made the transfer, said he was contacted by a man he did not know […]
(BBC) A taxi driver who took Salman Abedi on his final journey to the Manchester Arena has described how the bomber asked for his prayers. Tariq Nadeem, who drives a black cab, was approached by Abedi outside Piccadilly station in the city […]
(BBC) A convicted terrorist who spoke to the Manchester Arena bomber on an illegal prison mobile obtained another phone after the first was confiscated, a public inquiry heard. Abdalraouf Abdallah, 27, was released from prison on licence last month on what are […]
(BBC) A confession by the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber amounts to “pro-Islamic State propaganda,” a public inquiry has heard. Hashem Abedi admitted his role during a prison interview in October. He also gave a written statement, which the senior investigating […]
(BBC) France’s anti-terror prosecutors have called for defendants on trial for a series of militant Islamist attacks in Paris to be given long jail terms. The January 2015 attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine, a policewoman and a Jewish supermarket left 17 people […]
(BBC) Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi trained or fought with an Islamist militia in Libya, an inquiry has heard. His cousin Abderahman Forjani told police Abedi travelled to Libya during its 2011 revolution and “obtained a job locating Gaddafi supporters.” Abedi had […]
(BBC) Five children, including a baby without socks or shoes, were among migrants who crossed the English Channel in small boats in near-freezing conditions. The Home Office said 111 people arrived in five boats, with the French stopping 35 people from making […]
(BBC) One of three Americans hailed as heroes for overcoming a gunman on a train travelling to Paris has told a French court his main aim was to survive. Spencer Stone, a 28-year-old ex-serviceman, described via video from the US how he […]
(BBC) A suspected people-smuggling gang accused of bringing hundreds of people to the UK in small boats has been broken up, the Home Office says. A 36-year-old British Syrian man was detained at his flat in north-west London on Thursday morning, bringing […]
(BBC) The Manchester Arena inquiry has been told there were enough transport police officers on duty on the night of the bombing. Insp Michelle Wedderburn insisted British Transport Police (BTP) staffing levels were adequate and no sergeant was required on site. Security […]
(BBC) Stewards on duty on the night of the Manchester bombing did not think Salman Abedi was a threat because they had not been trained properly, a security expert has told the attack inquiry. Col Richard Latham said “a managerial fault” meant […]
(BBC) Sixteen migrants in a small boat were intercepted by Border Force officials in the English Channel on Monday, the Home Office has confirmed. French authorities managed to prevent “more than 200 people” from making the journey on the same day, it […]
(BBC) There were not enough qualified staff “to adequately profile the crowd” when Manchester Arena was bombed, a security expert has told the attack inquiry. Col Richard Latham said there were several issues with security on 22 May 2017, when a bomb […]
(BBC) France’s Muslim Council is due to meet President Emmanuel Macron this week, to confirm the text of a new “charter of republican values” for imams in the country to sign. The Council (CFCM), which represents nine separate Muslim associations, has reportedly […]
(BBC) “Fast-time learning” from the attack on Manchester Arena led to several changes in how UK counter-terrorism teams work, the inquiry into the bombing has heard. The inquiry into the attack of 22 May 2017, which killed 22 people, was told senior […]
(BBC) Migrants, bundled in blankets and foil, have arrived in Dover after journeying across the Channel. Temperatures at the Kent port hovered around 7C while a woman and a group of men were seen being helped ashore by Border Force officials. The […]
(BBC) Women are being offered controversial “virginity tests” at British medical clinics, an investigation by BBC Newsbeat and 100 Women has found. The intrusive tests are considered a violation of human rights by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations, which […]
(BBC) A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration by supplying small boats to people smugglers. It follows an arrest in October as part of a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into a criminal network. Officers […]
(BBC) It is feared victims of female genital mutilation in England are not reporting cases because of delays and lockdown closures, charities have told the BBC. It comes as new figures revealed 635 new cases were recorded from July-September — a fall […]
(BBC) A friend of the Manchester Arena bomber whose bank details were used to buy chemicals for the bomb has been handed a 12-month community order. Manchester Crown Court heard Yahya Werfalli’s bank details were used to buy hydrogen peroxide on Amazon. […]
(BBC) A convicted terrorist organiser, who has refused to tell an inquiry about his contact with the Manchester Arena bomber, is to be released from jail. Abdalraouf Abdallah, 27, was jailed in 2016 after being found guilty of helping people travel to […]
(BBC) Two police constables who designed a hijab to be part of their uniform have celebrated making it a reality. North Yorkshire Police called the move an “important change” and highlighted the need to represent the communities they serve. PC Uzma Amireddy, […]
(BBC) An Islamic preacher accused of raping a young girl was arrested 15 years later after she identified him on YouTube, a court heard. The woman only knew her alleged attacker as “The Imam” before going on the internet to find Khandaker […]
(BBC) Four small boats carrying 54 migrants have crossed the English Channel this week, the Home Office said. Eleven people reached the UK in one boat earlier, with 43 entering British waters in three vessels on Monday. A further 200 people were […]
(BBC) A man who downloaded instructions on how to carry out terror attacks, and images of beheadings, has been jailed for 32 months. Zakaria Yanaouri, 21, of Congreve Road, Worthing, was arrested in a raid on his home 24 February. He pleaded […]
