Italian Job - Manchester City Centre Selfridges ram raided and 1/2 Mn goods stolen

Here is a remarkable story.

Manchester is reading goggle eyed about the massive conspiracy by 12 Pakistanis to blow up major shopping centres in Manchester. (Correction now down to 11, an 18-year-old arrested in connection with the alleged plot has been released into the custody of the UK Border Agency.)

At around 10:30pm on Monday evening, 6th April while contract workers were still inside, 4 men in a Black Ford Ka (! - stole from a Chris Lysaght) ram raided from Market Street the doors to the entrance to the alley between M&S and Selfridges.

They then smashed through into the ground floor through the main entrance doors. The four men then proceeded to scoop up (according to the Daily Telegraph today) £500,000 of jewels, watches etc,

They then drove back into the alley , down it, and exited into Exchange Square at the other end by smashing that door down. The Ka was dumped and the men switched to a silver Honda Civic. The Kaw as found abandoned in Blackfriars Road, Salford and found the following morning, it had been stolen from the Eccles area. and found abandoned in the morning.(Key 10 artice appeared on Wednesday3)

The Manchester Evening News first publishd the story last night.

This was a major and serious crime - the car indeed could have been a car bomb - why does it take days for the Press to pick it up ?

Distracted perhaps by the lies dribbling out from GMP HQ about the Northwest 12

Dmitrijs Smirnovs, Latvian economist - Latvian Secret Police arrest him for bad-mouthing the stability of Latvia's banks, national currency, the lat

"To be controlled in our economic pursuits means to be controlled in everything." Friedrich August von Hayek

The UK's EU cousin , Latvia saw their national economy take a very steep nose dive this year. After joining the EU in 2004 they rejoiced that had the highest growth rate in the European Union. Latvia is now in deep recession. Their economy shrank 4.2% in the third quarter.

In late September, Sweden's Swedbank, the biggest bank in Latvia in terms of assets aw deposits slide - not hugely but by 3% .

Parex, a big locally owned rival, also lost customers - 5% of its deposits in October. In the bars and coffee shops Latvians pondered about the solvency of the country and thre strength of thei currency the lat.
Dmitrijs Smirnovs, a 32-year-old Ventspils University College (Ventspils Augstskola) lecturer and economist , took part in a discussion organized by a small local newspaper, Ventas Balss. He reflected a common view that hard times were on the horizon: "All I can advise is this: First, don't keep money in banks. Second, don't keep money in lats."

Shortly afterwards, on Oct. 6, the Security Police opened a criminal investigation into people who "spread rumor and untruthful information". They mobilized to combat destabilizing chatter about banks and exchange rates. Agents directed their attention to Internet chat rooms, newspaper articles, cellphone text messages and even rock concerts. A popular musician was taken in for questioning after he cracked a joke about unstable Latvian banks at a performance.

Swedbank, supported by guarantees from the Swedish government, saw customers return. Latvian owned Parex, sank deeper into trouble as depositors continued to flee.

Fearing the worst, Latvia's government took a 51% stake in Parex and then approached both the European Union and the IMF for help.

A few days later, Mr. Smirnovs was picked up outside his home by two plainclothes officers from the Security Police and taken to Riga for questioning.

Latvia's Security Police are usually busy hunting spies, terrorists and other threats (mainly Russian) to the 2.4 million people who keep 26 local banks busy.

Now free after having been held without charge for 2 days Mr. Smirnovs is still under investigation for bad-mouthing the stability of Latvia's banks and the national currency, the lat. Investigators suspect him of spreading "untruthful information." They've ordered him not to leave the country and seized his computer.

Finance Ministry officials acknowledge that secret police won't save the country from economic crises. But they do believe Security Police vigilance makes the public think twice before spreading uninformed gossip about banks.

"It is a form of deterrence," says Martins Bicevskis, Finance Ministry state secretary.

Gene Zolotarev, an American financial manager who has lived in Latvia for years, says that he's "not generally a fan of totalitarianism," but doesn't mind the probes. "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures."

Dzintars Jaundžeikars, chairman of the National Security Commission of the Latvian Parliament, the Saeima, has come out in favor of punishing rumor-mongers and making people "think before they speak" about matters of the national currency and economy. (Free Speech Latvia blog)

For those who think of Latvia of a small countruy, far away of which we know little.. this picture may help your understanding.

The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act. Orwell would have been thrilled ... AIPAC are

The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act.

