Another Ph.D. Mass Murderer: 28 year old Bryan Kohberger Arrested for quadruple homicide in Moscow Idaho.
The other PhD Mass murderer is James Holmes for the 2012 Aurora, Colorado Mass shooting in which he killed 12 people.
Bryan Kohberger is Jewish. Is this a Jewish Ritualistic Murder?
Suspect in deaths of Idaho students arrested in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A suspect in the killings of four University of Idaho students was arrested in eastern Pennsylvania, a law enforcement official said Friday. Arrest paperwork filed in Monroe County Court said Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was being held for extradition to Idaho on a warrant for first degree murder. A law enforcement official confirmed the arrest to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the official could not publicly discuss details of the investigation ahead of a formal announcement expected later Friday. A Ph.D. student by the same name is listed in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, which is a short drive across the state line from the University of Idaho. Messages seeking more information were left for officials at WSU. The Idaho students — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin — were stabbed to death at a rental home near campus sometime in the early morning hours of Nov. 13. The slayings initially mystified law enforcement, with investigators unable to name a suspect or locate a murder weapon for weeks.But the case broke open after law enforcement asked the public for help finding a white sedan seen near the home around the time of the killings. The Moscow Police Department made the request Dec. 7, and by the next day had to direct tips to a special FBI call center because so many were coming in. Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho; Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls, Idaho; and Chapin, 20, of Mount Vernon, Washington, were members of the university’s Greek system and close friends. Mogen, Goncalves and Kernodle lived in the three-story rental home with two other roommates. Kernodle and Chapin were dating and he was visiting the house that night. Autopsies showed all four were likely asleep when they were attacked. Some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times. There was no sign of sexual assault, police said. Source
Idaho murders – update: Suspect arrested in college student killings ahead of press conference
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the murders of four University of Idaho students, according to multiple reports.
The suspect is a 25-year-old man who was taken into custody in Pennsylvania early Friday morning, NBC New York reported. He was said to have faced arraignment on undisclosed charges hours after his arrest.
The news broke just after the Moscow Police Department announced a press conference will be held this afternoon at 1pm local time (4pm ET) - almost seven weeks on from the quadruple murder.
“Police Chief James Fry will give an update of the ongoing investigation into the quadruple homicide that occurred at 1122 King Road on Sunday, November 13,” the department said in a statement.
It comes on the same day that a celebration of life will be held for victims Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen at Lake City Church in Coeur d’Alene on Friday afternoon.
A cleanup is also set to begin today at the home on King Road where the two best friends, their roommate Xana Kernodle and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin were brutally stabbed to death on 13 November. Source
7 dead in Turkish restaurant blast; gas canister suspected
ISTANBUL -- An explosion at a restaurant in western Turkey killed seven people on Friday, with one official saying a gas canister may have caused the blast.
The governor of Aydin province told Turkish broadcaster CNN Turk that five others were injured, with one of them in critical condition. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag tweeted that one person who is “alleged to have caused the explosion” was detained and three prosecutors were investigating.
Gov. Huseyin Aksoy said initial testimonies from a restaurant worker suggested there was a leak in a cooking gas canister, leading to an explosion at around 3:35 p.m. (1235 GMT; 7:35 a.m. EST).
Media also said there was a fire following the explosion in the Turkish doner kebab shop in the Nazilli district of Aydin. Footage showed fire trucks and ambulances at the scene. Source
First UK Gas Explosion for the Winter.....more to come.....
Four injured in Evesham suspected gas explosion
Four people have been taken to hospital following a suspected gas explosion in Worcestershire.
Emergency services were called to the incident at a property on Hemmingway, Evesham, shortly after 17:00 GMT.
One man was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
Two other adults were taken to hospital in Hereford, with a fourth person treated at the scene, said West Mercia Police. Five neighbouring properties were evacuated as a precaution, the force said.
The road remains closed with a police cordon in place.
