Inquiry over ‘wrong’ armed arrest

Rail passengers watched the arrest on the platform (pic BNPS)

BBC NEWS (Web)

08/07/08

Three police forces are to be investigated after armed police ordered a man to lie face-down at a railway station in a case of mistaken identity.

Two Dorset Police officers arrested the 21-year-old at gunpoint after his train stopped at Bournemouth on Saturday.

He was identified by British Transport Police after Hampshire police told them of an earlier incident in Basingstoke.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said all three forces would be investigated.

‘Apology made’

In a statement, it said the inquiry would be “a supervised investigation carried out by Dorset Police so that the actions of the three forces involved can be examined”.

“The IPCC received a referral from Dorset Police on 6 July and decided yesterday that the actions of the force were appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances and decided that the matter could be dealt with locally.”

Dorset Police said a senior officer had visited the man and his family, who live in Bournemouth, and that an apology had been made.

In a statement, the force said: “The 21-year old Bournemouth man was taken to Bournemouth police station but it quickly became clear that it was a case of mistaken identity and he was released immediately.

“During the arrest at Bournemouth railway station, no shots were fired and no-one was injured.”

“Dorset Police has voluntarily referred the incident in which a man was detained by armed police officers at Bournemouth railway station over the weekend to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

“The force is also providing on-going support to the family with the appointment of a dedicated family liaison officer.”

Top UN officials denounce killing of veteran staffer in Mogadishu

UN ( News )

7 July 2008 –

Officials from across the United Nations system have strongly condemned the killing of Osman Ali Ahmed, the acting head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) office in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.Mr. Ahmed was shot yesterday by unidentified gunmen as he left a mosque in Mogadishu with family members.

“A 14-year veteran of UNDP, Mr. Ahmed dedicated his life to the betterment of his country while working under very difficult circumstances during some of Somalia’s most turbulent times,” according to a statement issued by UNDP.

“We extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to his wife and family and wish his son, who was wounded in the attack, a full and speedy recovery,” UNDP said.

The killing is the latest in a string of attacks against UN staff in the country, which has not had a functioning government since 1991 and is facing worsening security and humanitarian conditions.

“The killing of Osman Ali Ahmed is a loss not only for the United Nations but also for the Somali people, who are the ultimate victims when humanitarian workers and aid officials are targeted in this way,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement issued by his spokesperson.

Mr. Ban encouraged all Somalis “to reflect on this latest senseless act of violence and to work together in the search for peace and reconciliation.”

Mark Bowden, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, also expressed concern at the incident, stating that “it is particularly outrageous and worrying at this critical time, when the need for humanitarian assistance is rapidly increasing.”

According to UN agencies, as many as 2.6 million Somalis are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, noted that the main victims of the shooting are the innocent Somali people who desperately need the assistance that the UN and others provide.

“However, this killing will not deter the UN from carrying on its vital work inside the country,” he said.

The President of the General Assembly added his voice to the chorus of condemnation of the murder, expressing his grave concern that once again a UN staff member was a deliberate target of terrorism.

“The attack clearly demonstrates that terrorism is not only a threat to the values and principles of the United Nations but a very concrete threat to its physical existence and actual work on the ground,” he said in a statement.

Iran president says US attack ‘political suicide’ for Bush

BY KUALA LUMPUR (AFP)

08/07/08

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday downplayed the threat of an attack on his country by the United States, saying it would be “political suicide” for US President George W. Bush.

He also said that the Iranian people stood ready to defend their country in the event of any attempt to close down the nation’s nuclear programme.

“Any finger that will trigger the bullet, the Iranian people will cut it,” he told a press conference at the D8 summit of developing nations.

Ahmadinejad said the US was no longer in a position to make an assault on Iran.

“In the US, his wise scholars will not allow Mr. Bush to commit political suicide and of course the economic, political and military situation will not allow Mr. Bush to do that,” he said.

“(Bush) is not in a situation to change circumstances in his favour.”

The United States and its top regional ally Israel have never ruled out attacking Iran over its nuclear drive, which the West fears could be aimed at making nuclear weapons.

There has been concern an attack against Iran could be imminent after it emerged Israel had carried out manoeuvres in Greece that were effectively practice runs for a potential strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Ahmadinejad also called for US military bases across the world to be “eradicated”.

“The greatest threat in the Middle East and to countries in the world is US intervention,” he said. “The military bases in the whole world should be eradicated and removed.”

The Iranian leader, who is embroiled in a wrangle with the West over Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme, called on the major powers to “withdraw from animosity and hostile actions against us”.

“Justice, peace and friendship is also to their benefit,” he said, accusing the US of focusing on “propaganda and psychological warfare”.

“We are doing our utmost efforts to provide security and peace at the world level. I assure you, and don’t be worried, that there will be war in the future.”

The Iranian leader reiterated that his country would not pull back from its nuclear ambitions and called on Washington to withdraw its troops from Iraq.

“No one in Iran will go back from our nuclear position,” he said. “We want dialogue for the benefit of all sides but within the framework of law and justice.”

“To rebuild confidence, the US must withdraw its forces from Iraq and allow the fate of the people of Iraq and regional countries to be written by the hands of their own people,” he said.

An aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Tuesday that Iran would “set on fire” Israel and the US navy in the Gulf as its first response to any American attack over its nuclear programme.

Iran has responded to an offer from world powers to end the nuclear crisis and diplomats are analysing what is said to be a complex answer from Tehran.

The offer from world powers proposes that Iran suspends uranium enrichment — the process which they fear could be used to make a nuclear weapon — in exchange for technological incentives.

But in the latest sign that Iran is not willing to compromise on the key question of enrichment, its envoy to London said world powers were “wasting their time” by insisting on the issue.

Iran rejects the Western accusations and insists its nuclear programme is aimed solely at generating energy for a growing population whose fossil fuel reserves will eventually run out.