British Jihadi In Video 'Radicalised In UK'

The father of a British student seen in an ISIS recruitment video appealing for Muslims to join the fight in Iraq has pleaded with him to come home.

Ahmed Muthana told Sky News he believes his son Nasser was radicalised in a mosque in the United Kingdom, but did not know which one.

He said: "The way he talks is not Nasser talking, it's someone else … He was a very soft person, he was very nice, but why he left his family I don't know. Who drove him? I don't know.

"The way he talks, the radicalism he is talking about, recruiting, asking British-born Muslims to come Syria is not Nasser's way.

"Nasser has never persuaded anybody like this before. It's the first time for me and devastating for me and my family."

The 20-year-old is seen in the video - released on social media - wearing a white turban and using the name Abu Muthanna al Yemeni.

ISIS fighters have taken control of large areas of Iraq

In the film, entitled "There is no life without Jihad", he claims the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has fighters from as far afield as Cambodia, Australia and the UK.

His family, from the Cardiff area, said that he travelled to join the conflict with younger brother Aseel Muthana, 17.

Muthana is one of three apparent Britons to feature in the video, which calls for their countrymen to "answer the call and fight for Allah".

When asked if he had a message for his son, Mr Muthana said: "My message to Nasser and Aseel is please come back home.

"Your home is the United Kingdom, not the Middle East."

ISIS, which has taken over large parts of Iraq in recent weeks, has launched a global campaign asking Muslims to post messages "to support the Islamic State" on social media.

The three apparent Britons that appear in the video

The militants have used it to release videos of them parading around towns they have claimed in northern Iraq.

One of the co-founders of Twitter has told Sky News the platform remains a "force for good" despite being utilised by groups such as ISIS.

Biz Stone told Digital View: "When you create a large-scale platform where hundreds of millions of people have the freedom of expression you have to take the good with the bad.

"I'd rather this sort of thing be out in the open than hidden in the back waters."

The Home Office said in a statement: "We do not tolerate the existence of online terrorist and extremist propaganda, which directly influences people who are vulnerable to radicalisation.

"We already work closely with the internet industry to remove terrorist material hosted in the UK or overseas."

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Colchester Murder Police Seek 'Running Man'

Police have said they want to speak to a man seen running close to where Saudi student Nahid Almanea was killed.

The white man, aged between 18 and 25, of medium build and with dark hair was spotted to coming out of an alleyway which indirectly links to to the Salary Brook Trail, where the 31-year-old was stabbed.

He was wearing a long sleeved, plain hooded top that is described as London bus red and dark trousers.

Ms Almanea was stabbed 16 times while walking along a path on Tuesday morning.

Nadia Almanea was attacked on her way to university

In a statement, Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Worron said police also wanted to hear from anyone who could help identify a man wanted for questioning over an attack on a woman in Peache Road, Colchester, at around 10pm on June 19.

"The location of this attack, and some aspects of it, including reports that a knife was seen and the victim was a woman, mean that this suspect is also of interest to the Almanea investigation," he said.

The attacker was described as white, in his early 20s, and around 5ft 7in to 5ft 8in tall. He was of medium build and had a narrow face, appeared unwell, and possibly had fair hair.

Police have been searching the area where Ms Almanea was stabbed

Ms Almanea had been taking an English language course at the University of Essex as part of her studies for a life sciences PhD.

Police released a CCTV picture of the 31-year-old taken moments before her death and a map of her likely route from the home she shared with her brother to the spot on the Salary Brook trail where her body was found.

Police have previously said the fact that Ms Almanea was stabbed multiple times bore "obvious similarities" to the murder of James Attfield, a vulnerable man with brain damage who was stabbed more than 100 times in a park in Colchester in March.

Police released a map showing Ms Almanea's route

In the statement on Saturday, police said it was still not clear whether the two killings had been carried out by the same person.

"A criminal profiler from the National Crime Agency has carried out a thorough assessment of all the evidence in connection with both murders," Detective Chief Superintendent Worron said.

"A decision has been taken that they remain separate but parallel investigations at this time.

"However the circumstances of both crimes mean that we must consider the possibility that the same killer or killers are responsible."

James Attfield was stabbed more than 100 times in March

Police have urged people to remain vigilant and be careful about going out alone following the attacks.

Superintendent Steve Ditchburn said extra patrols were being carried out across the town.

"Our advice to people is that we have now had two knife murders in Colchester in less than three months where the motive for the attacks remains unknown," he said.

"Both of these attacks were on lone people who were in locations where it appears no one else was nearby at the time.