People are asked to stay away from the area. Source
Brazil to Boost Security for Lula Inauguration After Bomb Threat
(Bloomberg) -- Brazil will reevaluate the procedures for President elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s inauguration after an explosive near capital Brasilia’s international airport was disarmed Saturday, the country’s incoming justice minister said. Flavio Dino wrote in his official Twitter account Sunday that all procedures in the inauguration, set for Jan. 1, “will be reassessed, with a view to strengthen security.”
“President Lula’s inauguration will take place in peace,” the future justice minister said. “Democracy has won and will win.”
Brazil’s military police said it disarmed an explosive found inside a fuel truck. A man who confessed he intended to commit a crime in Brasilia’s airport was arrested on Saturday night, according to the civil police force.
The man was allegedly a supporter of current President Jair Bolsonaro, who lost a narrow election against Lula, local news outlet G1 said.
“The fight against terrorists and rioters will be intensified,” Dino said. Source
SEAL Team 1 commander found dead in San Diego residence
Cmdr. Robert Ramirez III, commanding officer of SEAL Team 1, was found dead in his San Diego County residence Monday.
Naval Special Warfare Command officials said in a statement Wednesday that foul play is not suspected to have played a role in the decorated officer’s death.Navy officials said the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s investigation remains ongoing.
“Bobby was an outstanding leader, devoted husband and father, and a good friend to us all,” Capt. David Abernathy, commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, which manages all San Diego-based SEAL teams, said in a statement. “This is a devesting loss to our community and all who knew him. We will remain in support of Bobby’s family, friends and teammates during this extremely difficult time.”
Ramirez enlisted in 1996 and was commissioned in 2004.
He took command of SEAL Team 1 last month and arrived to the unit in June, according to his releasable service record and command officials.
His awards and decorations accrued over nearly 27 years of service include five Bronze Star Medals, two with the Combat “V” device denoting valor and acts of heroism.
Ramirez also has three Combat Action ribbons and medals for the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns, among many others.
He is the second SEAL team commander to die in roughly the past year.
Cmdr. Brian Bourgeois, commander of SEAL Team 8, died on Dec. 4, 2021, after falling during a helicopter rope training event in Virginia. Source
According to Rebel News, the El Paso Airport is being used as a shelter haven for these illegals/aliens/invaders/GRP. Send them back pic.twitter.com/xosZB6m1Wz
Elderly Canadian resident, 73, with $1million lawsuit against condo building murders 'five board members in each of their apartments' - before being shot dead by cops
Five people were shot dead by a gunman who went on a rampage in suburban Toronto condo building before cops stormed the building and killed him.
Canadian police say the unnamed suspect started shooting in an apartment complex in Vaughan, Ontario, shortly before 7.30pm on Sunday night.
The 'elderly resident', 73, reportedly shot five residents dead in different apartments - believed to be condo board members - before being shot by police.
He is understood to have lodged a civil complaint against the condo corporation for $1million - but his exact grievances are unclear.
On arrival officers were confronted by the gunman at the building near Jane Street and Rutherford Road.
Inside emergency services found a 'horrendous scene' and have since confirmed that a total of six people, including the suspect, have died.The horrific incident took place in the suburbs 30km (20 miles) north of downtown Toronto, a city that prides itself on its longstanding safety.
The type of weapon used in the latest incident has not been disclosed by police - the sale of handguns was banned in Canada earlier this year in response to a mass shooting that saw 22 people killed in Nova Scotia in April 2020.
Chief James MacSween, of York Regional Police, said: 'There is no further threat to the community at this point. We offer our sincere condolences to the victims and their families.' Source
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group
French Foreign Minister Calls Police Photo From Explosion Site In CAR 'Russian Propaganda'
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna called a photo taken by police at the scene of an explosion in the office of the head of the Russian House in the Central African Republic, Dmitry Sytyi, which clearly shows a note with a threat "from all the French" and a call to the Russians to get out of Africa, a "Russian propaganda."
PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2022) French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna called a photo taken by police at the scene of an explosion in the office of the head of the Russian House in the Central African Republic, Dmitry Sytyi, which clearly shows a note with a threat "from all the French" and a call to the Russians to get out of Africa, a "Russian propaganda."