The Act was sponsored by Congresswoman Democrat Jane Harman (pic of her with friend) of California. The House passed it by an overwhelming 404 to 6 vote (22 didn't vote) on October 23rd. It now awaiting approval by the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which is headed by well nown libertarian Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut.Detailed Vote here (Dennis Kucinich voted against)

Folks may possible remember that Harman was the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the 109th Congress. In October 2006 reports surfaced that Harman was under investigation by the FBI for "allegedly (with the help of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC NYT 24.10.06) enlisting wealthy donors to lobby then-House Minority Leader (and current House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi to retain her position as the head Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Pelosi subsequently chose Silvestre Reyes to be the Chair of the Intelligence Committee in the 110th Congress

Approval by the committee will take place shortly, to be followed by passage by the entire Senate. Text of the Bill here.

This Bill, which has had scant attention in the MSM is predicated on the belief that the United States will soon have to deal with home grown terrorists and naturally, well ...er... something must be done... get up a posse?

The Act will ( will not would because it will be passed) create a congressional commission that will be empowered to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and designate various groups as "homegrown terrorists."

The commission will frame and propose new legislation that will enable the government to take punitive action against both the groups and the individuals who are affiliated with these domestic terrists.

This Commission will be peripatetic - it will hold hearingsthroughout the US to find the terrorists and root them out. These hearings of established by the Bill of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Commission can be arranged by any of the proposed 10 commission members , they can obtain testimony, administer oaths to witnesses, meaning that multiple hearings could be running simultaneously in various parts of the country.

The Commission members appointed directly by Congress will be selected for their "expertise," and (naturally) will reflect the usual political interests. They will be paid. They will have staff.
The Bill is silent on defining terrorism either inclusively or exclusively. "Homegrown terrorism" as "planning" or "threatening" to use force to promote a political objective, meaning that just thinking about doing something could be enough to merit the terrorist label are however detailed in such a fashion to keep lawyers in breakfasts for decades.

The act also describes "violent radicalization" as the promotion of an "extremist belief system" without attempting to define "extremist." (See Glossary)

The Commission will not operate in perpetuity. It's work completed (in some 18 months ! - ie to be inherited by the next Administration) a Centre of Excellence for the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism will be established to study the lessons learned.

The centre will operate either out of the Department of Homeland Security (you bet it will) or out of an appropriate academic institution and will be tasked with continuing to monitor the homegrown terrorism problem and proposing legislation and other measures to counter it.

The lack of clarity in the language and clear objectives will allow theose so inclined to hi-jack and abuse the process and seek define any group that is pressuring the political system as "terrorist," ranging from same- sex marriage freaks, polygamists, to second amendment rights supporters, anti-abortion protesters, anti-tax agitators, immigration activists, and peace demonstrators and 9/11 deniers.

The intention of course is to provide a spurious belief and widespread support that the groups and individuals on the extreme fringes of society - Mulsims maybe ? acn be hounded and perscuted, as these wannebe vigilantes roam the States hunting for someone to feed the bloated Department of Homeland Security who have the funds, resources and intelligence capabilities to hunt down the enemy within...having been remarkably unsuiccessful in fuinding the enemy without.

Glossary from Bill ;
‘‘(2) VIOLENT RADICALIZATION.—The term ‘violent radicalization’ means the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to ad19
vance political, religious, or social change.
‘‘(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM.—The term 'homegrown terrorism’ means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
‘‘(4) IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE.—The term ‘ideologically based violence’ means the use, planned use, or threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual’s political, religious, or social beliefs.

THis is the lady who promoted the Bill and whom you might wish to represent any views you may have ..
Democratic Rep. Jane Harman,
Washington, DC2400 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515Phone: (202) 225 8220Fax: (202) 226 7290

See Open letter to her from 911.Blogger

Un "fucking"believable ... but TRUE

On the 11th November 1982 three unarmed IRA members were stopped at an RUC checkpoint in Craigavon, County Armagh and died as a result of gunshots.