"For that reason we would remind people to take sensible precautions to stay safe. This includes avoiding any situations in which you could find yourself isolated and alone in a public area."

:: Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Investigation Team on 01245 282103, Essex Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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World's Ugliest Dog: Peanut Crowned Champion

A two-year-old dog called Peanut has been crowned the World's Ugliest Dog at a contest for freakish-looking pets in California.

The mutt, thought to be a Chihuahua-Shitzu mix, beat contenders with hunched backs and patchy coats to take the top prize at the annual gathering of the least pulchritudinous pooches on the planet.

Owners and judges agreed that Peanut's wild white and brown hair, bulging eyes and protruding teeth belied a sweet and energetic personality.

Peanut's owner, Holly Chandler, of Greenville, North Carolina, said he was seriously burned as a puppy and she wanted to use her pet to raise awareness about animal abuse.

She planned to use the $1,500 (£882) prize to pay for other animals' veterinary bills.

The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, California, is in its 26th year.

The dogs are scored by a three-judge panel in several categories, including special or unusual attributes, personality and natural ugliness.

Winners in recent years have included a duckfooted beagle, boxer and basset hound mix with a waddle, a Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix with a protruding tongue and short tufts of hair and a Chihuahua with a missing eye and a camel's back.

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Uganda: Piglet Terror Probe After Protest

Police in Uganda are testing two piglets for "terrorism related material" after they were smuggled into the country's parliament and turned loose by two anti-corruption protesters.

Investigators said they were taking no chances following the demonstration, in which the animals were painted and labelled with slogans accusing MPs of corruption - including the word "MPigs".

Relatives of the two protesters said they have been held in prison awaiting trial on three charges of "criminal trespass, conspiracy to sneak piglets into parliament and interrupting parliament work".

The painted piggy suspects outside the parliament building in Kampala

Seven police officers who were on duty outside parliament have also been suspended over the security breach, and held on charges of neglect of duty.

Police deputy spokesman Polly Namaye said: "The investigators are to test the animals for terrorism related material.

"You never know, there could have been another motive other than a protest.

"This is a standard practice in investigations, leaving out no chances."

Uganda, which has troops in Somalia as part of the African Union force fighting al Shabaab insurgents, and is currently on high alert amid fears of attacks by the militants.

Ms Namaye said: "In this era, every option must be explored. What is seen as a protest can be different, including terrorism, that's why these tests must be done to ensure there is not any other motive by these protesters."

The men accused of being behind the demonstration, Robert Mayanja and Norman Tumuhimbise, are members of a protest movement calling themselves the "jobless brotherhood group".

The unemployed pair were protesting at what they said was corruption and extravagant spending by MPs.

Uganda has been the subject of frequent criticism from foreign donors over allegations of widespread corruption, although protests within the country are rare.

Earlier this year MPs triggered a furore after it emerged they had demanded a massive hike in their pay, already 60 times higher than most state employees, and that the country's chief auditor had complained deputies had failed to account for millions of dollars of expenses.

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Hidden Cash Millionaire Reveals London Clue

An American millionaire who found fame by leaving a trail of cash envelopes on the streets of San Francisco has brought his treasure hunt to Britain.

Property investor Jason Buzi hit the headlines after hiding tens of thousands of dollars in the US and tweeting cryptic clues to help people find them.

He has now stashed 20 envelopes each containing around £100 in London - and given an exclusive clue to Sky News.

The 43-year-old told Sky's Colin Brazier: "The clue is: 'A popular childrens story takes place here'."

Mr Buzi claims to be one of America's richest 1%

Mr Buzi was speaking after leaving two other clues on the @HiddenCash Twitter account he uses to promote the game.

The first clue was: 'Large space where green meets blue. Saturday neither early nor late'.

This was followed by: 'An unincorporated community in Northern California shares its name with our London drop spot'.

Mr Buzi, who made his fortune buying and reselling homes, said he was also considering whether to expand the game to the rest of the UK, as well as Paris and Madrid.

The first two clues were revealed on Twitter

In the US there have also been hunts in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Houston.

Mr Buzi, who claims to be among America's richest one percent, has been accused of turning charity into a social media competition.

But he says he is just trying to some of his millions to those less fortunate than himself.

Mr Buzi also describes HiddenCash as a way of bringing people together to have fun and put a smile on their faces.

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Iraq Militants Take Border Post In Bloody Battle

Dozens of Iraqi troops have been killed as Islamist militants seized the al Qaim crossing into Syria, security officials say.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took the border post, about 200 miles west of Baghdad, after heavy fighting throughout Friday that left some 30 Iraqi troops dead.