Earlier, Sputnik reported about the note received from representatives of the Bangui police from the scene of the explosion in Sytyi's office. On a narrow piece of paper it is printed in Russian "This is for you from all the French. The Russians will get out of Africa.
" Earlier, businessman Evgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, which dealt with security issues in the Central African Republic, reported that Sytyi had previously received such a threatening note.
"This information is false and is a good example of Russian propaganda and the fanciful imagination that sometimes characterises it," Colonna told AFP during a visit to Morocco.
Sytyi was hospitalized in Bangui after an assassination attempt on Friday morning: a parcel sent to him exploded. The head of the car police confirmed to Sputnik that Sytyi had previously contacted local police. Source
Russian linked with ‘Putin’s chef’ injured in Africa attack
MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian representative in Central African Republic, who is associated with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the notorious millionaire owner of the Wagner Group military contractor, was severely injured Friday when a package exploded in his hands, Prigozhin and Russian officials said.
Prigozhin, who has been dubbed “Putin’s chef” for his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said in a statement on his messaging app channel that Dmitry Sytyi who headed the “Russian House” in Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, was in grave condition after the attack.
Prigozhin charged that before losing consciousness Sytyi said the explosive package contained a note saying “This is for you from all the French. The Russians will get out of Africa.”
Prigozhin’s Wagner Group has played an active part in the fighting in Ukraine and also has deployed to several African countries in what the West saw as part of Moscow’s efforts to expand its clout in the continent.Prigozhin, who has been on the U.S. and EU sanctions list for years for his Kremlin links, accused France of staging the attack and said that he asked the Russian Foreign Ministry to declare the country a “sponsor of terrorism.” He didn’t offer any evidence to back his claim. Source
Gutted! German MP describes mega fish tank explosion horror
A giant aquarium in a Berlin hotel containing a million liters of water and 1,500 tropical fish exploded Friday morning, causing destruction on a grand scale.
Sandra Weeser, a German MP from the liberal Free Democrats party, was a guest in the Radisson Blu hotel this week as Bundestag members gathered in Berlin for the last parliamentary week of the year.
But her last day didn’t start as planned. “I woke up from a big bang, thinking it was an earthquake,” Weeser told POLITICO. She only found out through social media what had really happened after the monstrous explosion shook the building, before she was evacuated by the fire department as water flooded the hotel and nearby streets.“There was wreckage everywhere — and the poor tropical fish frozen in between,” she said, describing the “sad picture” on the hotel’s ground floor, where the water was ankle-deep as firemen escorted her out of the building.
“One of the big fish — a parrotfish — was lying frozen on the floor on my way out,” she told Berliner Morgenpost in an earlier interview.
There wasn’t even a sole survivor of the explosion. All 1,500 fish that lived in the 16-meter-high acrylic tank died and had to be disposed of, a fire department spokesman said.
The hotel, which usually had a “pleasant ambience” according to Weeser, was left “all dark and wet,” she said.
Thankfully, Weeser said, the incident happened when the often-busy ground floor was largely deserted at 5:45 a.m. Four hundred hotel guests were evacuated. Two people were taken to the hospital with Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey also highlighted the “great luck that no terrible human damage happened,” while she called the flooding “a veritable tsunami.”
The cause of the disaster remains unclear. However, the Berlin police said that there are “no indications of a criminal act.”
A “sad end of the year,” Weeser concluded, hoping she can be a guest in the hotel next year again. Source
Maybe Donegal officals are lying and now another one of their families suffers for it. Resident of Donegal dies in a Muslim Mob attack in Lebanon.
Will update on other Donegal events if needed....
Irish soldier is killed when his vehicle is surrounded and shot at by mob in Lebanon as he was escorting UN personnel returning to Ireland following death of relatives
An Irish soldier serving as a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon was killed after his vehicle was surrounded and shot at by a mob as he was escorting soldiers home to Ireland after the death of their relatives.
Private Seán Rooney from Donegal, part of the 27 Infantry Battalion in Dundalk, was killed last night in a convoy in Al-Aqbieh that was en route to Beirut.