On 24th November 1982 An RUC undercover unit, killed Michael Tighe and wounded Martin McCauley at an IRA arms cache which the two men had discovered by accident on a farm near Lurgan, County Armagh. Neither man was proved to be a member of any paramilitary group. Martin McCauley was later arrested in Colombia on the suspicion of teaching FARC guerillas in the use of explosives, in particular the "barrack buster"

On 12th December 1982 at an RUC checkpoint in Mullacreavie, County Armagh, 2 INLA members, Seamus Grew and Roddy Carroll were killed (the (alleged) intended main target, Dominic McGlinchey, was not in their car as expected)

On 24 May 1984 an inquiry under Deputy Chief Constable John Stalker of the Greater Manchester Police was opened into these 3 cases where it was alleged that a specially trained undercover RUC team known as the "Headquarters Mobile Support Unit" had carried out a "shoot-to-kill" policy.

SHOOT TO KILL was a 2 part serial drama and a discussion programme shown on 3 and 4 June 1990 which examined Deputy Chief Constable John Stalker's investigation into the alleged 'shoot to kill' policy carried out by the RUC. This drama was set arounfd the role of the Chief inverstigating officer Det Chief Inspector John Thorburn of Greater Manchester Police played by John Calder.

In The Times of 9 February 1988 John Stalker - removed from the case stated ,

"I never did find evidence of a shoot-to-kill policy as such. There was no written instruction, nothing pinned up on a noticeboard. But there was a clear understanding on the part of the men whose job it was to pull the trigger that that was what was expected of them."

On 23 June 1992 Mr Thorburn, withdrew a libel action against the RUC Chief Constable,Sir John Hermon, and he made a statement in which he took the opportunity to submit publicly that he was satisfied that the RUC had not pursued a shoot- to-kill policy in 1982 and that the RUC Chief Constable had not condoned or authorised any deliberate or reckless killings by his officers. Other members of the Stalker/Sampson inquiry team also stated in June 1990 that “the Greater Manchester officers wish to stress that the Stalker/Sampson Enquiry found no evidence of a ‘Shoot to Kill policy’ ”.

John Thorburn was a private citizen and acted as head of security for Coats Viyella plc, reporting directly to the Chaimran, Sir Davoud Alliance. The company had considerable manufacturing operations in Northern Ireland.

As theft of company textiles often involved falsification of computer records Lord Patel had the experience of dealing with John Thorburn as an outside contractor to provide an independent external audit and forensic analysis of computer systems, records, procedures etc., and so dealt with this bluff, straighforward Scot for a variety of reasons on several occasions.

Flying back from Belfast to Manchester one evening on a BA ATP (fondly known as Another Technical Problem) - whose cabin noise levels have to be experienced to be believed, Lord Patel decided to breach the topic of the "Shoot to Kill" policy

Lord Patel already knew that John Stalker only went to Northern Ireland twice and never stayed overnight and that it was John Thorburn who did all the groundwork over many months. The Special Branch officers at Belfast International, City and Manchester Airports all knew he was.

He turned slightly and looked squarely and his voice developed (even above the roar of the engines and their curious 7 bladed propellors) a sharpness and edgy timbre that is not easily forgotten.

" I can't of course tell you anything about the case, or what we did, or found out" .. he paused, searching for the right expresion...."But" ...." There are things that go on in this world that you wouldn't believe".

It seemed appropriate to shut up. The subject was never mentioned again.

After the revelations of Nuala O'Loan yesterday officially confirming that 40 retired officers, including two chief constables, failed to cooperate with her inquiry into collusion between the police and the UVF in the loyalist north Belfast estate of Mount Vernon in the 1990s. The report revealed that paid informants were directly involved in 10 murders and linked to a series of other crimes.

It has been confirmed that none of the officers involved in collusion with the loyalist terror gang are to be prosecuted.

Mrs O'Loan said the lack of relevant documentation, whether it was lost or destroyed, ruled out any legal action being taken against the Special Branch team who ran the UVF gang.

Whilst we all suspected what John Thorburn didn't wish to disclose to Lord Patel on that memorable flight, our collective state of inoccence has been smashed. There ARE things going on that you wouldn't have believed.

So when a Government scientist is found dead in a wood, apparently of a self inflicted wound.

When Bombs go off, or pretend to go off on London Transport....

When inoccent men are shot 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13 times in the head in public.

When financiers conceal gifts to political parties in collusion with the Prime Minister...

Just Remember

There ARE things going on that you wouldn't believe.

Pic : Royal Ulster Constabulary Chief Constable Sir John Hermon OBE QPM 74 at a
a rally in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in Northern Ireland after the Patten report on policing in NI. Saturday, September 18, 1999 BBC Sir John, whose wife Lady Sylvia 61 is now a Westminster MP suffers from Alzheimers disease and so presumably can remember absolutely nothing.