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Islamic and right-wing extremism remain UK's ‘biggest threats', says Cooper

Islamic and right-wing extremism remain UK's ‘biggest threats', says Cooper

On July 7 2005, four suicide bombers targeted the capital's transport network, killing 52 people and injuring more than 770 on three London Underground trains and a bus.
A series of attempted bombings followed the attacks, and in the subsequent manhunt for suspects, police shot dead innocent man Jean Charles de Menezes, at a tube station.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Ms Cooper recalled how news of the attacks had emerged as she headed to a local government conference in her then-role as a junior minister.
'The anti-radicalisation programme Prevent became more important than ever,' Ms Cooper said.
'And communities across the nation were determined that hatred would not win.
'The work done at that time has endured and evolved. Islamist extremist terrorism remains the greatest threat, followed by extreme right-wing terrorism.
'But we also face threats from hostile states, serious organised crime, cyber criminals, and a rise in individuals radicalised online.'
Ms Cooper referenced how the approach to tackling terrorism had continued to evolve in the wake of the tragedy.
In April, legislation providing greater protection to help prevent and reduce the harm of terror attacks at event venues officially became law.
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn's Law, compels all UK venues expecting 200 or more people to be on site to prepare for the event of a terror attack.
Larger premises expected to host 800 people or more also have to take steps to reduce their vulnerability to an assault, such as CCTV, bag searches or vehicle checks.
Figen Murray campaigned for the law change in memory of her 29-year-old son Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena bombing at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.
Speaking when the Bill was signed into law, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: 'Today is a landmark moment for our security as my Government delivers on its promise to introduce Martyn's Law and better protect the public from terrorism.
'Figen's courage and determination in the face of such unimaginable loss is truly humbling, and it is thanks to her campaigning that Martyn's Law means her son's legacy will live on forever.'
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Wagner arson ringleader tried to forge ties with IRA
Wagner arson ringleader tried to forge ties with IRA