The 23-year-old died and another soldier, Private Shane Kearney, from Cork, was injured and is in a serious condition in hospital, having undergone surgery.
Their convoy was attacked as it was carrying eight people. Two were about to fly home for family funerals, reported the Independent Ireland. Rooney suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Two other peacekeepers were treated for minor injuries.
The soldiers were part of 121st Infantry Battalion, which comprises 333 Irish soldiers, that was deployed in November 2022 to South Lebanon as part of UNIFIL (United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon).
The convoy of two armoured vehicles en route to Beirut came under small arms fire at around 9.15pm on Wednesday night.
Simon Coveney, Ireland's foreign minister, said it was considered a standard run from UNIFIL's area of operations in south Lebanon to Beirut.
He said the vehicles became separated and one was surrounded by a hostile mob and shots were fired in the 'unexpected' attack.
All four soldiers injured in the attack were taken to Raee Hospital, near Sidon, following the incident.
Four other soldiers in the convoy were uninjured in the attack.
Coveney said the soldier is 'a young man who has lost his life in service of Ireland and of the UN'.
'This is a shocking and tragic incident and of course we have an investigation under way,' he said, expressing his condolences to the man's family and relatives of the other soldiers.
Mr Coveney said the incident happened during a two-and-a-half-hour journey to the UN peacekeeping camp in Lebanon.
'Essentially what happened, we think, was two armoured personnel vehicles were travelling from our main camp in southern Lebanon to Beirut. It was a standard administrative run, as it's called in military terms,' he told RTE Radio. And the two armoured vehicles effectively got separated. One of them got surrounded by a hostile mob – I think that's the only way you could describe them – and shots were fired and unfortunately one of our peacekeepers was killed.
'This is a very serious incident. We haven't had a fatality in the Defence Forces on peacekeeping missions for over two decades.' Source
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to hold talks with Northern Ireland political leaders in Belfast.
Mr Sunak is also to meet with businesses and communities on the second day of his visit on Friday, including a shipyard following an announcement last month by the Ministry of Defence that British-led Team Resolute is its preferred bidder for a major contract to build the next generation of Royal Navy Solid Support Ships.
It will be the Prime Minister’s first visit since taking office, and is aimed at promoting the UK Government’s investment in the prosperity and future of Northern Ireland.
The development came after the parties met with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris earlier on Thursday. The Prime Minister’s office described the talks as discussions on solutions to resurrect the Stormont executive.
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill said any meeting with the Prime Minister had to have a political outcome, and that she did not want “tea and sympathy”. Devolution has been in flux since February when the DUP withdrew its first minister from the ministerial executive in protest at Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol.
Another issue that featured in the cross-party discussions in Belfast on Thursday was the continued uncertainty over when £600 Treasury-funded energy support payments will be rolled out to householders in Northern Ireland. Source
Accidental discharge of anti-tank launcher injures Poland’s police chief
The Ministry of Interior and Administration reported that on Wednesday 7:50am in a room adjacent to the office of the Police Commander-in-Chief an explosion went off. “One of the gifts that the Commandant received during his working visit to Ukraine on December 11 to 12 this year, where he met with the leadership of the Ukrainian Police and the Emergency Situations Service, exploded. The gift was from one of the heads of Ukrainian services”, the Ministry reports.
The statement said that the commander suffered minor injuries as a result of the explosion and has been in the hospital for observation for one day.
The Ministry of the Interior and Administration also informed that a civilian employee at the Police Headquarters had also suffered minor injuries not requiring hospitalization. “The Polish side asked the Ukrainian side to submit appropriate explanations. The case has been dealt with by the prosecutor's office and relevant services,” the Ministry of Interior and Administration informs.
Polish commercial Radio ZET reported that an explosion took place in the building at the Police Headquarters in Warsaw. One person was injured, and firemen were working at the scene, the radio said.
