Three killed, 20 injured in explosion in Syria's Deir el-Zor, state news agency says
CAIRO, March 3 (Reuters) - Three people were killed and 20 others injured in an explosion in the Syria's eastern Deir el-Zor region, the state news agency reported on Monday.
It said the reason behind the explosion was unknown.
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Reporting by Jaidaa Taha and Muhammad Al Gebaly Editing by Tomasz Janowski
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Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Minnesota ‘gunman' Vance Boelter arrested after largest manhunt in state history following horror shooting rampage
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VANCE Boetler, the suspected of shooter of Minnesota Rep Melissa Hortman and her husband, has been arrested after the state's largest-ever manhunt. After two days of intense searching where the net slowly closed in on Boetler, he was eventually found hiding in the woods and taken into custody on Sunday evening. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Vance Boetler seen as he is arrested by Ramsey County Sheriff's Office on Sunday evening Credit: Reuters 4 Authorities gather as they search for Boetler Credit: EPA 4 The public had been warned not to approach the 57-year-old, and he was armed when they arrested him in a rural area in Sibley County, southwest of Minneapolis. A massive manhunt was launched on Saturday after Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot dead at their home in what officials called a "politically-motivated assassination". Cops said the same gunman had earlier shot and wounded Democrat senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home nine miles away earlier on Saturday morning. The gunman reportedly disguised himself as a police office to trick his victims. Police quickly located a vehicle of interest and the cowboy hat they believe Boelter was wearing when he was last seen in the Twin Cities area. Fliers for No Kings - a group against President Trump's perceived overreach of power - were found in suspect's car. The bits of evidence were found on Highway 25 in Sibley County roughly halfway between Green Isle, where Boelter has a property, and Belle Plaine. Boetler faces two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder. Hoffman and his wife were severely after being shot multiple times and had to undergo emergency surgery. After they got out of the operation room, governor Tim Walz said he was "cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt". More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
Scottish Sun
19 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I watched pitiful Soham killer Ian Huntley sob like a baby after going undercover in jail… how his arrogant mask slipped
David McGee reveals his chilling encounters with the 'slimy and manipulative' double child killer in our exclusive new true crime series TEARS OF A KILLER I watched pitiful Soham killer Ian Huntley sob like a baby after going undercover in jail… how his arrogant mask slipped WHITE as a ghost, overweight and sobbing uncontrollably, this was a side of Ian Huntley the cocky child killer never wanted anyone to see. And as David McGee wheeled the pitiful monster away in a golf buggy, he could barely believe the extraordinary chain of events that had led him to this moment. 11 Soham killer Ian Huntley was convicted of double murder in 2003 Credit: PA:Press Association 11 Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, both 10, were murdered by the monster 11 Huntley's girlfriend Maxine Carr was convicted of perverting the course of justice Credit: Reuters 11 Huntley was held at Woodhill prison while awaiting trial Credit: The Times As part of a shocking investigation into the lax security of Britain's jails, the former investigative reporter had landed a job as an officer at Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes in early 2003. At the time the all-male Category A jail in Buckinghamshire held 650 prisoners. It had housed hostage taker Charles Bronson, 'Hannibal the Cannibal' killer Robert Maudsley and murderer Michael Sams, who had eight years added to his four life terms after taking a probation officer hostage at Woodhill. And just two weeks into his new role, David found himself left in sole charge of one of Britain's most notorious killers. The previous year, former school caretaker Huntley had lured ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman to their brutal deaths at his home in Soham, Cambs. Languishing in a Woodhill prison cell awaiting his trial for double murder at the Old Bailey, the brute was on suicide watch and needed to be monitored round the clock. Incredibly, that duty fell to David, who grew to know Huntley's "arrogant" and "slimy" character first-hand over a number of intimate encounters. Now, as part of The Sun's new true crime series, Meeting a Monster, which sees those who have met the UK's most infamous criminals reveal their darkest secrets, the former journalist recalls their incredible meetings. One occasion still sticks vividly in his mind: when he was tasked with escorting the killer to a visit with his distraught parents, Kevin and Linda, which saw his egotistical mask well and truly slip. Having driven Huntley to and from the visitors' suite in a golf buggy, David recalls him sobbing hysterically after the dramatic reunion. Soham killer Ian Huntley makes chilling comment during interview with Maxine Carr which helps snare him in Channel 5 thriller Maxine He tells The Sun: 'I was in the room while he spoke with his parents, and although I was not close enough to hear what they were saying, it was clear his parents were very upset too. 