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

Wagner arson ringleader tried to forge ties with IRA

A drug dealer who organised arson attacks in the UK on behalf of Wagner, the Russian terrorist group, was trying to forge links with the IRA when he was caught, it can be revealed. Dylan Earl, a 20-year-old labourer, admitted organising a firebomb attack on a Ukrainian-owned warehouse in east London and plotting to burn down a Mayfair restaurant belonging to a prominent Russian dissident. Along with co-conspirator Jake Reeves, 23, he recruited a group of men to carry out the warehouse attack, which caused an estimated £1 million of damage, in March last year. It is understood that Earl became fixated with the Wagner group, a Russian mercenary organisation, in his late teens while following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Having already begun dealing Class A drugs from his bedroom, Earl was attracted to Wagner's links with the criminal underworld and connections to prominent members of the Russian mafia. He joined Wagner early last year, just a few months after it had been proscribed by the UK as a terrorist organisation. But instead of being content as a foot soldier, he wanted to go further and forge links with other terror organisations across Europe, including the IRA. Earl was the first person to be charged under Section 18 of the National Security Act, brought in last year to target those working secretly for hostile states within the UK. He and Reeves admitted aggravated arson and an offence under the National Security Act. Nii Kojo Mensah, 23, Jakeem Barrington Rose, 23, and Ugnius Asmena, 20, denied aggravated arson but were convicted on Tuesday after 21 hours and 55 minutes of jury deliberation. Paul English, 61, denied, and was cleared of, aggravated arson. Ashton Evans, 20, a Welsh drug dealer, denied but was convicted of one count of failure to disclose information to police about terrorist acts, but was cleared of a second count. Lithuanian-born Dmitrijus Paulauskas, 23, denied and was cleared of two counts of failing to disclose information. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said she would pass sentence in the autumn. Reeves, whose stepfather is a police officer, worked as an aircraft cleaner at Gatwick Airport. As well as trying to make contact with dissident Republicans, Earl discussed acting as a bridge between Kinahan, a Dublin-based crime cartel, and the Wagner group. When police raided the rented house in Leicestershire he shared with his parents and sister, they discovered a black holdall containing a Russian flag, more than £20,000 in cash and almost one kilo of cocaine with a street value of almost £35,000. Rather than being recruited, Earl volunteered his services to Wagner after contacting the group via a Telegram account in April last year. Police were unable to see the contents of hundreds of encrypted messages sent to Earl, but it is believed some included instructions on targets to hit in London. Ringleader 'urged to watch spy drama' Messages on Telegram that were successfully recovered revealed chats between Earl and a Wagner agent known as Privet Bot. The agent asked him: 'Hello friend, how are you? Do you have any friends among hooligans or acquaintances in the IRA? 'Can you find out about warehouses like this… do you have access to firearms? The task on this warehouse will be the first step.' The Privet Bot account also asked if Earl could watch The Americans, a television drama set in Washington DC during the Cold War in the 1980s. In the programme, two Russian spies are embedded in US society so they can complete missions on behalf of the KGB. The Privet Bot account said: 'Watch this series, it will be your manual.' In March last year, a group of four men struck at a warehouse on the Cromwell Industrial Estate in Leyton, using an accelerant to start the fire. More than 60 firefighters and eight fire engines battled the flames before the blaze was brought under control. The two units targeted were occupied by Oddisey Ltd, which delivered and received goods packages ordered by customers in post-Soviet Union countries, and Meest UK Ltd, a Ukrainian-based shipping company. The businesses were also involved in delivering Starlink satellite equipment to the region to aid Ukraine's war effort. Upping the ante Before the job was even complete, Earl's Wagner handlers had already planned his next job, significantly upping the ante. They asked him to firebomb Hide Restaurant in Mayfair and the nearby Hedonism Wines shop, and also to kidnap Evgeny Chichvarkin, its Russian-born owner. Mr Chichvarkin is a Russian dissident and outspoken critic of Putin, who fled the country in 2008 and sought refuge in London. In a statement read to the jury during the Old Bailey trial, he explained why he believed he had been targeted by the Wagner group. He said: 'I was significantly outspoken on my views of Russian aggression against Ukraine, beginning with the annexation of Crimea in 2014. I have publicly supported Ukraine throughout both conflicts.' Mr Chichvarkin said he had been declared 'public enemy No 13 in Russia', adding: 'I have received daily death threats and terrible abuse ever since.' Earl attempted to recruit people to carry out reconnaissance, but the plot never came to fruition. Following his arrest on April 10, police examined his phone and found inquiries linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Wagner Group, arson and cryptocurrency. His phone contained images of a pistol, magazine and bullets, while another screenshot showed a cryptocurrency account holding £58,425.80. 'Hostile agents' Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'This case is [a] clear example of an organisation linked to the Russian state using proxies – in this case British men – to carry out very serious criminal activity in this country on their behalf. 'The ringleaders, Earl and Reeves, willingly acted as hostile agents on behalf of the Russian state. I am pleased that, working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, we were able to use the new National Security Act legislation, which meant the severity of Earl and Reeves's offending was reflected in the charges they faced.' He added: 'The warehouse arson put members of the public at great risk, and it was only by good fortune nobody was seriously injured or worse. 'Those involved showed little or no regard for the potential impact of their actions on the UK's wider security. Seemingly motivated by the promise of money, they were prepared to commit criminal acts on behalf of Russia.' Earl was said to have been motivated by the 'accumulation of wealth and status and the associated lifestyle it would bring'. Prof Mark Galeotti, an expert in modern Russia, said an increasing number of young men were being drawn to Moscow. He said: 'There is no real ideology in Putin's Russia, but there is a kind of perverse mystique. It is a very macho country. It stands up for traditional values, but at the same time it is ruthless and brutal, and this appeals to some. 'Wagner and Russia leverage this perverse appeal to the fullest. For disaffected lads and thugs, this ideal is very appealing.' Prof Galeotti added: 'I have a suspicion this was a test run, an opportunity to test out a strategy. As long as Putin is in the Kremlin, they will continue to see the West as an enemy and a threat. 'This is the new normal. These proxies are the equivalent of drones in that they are disposable.'

Canada army men charged over 'anti-government' plot
Canada army men charged over 'anti-government' plot

BBC News

timean hour ago

  • BBC News

Canada army men charged over 'anti-government' plot

Four men, including members of the Canadian Armed Forces, are facing charges in Canada over an alleged plot to create an "anti-government militia" and "forcibly" seize land, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) say three of the suspects took part in military-style training, shooting exercises and scouting operations in the Québec City area as part of their alleged group are also alleged to have stored explosive devices, dozens of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, all of which were seized by the RCMP. All four have been arrested and are due to appear in Québec City court on Tuesday, police said. The men charged include Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, both from Québec City, as well as Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of trio are accused of taking "concrete actions to facilitate terrorist activity," the RCMP said in its news release. A fourth man, 33-year-old Matthew Forbes of Pont-Rouge - a town nearly 28 miles (45km) west of Québec City - was also charged in relation to the alleged plot. He was accused of possessing firearms, some of which are prohibited in Canada, as well as explosives. Police said a search conducted in January 2024 led to the seizure of 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms and accessories, nearly 11,000 rounds of ammunition and around 130 magazines. Night-vision goggles and military equipment were also RCMP did not specify what the suspects' alleged motives were, but said the group had intended to "forcibly take possession of land in the Québec City area".The arrests come amid pressure on the Canadian military to combat extremism within its own ranks. A 2022 report from the military's advisory panel on systemic racism and discrimination found that the number of army members with ties to extremist groups was on the rise.