“We know for sure that the ceiling was damaged in the Police security rooms,” Radio ZET informed. Source
Media: Alleged grenade launcher from Ukraine caused an explosion in Polish police headquarters
Polish news site RMF 24 reported on Dec. 15, citing the country’s Interior Ministry, that an explosion occurred at the police headquarters in Warsaw on Dec. 14. According to the media, the cause of the explosion was the gift Polish General Jaroslaw Szymczyk received during his recent visit to Ukraine.
Szymczyk received minor injuries and was hospitalized following the explosion, the media reported.
During his visit to Ukraine, Szymczyk met with the leadership of the local police and emergency services. Polish Interior Ministry said it was a “gift from one of the heads of the Ukrainian services.”
Another Polish media outlet Wyborcza reported that according to unofficial data, the explosion was caused by the gifted grenade launcher. According to the media, Szymczyk’s office was above the room where the explosion occurred.
The Polish prosecutor's office and relevant services are investigating the explosion, the Polish Interior Ministry said.
“The Polish side asked the Ukrainian side to provide relevant explanations," the ministry added.
Ukraine has not commented on the issue yet.
It is not clear during which visit Szymczyk received the alleged gift. Szymczyk paid a visit to Ukraine in late June, holding meetings with Ukraine's Chief Police, Ihor Klymenko, and Serhiy Kruk, the head of Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Source
Remember the October 2022 County Donegal Explosion in the town of Creeslough?
Five people are confirmed to have died in an explosion at flats in Jersey, with four residents still unaccounted for, police have said.
States of Jersey Police said the operation in St Helier continued as a search and recovery effort.
Chief of Police Robin Smith said: "The number of islanders confirmed to have been killed in the blast is now five."
He added there were still a number of residents unaccounted for after the blast early on Saturday.
The fire service had attended the flats just after 20:30 GMT on Friday after the smell of gas was reported, it has been confirmed.
Mr Smith described earlier on Sunday how there had been a "meticulous and painstaking search of the debris following the explosion, to start carefully identifying bodies when and if we find them".
He told a press conference: "That will take time. We are not going to be here for days we are likely to be here for weeks." It is understood there were nine known residents in the block before the blast in the three-storey Haut du Mont residential block on Saturday at about 04:00 GMT.
However, details on visitors remain unknown.
Mr Smith said there were "several areas of focus" in the search for bodies and families of the victims "continue to be supported by special officers".
The police chief earlier estimated "around 40" people had been displaced because of the blast and the damage it had caused to nearby buildings. None of the emergency leaders could confirm the cause, but Mr Smith said it "looks likely" it was down to a gas explosion.
An appeal has been set up to provide support for those affected by both the explosion and a maritime collision off the Jersey coast on Thursday in which three fishermen went missing.
Chief Minister Kristina Moore said islanders were "immensely shocked and saddened" by the two tragedies this week. Source
Three dead, dozen missing after explosion at apartment block on Channel island of Jersey
CNN
—
At least three people have died and a dozen are missing after an explosion and fire at an apartment building in the British Channel island of Jersey, the island’s Chief Minister Kristina Moore said Saturday.
Police declined to speculate on the cause but residents had reported the smell of gas the night before the blast. The situation has not been designated as a terrorist incident, although authorities are investigating all avenues.
Local police were alerted to the incident just before 4 a.m. local time, Robin Smith, chief officer of the States of Jersey Police, said, adding emergency services then responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The three-story building has “completely collapsed,” Smith confirmed, describing the situation as a “devastating scene.”
He said a number of flats had been evacuated, adding that between 20 and 30 people had been taken to a nearby town hall for shelter.
A search and rescue operation for those unaccounted for has commenced, Smith added.
Jersey is an island territory off the northwest coast of France, which is a possession of the British Crown, but not part of the United Kingdom itself. Source
Three dead, dozen missing after explosion at apartment block on Channel island of Jersey
CNN
—
At least three people have died and a dozen are missing after an explosion and fire at an apartment building in the British Channel island of Jersey, the island’s Chief Minister Kristina Moore said Saturday.
Police declined to speculate on the cause but residents had reported the smell of gas the night before the blast. The situation has not been designated as a terrorist incident, although authorities are investigating all avenues.