'By the time they left they were absolutely wrecked. I put my hand on Huntley's shoulder to steer him back to the buggy. "It was only a distance of about 100 yards back to his cell but I was told he had to be driven both ways. 'He was bawling his eyes out, the meeting had clearly been deeply traumatising for him. "Afterwards it took him quite a while to settle down. It was an astonishing day.' Chilling first meeting Using his real name and passport, which clearly stated he was a journalist, David incredibly still landed the job at Woodhill and worked there undercover for four months. When asked for references, he named his wife and mother - but nobody bothered to check. After some rudimentary training, in the spring of 2003, he was able to smuggle in a digital camera - which he concealed inside a personal organiser. His role involved guarding prisoners and ferrying them to and from court. He had access to keys for handcuffs, cell doors and the escape hatch in prison vans - meaning he could have freed inmates, passed drugs or weapons to them or even attacked them. 11 Huntley and Carr joined the hunt for Holly and Jessica in a brazen bid to cover their tracks Credit: BBC 11 They were tried at the Old Bailey Credit: Sian Francis More than two decades later, David can still remember the moment he first came face-to-face with Huntley, known behind bars as Prisoner JG5778. Left alone with the Soham killer, David snapped a photograph of him slumped in his cell. They spent hours chatting together about football, running, and playing games of chess through the bars of his cell. 'I was shocked and amazed,' said David. 'I remember the day very clearly. I had just a fortnight's experience as a fully fledged warder and here I was doing one of the most vital jobs in the prison. 'When I first saw Huntley in the Health Care Centre where he was based my mouth went dry. 'I could see he was alone at the end of the corridor, his cell was at the end of a row of three and the others were kept empty. 'Huntley and his watcher were doing a crossword. I heard my colleague say a clue out loud: 'It's five letters and ends in stem.' Huntley was bawling his eyes out, the meeting had clearly been deeply traumatising for him David McGee 'I suggested 'brain' and it turned out to be right. I heard Huntley say from his cell: 'He's smart isn't he?' 'He seemed pale, overweight and had bags under his eyes. He was wearing a burgundy sweatshirt, trousers and a pair of trainers. 'I said: 'Hello, how are you doing?' In a soft quiet voice he simply answered: 'All right.' 'We talked about soccer and when he rolled up a cigarette I cadged one off him, which is against prison rules. 'I was involved in a number of conversations with Huntley covering a wide variety of subjects." He adds: "We were close enough to share a chess board, our hands touched as we moved the pieces and I looked closely into his eyes. "That was chilling." 11 Huntley was quizzed by cops after Holly and Jessica went missing Credit: Mirrorpix 11 A police officer stands watch outside Huntley's home during a search Credit: Alamy Guarding Huntley was a popular duty at the jail as warders would get overtime, called Extra Gratuity Payments. Later, on May 7, David found himself guarding the killer alone again, this time for five hours. He said: 'Even though I was a raw rookie, I was on a rota to mind him after I was allowed to place my name on the overtime list of warders needed to man his round the clock suicide watch. "He asked me lots of questions and was actively engaged in conversation. I think he liked me and wanted me to like him. "He wanted to know about my partner, and said he preferred blonde women. He was deluded. I found him quite slimy and I'm sure he believed he would get away with his vile crimes "He was really interested in the fact that I had recently run the London marathon, and said he was very impressed with the time I finished it in. 'I had to bat away his questions because I'd been trained not to engage with the prisoners, but that did not seem to stop him. 'He never mentioned anything about the crimes he was accused of. "It was clear he was trying to be matey because that would have served him well, although there were other moments when he was tetchy and prickly but fortunately there were bars between us.' Prisoner perks Huntley's cell was painted pale yellow and was adorned with cards sent from his fiancée Maxine Carr - some pinned to a notice board and others carefully arranged on the windowsill. Each week he would buy two pouches of Golden Virginia tobacco, Rizla cigarette papers, matches, Rich Tea biscuits and UHT milk. Outside the cell was a TV screen with a Playstation on top of it, and the wires to the handheld console were passed through the bars so Huntley could play video games. He was holed up next to the prison gym and would occasionally ask to use the rowing machine. Looking back on the extraordinary time they spent together, David adds: "I definitely got a sense of his arrogance, he thought he was smarter than everyone else. 'At that time, before his trial, he had not admitted his involvement in killing the girls or shown any remorse. "He was deluded. I found him quite slimy and I'm sure he believed he would get away with his vile crimes. 11 Huntley was on 24 hour suicide watch as he awaited trial Credit: PA:Press Association 11 The spot where the schoolgirls' bodies were found near Lakenheath, Suffolk 11 The boot of Huntley's red Ford Fiesta that he used to transport the bodies Credit: Reuters "He struck me as incredibly manipulative, and I could see how he would be able to intellectually dominate young children or someone he perceived to be intellectually inferior or impressionable - like his partner Maxine. Clearly she was not the brightest spark. 'All I could do was listen to him, and he was more than happy to talk to me. 'Of course I would have loved to ask him questions but I was not there for that, I was only there as a consequence of the poor security." When the photograph David had taken of Huntley in his cell was published, the scandal sparked a Home Office investigation into the shambolic security at the prison. Prison industry groups said underfunding and staff shortages could have led to the apparent security blunder. David faced two charges under the 1952 Prisons Act in relation to the digital camera he had used, which flouted a rule prohibiting the taking in of items to the prison without authorisation. But he was later cleared when Milton Keynes Magistrates Court dismissed the case against him and all charges were dropped.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