Although the Sunni militants have been able to cross the border with some ease for months amid the conflict in neighbouring Syria, control of the crossings makes it simpler to move weapons and other heavy equipment between the two countries. 

The al Qaim crossing. Pic: File

The mayor of Rawah confirmed militants had captured the town, some 175 miles (275km) northwest of Baghdad.

Hussein AIi al-Aujail said fighters had ransacked government offices there.

ISIS has seized swathes of land in the west of the country and north of the capital Baghdad in recent weeks and despite many Iraqis reportedly flocking to join the fight against the militants the government is on the back foot.

PM Nouri al Maliki is under increasing pressure as the crisis continues

On Friday hundreds of black-clad Shia militants, members of the newly formed "Peace Brigades", marched in the holy city of Najaf, heeding a call to defend holy sites by cleric Muqtada al Sadr.

The cleric once led a powerful militia, the Mahdi army, that battled US troops and was blamed for attacks on Sunni civilians at the height of Iraq's sectarian conflict in 2006 and 2007.

Militiamen also marched at a parade in Kirkuk, where they were called on to "sacrifice" themselves in defence of their country.

Militiamen loyal to Muqtada al Sadr march in Kerbala

In Baghdad, about 20,000 men marched through the Sadr City district with assault rifles, rocket launchers, artillery and missiles. Similar parades took place in the southern cities of Amarah and Basra.

Some carried Iraqi flags, while others held signs with messages including "We sacrifice for you, O Iraq," "No, no to terrorism," and "No, no to America".

The fall of the crossing comes as Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki faces mounting pressure to form an inclusive government or step aside.

A volunteer shouts as he takes part in a military parade in Najaf

A top Shia cleric and the White House have both strongly hinted that Mr Maliki is in part to blame for the worst crisis in Iraq since US troops withdrew at the end of 2011.

Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, the most respected voice for the country's Shia majority, on Friday joined calls for Mr Maliki to reach out to the Kurdish and Sunni minorities, remarks that could seal his fate.

A day earlier, President Barack Obama challenged him to create a leadership representative of all Iraqis.

There are fears Iraq could be on the brink of civil war

"Only leaders that can govern with an inclusive agenda are going to be able to truly bring the Iraqi people together and help them through this crisis," Mr Obama said.

Mr Maliki has until the end of this month to form a majority coalition after winning the most seats in April's election.

If he were to step aside, President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, would assume the role until a new prime minister is elected, according to the constitution.

But he has been in Germany for treatment since 2012, so his deputy, Khudeir al Khuzaie, a Shia, would step in

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Parklife Festival Killing Suspect Arrested

A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a festival-goer in a row over an inflatable doll.

Robert Hart, 26, was punched to the ground at the Parklife music event in Heaton Park, Manchester, last Saturday.

It followed an altercation over his girlfriend, Gemma, being repeatedly struck by the inflatable doll.

The pair were in front of the festival's main stage when the incident took place at about 9.15pm.

Mr Hart, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, was knocked unconscious and died later in hospital.

In a tribute to Mr Hart, an avid Manchester City fan, his family said he had "a love of music and a love of life" and was "simply awesome".

Police said the suspect was arrested in Cheshire and taken into custody where he is being questioned.

Detective Inspector Richard Eales said: "Over the last two weeks, we have received a huge amount of support by both the public and the media for the appeal to help find the person responsible.

"We now have a man in custody but that doesn't mean the investigation is at an end. We are continuing to investigate and we are renewing our appeal for information or any relevant footage."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 0161 85 69283 or email the incident room with any relevant footage. The email address is: mit.syndicate8@gmp.police.uk.

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South Korean Soldier Kills Comrades And Flees

A South Korean soldier has shot dead five members of his own unit at a guard post near the border with the North, say officials.

The army conscript, who also wounded five others when he opened fire, is on the run after fleeing with his weapon.

An operation is under way to capture him.

The shooting happened at an outpost in Goseong close to the DMZ

The shooting happened at an outpost in Goseong, about 205 miles northeast of the capital Seoul, on Saturday.

It is located just outside the demilitarised zone (DMZ) - a buffer strip that runs the full length of the border, and known as the world's last Cold War frontier.

A spokesman said: "He shot dead five fellow soldiers, wounded five others and then fled the scene with his rifle and ammunition."

The border separating the two Koreas is heavily fortified

There is no indication North Korea was involved, but tensions have been heightened recently, with Pyongyang staging a series of missile and artillery drills.

The rivals have also exchanged fire along their disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea.

Shootings do happen occasionally on the heavily-fortified border.

