Latest news with #Counterterrorism
The Independent
6 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Fourth man arrested over fires at properties linked to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
British police said Monday that a fourth man has been arrested in connection to a series of fires at properties and a car linked to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The 48-year-old man, who hasn't been identified, was arrested at Stansted Airport near London on Monday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. No one was injured in the fires that occurred between May 8 and May 12 at a house owned by Starmer, a building where he once lived and a car that he had owned. Three men have already been charged in connection with the fires: Ukrainians Petro Pochynok, 34, and Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 26. They are being held without bail before a June 6 hearing at London's Central Criminal Court. Last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed a report in the Financial Times that said U.K. security officials were looking into whether Russia was involved in the attacks. Counterterrorism detectives led the investigation because it involves the prime minister. Starmer called the fires 'an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for.' Starmer and his family had moved out of his north London home after he was elected in July, and they live at the prime minister's official Downing Street residence. A Toyota RAV4 that Starmer once owned was set ablaze on May 8, just down the street from the house where he lived before he became prime minister. The door of an apartment building where he once lived was set on fire on May 11, and on May 12 the doorway of his home was charred after being set ablaze.
New York Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Kneecap Member Is Charged With Terror Offense Over Flag at London Concert
The authorities in London have charged a member of the Northern Irish hip-hop group Kneecap with a terrorism offense, accusing him of displaying a flag in support of the Hezbollah militant group at a concert in November. Liam Og O Hannaidh, who goes by the stage name Mo Chara, was charged on Wednesday under a law that makes it illegal to show public support for organizations that Britain has deemed terrorist groups. London's Metropolitan Police said that Counterterrorism officers had investigated Mr. O Hannaidh for displaying a flag during a concert at the O2 Forum in London that appeared to be in support of Hezbollah, the militant group based in Lebanon and banned by Britain. The police charged him under the name Liam O'Hanna, and the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed in an email that they had authorized the charges. If convicted, he faces up to six months in prison and a fine. 'We deny this 'offense' and will vehemently defend ourselves,' Kneecap said on Thursday in a statement shared on Instagram. 'This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction.' In their statement, the group pointed to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel's restrictions on aid and emergency supplies have caused severe shortages of food and medicine that doctors have called 'catastrophic.' 'We are not the story. Genocide is,' the Kneecap statement added. A video posted online of the group's concert in London on Nov. 21 shows Kneecap performing its song 'H.O.O.D.' to a cheering crowd as a member of the group unfurls a yellow flag around his shoulders. The same member can be heard later yelling: 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah!' The Met Police said it began an investigation after being informed in April about an online video of an event on that date. A court summons relating to the charges was sent by mail, the police said. Mr. O Hannaidh was set to appear at the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on June 18, the police said. The police added that they were also investigating another video from a music event where Kneecap performed in London in November 2023. Kneecap, a Belfast-based trio that released its first single in 2017, has built a following around its music, which features Irish lyrics over hip-hop and electronic beats. The group is known for its vocal support for Irish nationalism and a polarizing style of political messaging. The band members played fictionalized versions of themselves in a drama about their lives and music called 'Kneecap,' which won a British Academy Film Award this year. They were scheduled to perform in London on Friday as headliners at the Wide Awake festival.
Washington Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Federal judge blocks Trump's firing of two Democratic members of privacy oversight board
A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump's firing of two Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board . The ruling Wednesday from U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton ends the lawsuit brought by two of the three fired board members in February. The five-member board is an independent watchdog agency housed within the executive branch. Congress created the agency after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and tasked the board members with making sure the federal government's counterterrorism policies are balanced against privacy and civil liberties.
Al Arabiya
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Second man charged over fires at properties linked to UK PM Starmer
British police said a Romanian national was charged with arson offenses on Tuesday, the second man to be charged in an investigation into a series of fires at properties linked to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Police were called to a blaze at a property belonging to Starmer in north London earlier in May. No one was injured, but the entrance to the home was damaged. Two further fires on separate days, targeting a nearby flat and a car — both linked to the prime minister — are also part of the investigation. A 21-year-old Ukrainian, Roman Lavrynovych, was charged over the fires last week. Police said the Romanian national, 26-year-old Stanislav Carpiuc, will appear in a London court later on Tuesday charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. He had been arrested at London's Luton Airport on Saturday. Police also arrested a third man in connection with the fires on Monday. He remains in police custody. Counterterrorism police have led the investigation given the prime minister's involvement. Starmer, who has lived at his official 10 Downing Street residence in central London since becoming prime minister last July, has called the incidents 'an attack on all of us, on our democracy and the values we stand for.'
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Man charged in fires targeting UK prime minister's properties held in custody
A Ukrainian man charged with setting fire to the personal home of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, along with another property and car linked to him, was held in custody Friday after facing three counts of arson in court. Roman Lavrynovych, 21, is accused of setting fire to Starmer's house, a building where the prime minister once lived and a small SUV he had owned. He is charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life. Prosecutor Sarah Przybylska said Lavrynovych denied setting the fires and, at this point, there is no explanation for the crimes. No injuries were reported from the three fires that occurred over five days in north London in the past two weeks. Starmer had moved out of his personal home after being elected in July and lives with his family at the prime minister's official Downing Street residence. With the help of an interpreter, Lavrynovych confirmed his name, address and date of birth in Westminster Magistrates' Court, but didn't speak otherwise. He was ordered to appear at the Central Criminal Court on June 6 for a plea hearing. A Toyota RAV4 that Starmer once owned was set fire on May 8 — just down the street from Starmer's home. On Sunday, an apartment building where Starmer once lived was set fire. On Monday the doorway of Starmer's home was charred after being set ablaze. Counterterrorism detectives led the investigation because as it involves the prime minister. The charges were authorized by the Crown Prosecution Service's Counter Terrorism Division, which is responsible for prosecuting offenses relating to state threats, among other crimes. Earlier this week, Starmer condemned the fires as 'an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for.' The fires were condemned by leaders across the House of Commons, including by the Conservative Party's Kemi Badenoch, who described them as 'completely unacceptable.'