Who is the man wanted in the Minnesota lawmaker assaults? What we know
Minnesota authorites say they believe it was Boelter who impersonated law enforcement to gain access to the victims' homes, exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot outside Minneapolis. David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that he has been sharing a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for a little more than a year and last saw him on Friday night. Then about 6 a.m. on Saturday, he received a text from Boelter. "He said that he might be dead soon," said Carlson, who called police. Carlson, who has known Boelter since fourth grade, said Boelter worked for an eye donation center and stayed at the house because it was close to his job. Carlson said he feels betrayed by Boelter and heartbroken for the victims, adding: "His family has got to suffer through this." The cryptic message sent to his roommate is just one of many unanswered questions surrounding Boelter. Officials have described the attacks as a politically motivated assassination. Boelter, who is considered armed and dangerous, is being sought by authorities following the "targeted shootings" at lawmakers' homes in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, two neighboring suburban cities. The shootings killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, while wounding State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Both lawmakers are members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said the suspect exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot outside of Minneapolis. Bruley added that the suspect also had an SUV that is identical to real police vehicles, as well as an official-looking vest, outfit and equipment. Boelter lived just outside of Green Isle, a Minnesota city of around 600 people that's about an hour southwest of the Twin Cities, Mayor Shane Sheets told USA TODAY. Green Isle is a small community, Sheets said. Boelter had no known political involvement or affiliation in the city, he said. Online, Boelter presented himself as a security expert who had also worked for global companies. A LinkedIn page believed to belong to him showed he attended St. Cloud State University. University spokesperson Zach Dwyer confirmed Boelter graduated in 1996. He also appeared as a speaker for a Minnesota nonprofit serving African immigrant communities. Minnesota Africans United, a Brooklyn Park nonprofit, said in a statement that Boelter participated in an August 2022 virtual webinar about trade and investment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Boelter's participation as a speaker was facilitated by a third-party, the statement said. He was never hired, paid or contracted by the nonprofit, which had no contact with him since the one-time appearance. A biography for the session described Boelter as having worked in Congo and for a security guard company. In 2019, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz named Boelter to his Governor's Workforce Development Board. The governor's website said the board assists in "developing, implementing, and modifying the State plan, review of statewide policies and programs, providing recommendations on actions to align and improve the workforce development system and programs," among other matters. The governor's website listed Boelter as a "business and industry representative." His appointment was effective from December 2019 to January 2023, according to a notice. A spokesperson for Walz said the governor's office appoints thousands of people of all parties to boards and commissions. The workforce development board has over 60 people on it. They are unpaid, external boards created by the legislature, and Walz doesn't interview applicants, the spokesperson said. They aren't appointments to a position in the governor's cabinet, the spokesperson said. Praetorian Guard Security Services, a residential armed home security company in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, listed Boelter as director of security patrols for the company, according to its website. The company offered licensed armed security patrols, uniformed security and event security, with the latter service coming soon. "We drive the same make and model of vehicles that many police departments use in the U.S.," the website said. "Currently we drive Ford Explorer Utility Vehicles." An email and phone call to Praetorian was not immediately returned Saturday. Officials said the suspect's SUV appeared to look like a police vehicle when officers responded. In the SUV, police found writings listing the names of other officials and papers saying "No Kings," an apparent reference to ongoing protests across the United States. The state Department of Public Safety had requested people in Minnesota to stay home from all planned demonstrations on Saturday, Gov. Tim Walz said. In a post last month, the LinkedIn account believed to belong to Boelter said he was looking for work in the food industry. Corey Schmidt of The St. Cloud Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, contributed to this report.