Southport child killings were one of 'most egregious crimes' in UK history
Southport child killings were one of 'most egregious crimes' in UK history

Daily Mirror

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Southport child killings were one of 'most egregious crimes' in UK history

The public inquiry into last July's horrific murders at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event began in Liverpool today. A minute's silence was held for the three schoolgirl victims The Southport child killings were 'one of the most egregious crimes in our country's history', a public inquiry into the tragedy heard today. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event last July. ‌ Their killer Axel Rudakubana, 18, is serving a minimum of 52 years behind bars after pleading guilty to the murders. He also admitted ten counts of attempted murder, producing ricin and possessing an Al Qaeda training manual. ‌ After the killings it emerged he had been referred to the Prevent programme three times as a schoolboy. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a public inquiry into the tragedy in January. Sir Adrian Fulford, who presided over the trial of Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens, is chairing the two-phase review. The first will look at policing, the criminal justice system and the agencies that were involved with Rudakubana. It will then examine the wider issue of young people being drawn into violent extremism. ‌ Sir Adrian opened the hearings at Liverpool Town Hall by delivering a hard-hitting statement. He said Rudakubana was responsible for 'one of the most egregious crimes in our country's history'. 'None of the most powerful adjectives even begin to suffice,' he added. ‌ He said the crimes 'impose the heaviest of burdens on our society' to investigate how he was able to 'cause such devastation'. Sir Adrian said he will respect the families wishes by referring to Rudakubana as 'the perpetrator' or 'AR' during the hearings. ‌ He promised to 'identify without fear or favour all of the relevant failings'. 'This Inquiry is expected to act as a real engine for change given the unparalleled nature of what occurred,' he said. ‌ 'I am determined it will not turn into an exercise of papering over the cracks.' He vowed to make recommendations to stop 'others who may be drawn to treating their fellow human beings in such a cruel and inhuman way.' 'As a society we are not helpless when confronted with individuals who are known to be contemplating acts of such depravity,' he said. ‌ 'Although no solution will be foolproof, we can identify all of the robust steps which should be taken to protect ourselves, and particularly the most vulnerable, from horrors of this kind. 'And this must be undertaken at speed, to provide answers for the victims and their families and to identify all of the changes that urgently need to be made.' ‌ Sir Adrian listed some of the "undisputed but troubling facts" which he anticipated would be heard. They included two incidents where Rudakubana was found with a knife, once at a school which he had been excluded from. He said the killer had obtained a 20cm chef's knife for the attack. And he said other items found in his home included two types of machete, a sledgehammer and substances used to make ricin. ‌ Sir Adrian held a minute's silence for the victims and to 'acknowledge the ordeal of the survivors' and their families. He said the evidence 'tends to suggest that far from being an unforeseeable catastrophic event, the perpetrator posed a very serious and significant risk of violent harm, with a particular and known predilection for knife crime'. Sir Adrian said Rudakubana's ability to access 'gravely violent material' and order knives online 'speaks to a whole and general failure to intervene effectively, or indeed at all, to address the risks that he posed'. ‌ 'The Inquiry will therefore scrutinise with care the actions of those involved in responding to these events and the threat posed by the perpetrator,' he continued. 'Without simply being wise after the event, was the response and assessment of risk sufficient? Was information properly shared? Was the understanding of risk kept up to date?' ‌ He said Rudakubana's previous dealings with Prevent mean he will 'need to reflect on whether our country has in the place the mechanisms to enable effective intervention in cases such as the present'. 'The State's well-established counter measures against 'terrorism' are of course vital,' he said. 'But does that machinery adequately address young people who are drawn into extreme violence without an accompanying commitment to a particular religious or political cause? ‌ 'Put shortly, should there be more effective mechanisms for identifying those who are contemplating serious offences, for monitoring their behaviour and for controlling their activities?' He said the Inquiry will look into whether the government can impose restrictions on people 'when there is strong evidence that they intend to commit serious violent crime but they have not yet taken steps such as to justify their arrest or prosecution'. ‌ Sir Adrian called on the media not to use the police-issued mugshot of Rudakubana, taken after his arrest. He said the victims and their families had told him the photo was a 'terrifying and singularly distressing image'. 'Seeing the face of the perpetrator, often without any warning, has the potential to be significantly re-traumatising,' he added. ‌ 'Every time this unsettling image is re-posted or re-broadcast, those responsible take on themselves the risk of causing real distress, thereby disrupting the process of rebuilding broken lives. 'I suggest this image, in the context of reporting on the Inquiry, serves no credible journalistic purpose and only causes harm. 'I therefore urge all media outlets to refrain from using it when reporting on our proceedings. 'I will consider such further measures as are available to me should it prove necessary.' The hearings will continue tomorrow with evidence from four families whose children were injured in the knife attacks.

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