Last year, South Korean soldiers shot and killed a man they thought was trying to cross into the North.

In 2011, a 19-year-old marine corporal went on a shooting rampage at a Gwanghwa Island base, just south of the tense maritime border.

And in 2005, a soldier tossed a hand grenade and opened fire at a frontline army unit in a rampage that killed eight colleagues and injured several others.

The Korean Peninsula is still technically in a state of war as the 1950-53 war ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The South Korean military made up of more than 600,000 troops relies heavily on conscription, and military service often involves postings to frontline positions on the border with North Korea.

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Italy: Pope Denounces 'Evil' Crime Syndicate

Pope Francis has described an Italian crime syndicate as "the adoration of evil", adding Mafiosi "are excommunicated".

He was speaking about the 'ndrangheta group during a Mass in southern Italy.

It was the strongest attack on organised crime since the late Pope John Paul hit out at the Sicilian Mafia in 1993.

Francis made the comments after meeting the father and two grandmothers of a murdered three-year-old in the courtyard of a prison in the town of Castrovillari.

Coco' Campolongo was shot along with one of his grandfathers and the grandfather's companion in an attack blamed on drug turf wars in the nearby Cassano allo Ionio.

The father was in prison at the time of the killings in January. 

The Pope greets residents of Cassano allo Ionio

The gunmen also torched the car with the three victims inside. The Pope publicly expressed his horror at the attack and promised to visit the town.

Francis embraced the father, who asked him to pray for the boy's mother, who was said to be under house arrest.

According to a Vatican spokesman, Francis told him: "May children never again have to suffer in this way."

"The two grandmothers were weeping like fountains," the spokesman added.

Calabria is the power base of the 'ndrangheta, a global drug trafficking syndicate whose activities also include extortion and blackmail.

After greeting 200 male and female inmates at the prison, Francis met patients at a hospice and had lunch with underprivileged people and drugs addicts at a rehabilitation facility.

The 77-year-old appeared to be coping well despite the hectic schedule and scorching temperatures.

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Guildford Four's Gerry Conlon Dies, Aged 60

Guildford Four: A Long Wait For Justice

Updated: 4:30pm UK, Saturday 21 June 2014

Gerry Conlon and the other members of Guildford Four were convicted at the height of Northern Ireland's Troubles, after the IRA carried out a bombing campaign targeting pubs in the mainland UK.

But the deadly attacks in Guildford, Woolwich and Birmingham in 1974 became better known for the huge miscarriages of justices that followed, with the police under huge pressure to catch those responsible.

The plight of the Guildford Four was also highlighted by the 1993 film In The Name Of The Father, in which Conlon and his father Giuseppe were played by Daniel Day-Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite respectively.

Gerry Conlon, Paddy Armstrong, Paul Hill and Carole Richardson were jailed in 1975 for the attack on the Horse and Groom pub in Guildford which killed four soldiers and a civilian and injured scores more.

Mr Hill and Mr Armstrong were also jailed for the Woolwich bombing in which two people died.

In a separate trial, The Birmingham Six - Paddy Joe Hill, Hugh Callaghan, Richard McIlkenny, Gerry Hunter, Billy Power and Johnny Walker - were convicted of the Midlands bombings.

Later Giuseppe, and members of the Maguire family - who became known as the Maguire Seven - were arrested and jailed for possessing and supplying the IRA with explosives.

All those involved protested their innocence and after years of campaigning their convictions were overturned.

In October 1989 the Court of Appeal quashed the sentences of the Guildford Four after they had served 14 years behind bars, amid doubts about the police evidence against them.

An investigation into the case by Avon and Somerset Police found serious flaws in the way Surrey Police handled the case.

However, Giuseppe Conlon died in prison in 1980, still protesting his innocence, and never saw his son released.

His sentence was posthumously overturned by the Court of Appeal along with those of the Maguires in June 1991. The Birmingham Six had their convictions overturned on appeal in the same year.

In July 2000, Prime Minister Tony Blair became the first senior politician to apologise to the Guildford Four.

In a letter sent to Paul Hill's wife - one of the American Kennedy clan - he wrote: "There were miscarriages of justice in your husband's case, and the cases of those convicted with him. I am very sorry indeed that this should have happened."

In recent years Gerry Conlon took up the cause of a number of dissident republicans jailed in Northern Ireland including Marian Price.

She was found guilty of offences linked to paramilitaries, including providing a phone used by the Real IRA hit squad that murdered two British soldiers at the Massereene barracks in Co Antrim in 2009.

He insisted his approach was not politically-motivated but about the right of people to have a fair trial and the right for justice to be seen to be done in public.

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