(BBC) Allowing runaway Shamima Begum to return to the UK to challenge her loss of British citizenship “would create significant national security risks,” the Supreme Court has been told. Ms Begum, 21, was one of three east London schoolgirls who joined the […]
(BBC) An American boy who was made to threaten President Donald Trump in an Islamic State group video says it was “sweet relief” to return to the US. Matthew, taken to Syria by his mother and stepfather, was 10 when he was […]
(BBC) French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Muslim leaders to agree a “charter of republican values” as part of a broad clampdown on radical Islam. On Wednesday he gave the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) 15 days to work with […]
(BBC) Sixty-nine suspected illegal immigrants and three crew members have been arrested after a fishing boat was intercepted off the coast of East Anglia, says the National Crime Agency. It has launched a people smuggling investigation after Border Force officials intercepted the […]
(BBC) A police counter-terrorism security adviser said prior to the Manchester bombing the risk of an attack on crowds leaving an event was not considered. Liz Forster, Greater Manchester Police’s principal adviser, told the public inquiry into the arena attack: “It’s changed […]
(BBC) The police emergency plan for Manchester Arena was nearly a year out of date when the venue was bombed, an officer has told the attack inquiry. Emergency planner PC Katrina Hughes said she had struggled to keep plans up to date […]
(BBC) Plans to introduce a new law to improve safety and security at public venues and spaces has been delayed due to Covid-19, an inquiry has heard. The proposed legislation was drawn up following terrorist attacks in 2017 including the Manchester Arena […]
(BBC) The Home Office failed to stop a rise in migrant boats crossing the English Channel before it was too late, an independent inspector has said. Decisive action in late 2018 could have prevented crossings becoming “established,” David Bolt, the independent chief […]
(BBC) The head of security at Manchester Arena on the night of a terror attack there had raised concerns four months earlier that risk assessments for the venue were not “extensive enough,” an inquiry heard. Tom Rigby, who works for Showsec, also […]
(BBC) Six boats carrying 159 people have been found by UK authorities as migrants continue to try to cross the English Channel. The Home Office released Tuesday’s figures and said authorities in France prevented about 30 people making the journey on the […]
(BBC) Staff were not expected to check an area at Manchester Arena where Salman Abedi hid for nearly an hour before the venue bombing, a security boss said. Venue operator SMG and security provider Showsec had opposing views on whose responsibility it […]
(BBC) Eighty migrants in six boats have been intercepted by Border Force officials in the English Channel. The Home Office has confirmed that Border Force dealt with a series of incidents on Monday. Meanwhile, French authorities prevented about 50 people making the […]
(BBC) The mother of a Manchester Arena bomb victim has urged the government to move forward with its promised consultation on “Martyn’s Law.” Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett died in the attack, wants to bring in legislation to step up security […]
(BBC) A man has appeared before the Old Bailey accused of sharing Islamic State group videos. German national Florian Flegel, 22, was arrested at Stansted Airport in Essex on 22 October when he was about to board a flight to Germany. He […]
(BBC) A child was among 96 migrants to have crossed the Channel in the last two days. It is thought to be the first crossings in small boats since a family died attempting the journey. The Home Office says 56 people made […]
(BBC) Six people are wanted for questioning by detectives investigating the Manchester Arena bombing, a legal document has revealed. The parents of the brothers responsible for the atrocity are both suspects, as are two associates. One of the associates, who was arrested […]
(BBC) Risk assessments carried out by the Manchester Arena operators were “flawed” and “pretty much box ticking,” an inquiry has heard. Miriam Stone, SMG’s head of events, told the inquiry into the attack there was no specific assessment done for the Ariana […]
(BBC) A bid to increase the prison sentence of the Manchester Arena bomber’s brother has been rejected. Hashem Abedi, 23, was jailed in August for his part in the 2017 terror attack which killed 22 people. An application to further extend his […]
(BBC) Two men have been jailed for smuggling themselves and 23 other people across the Channel on two small boats. Iraqi national Assad Abdul Latif Sayed Abdulghany, 30, and Iranian national Ali Azarkish, 23, were both sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment on […]
(BBC) The operators of Manchester Arena where 22 were killed in a terror attack have denied accusations of “penny pinching” and putting people’s lives at risk. And on the night SMG put the arena’s terrorism risk level at low despite the national […]
(BBC) A Libyan man arrested after the Manchester Arena terror attack is suing MailOnline‘s publisher for £230,000 for publishing his details. Alaedeen Sicri, 26, was arrested in West Sussex and released without charge over the May 2017 bombing of an Ariana Grande […]
(BBC) Salman Abedi “blended in too well” to be picked up by security on the night he detonated a suicide bomb at the Manchester Arena, an inquiry has heard. James Allen, arena manager for SMG, said he was not aware that teenagers […]
(BBC) Two Iranian men have been jailed for smuggling themselves and 29 people across the Channel on two overcrowded rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB). Ghodratallah Donyamali Zadeh, 26, and Ahmed Nayat Quadir, 20, were both sentenced to 24 months imprisonment on Thursday. They […]
(BBC) A Tunisian man who killed three people in a church in France only recently arrived in Europe, officials say. The suspect, 21, had an Italian Red Cross document, issued after he arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa by migrant boat […]
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