Local police were alerted to the incident just before 4 a.m. local time, Robin Smith, chief officer of the States of Jersey Police, said, adding emergency services then responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The three-story building has “completely collapsed,” Smith confirmed, describing the situation as a “devastating scene.”
He said a number of flats had been evacuated, adding that between 20 and 30 people had been taken to a nearby town hall for shelter.
A search and rescue operation for those unaccounted for has commenced, Smith added.
Jersey is an island territory off the northwest coast of France, which is a possession of the British Crown, but not part of the United Kingdom itself. Source
Reichsbürger: German 'crackpot' movement turns radical and dangerous
The Reichsbürger were, for years, a source of national derision, dismissed as crackpots.
But they're increasingly a source of concern for the security services who say they're becoming more radical and more dangerous.
Members don't recognise the post-war German state and reject the authority of its government. Despite the name, this is no organised national movement - rather a disparate set of small groups and individuals scattered across the country who are united in that shared belief.
Some print their own currency and identity cards and dream of creating their own autonomous state.
Earlier this year for example, a group calling itself the Königreich Deutschland (Kingdom Germany) bought two pieces of land in Saxony upon which they intended to create their own self-administered state.
Others refuse to pay tax or intentionally clog up the administration of local authorities by sending large volumes of, often abusive, letters.
And many have guns - legally or otherwise.
Since 2016, when a Reichsbürger shot and killed a policeman as officers raided his stash of weapons, the German authorities have revoked more than a thousand gun licences of people they believe to subscribe to the ideology. But at the end of last year around 500 still had valid gun licences.
Government figures show that Reichsbürger and so-called Selbstverwalter - a "grouping" with similar beliefs that translates as self-administrators - committed more than 1,000 extremist criminal acts in 2021, double the number in 2020.
Of the 21,000 people in the Reichsbürger "scene", around 5% are believed to be right-wing extremists and 10% potentially violent.
They also have links to the German military, says Miro Dittrich, an expert who tracks the group as well as other conspiracy theorists.
The pandemic, he believes, has served to further radicalise the group as well as increase support.
"The pandemic was a hard moment for a lot of people. it was unclear how things were going to develop… conspiracy narratives were quite attractive for a lot of people because it gave the world an order," he said.
Reichsbürger members demonstrated alongside anti-vaxxers and Covid deniers (indeed some share those positions) as well as QAnon supporters during mass street protests in the last few years. They were there when a mob from a Covid demonstration tried to storm the Bundestag in August 2020.
Many have been surprised at the depth to which conspiracy theories in general have permeated German society - particularly during the pandemic. I've experienced it myself while reporting on various demonstrations over the last few years.
Plenty of people have told me that the Covid vaccine is a poison or repeated the commonly voiced conviction that the German government plans to "replace" the "native" population with foreigners.
Just last week, at a small protest against high energy bills, one man expressed the view that Germany's foreign and economy ministers were preparing to declare war on their own country.
What worries the authorities is the extent to which that could boil over into violence. Of course not every conspiracy theorist represents a physical danger. But plenty of politicians here have been on the receiving end of death threats. Plenty more are agonising over how to stop the spread of disinformation.
So today's raids and arrests will be the source of huge national concern. Source
Twenty-five people have been arrested in raids across Germany on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government.
The group of far-right and ex-military figures are said to have prepared for a "Day X" to storm the Reichstag parliament building and seize power.
A man named as Heinrich XIII, from an old aristocratic family, is alleged to have been central to their plans.
According to federal prosecutors, he is one of two alleged ringleaders among those arrested across 11 German states.
The plotters are said to include members of the extremist Reichsbürger [Citizens of the Reich] movement, which has long been in the sights of German police over violent attacks and racist and antisemitic conspiracy theories. They also refuse to recognise the modern German state. Other suspects came from the QAnon movement who believe their country is in the hands of a mythical "deep state" involving secret powers pulling the political strings.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser assured Germans that authorities would respond with the full force of the law "against the enemies of democracy".
Plotters prepared to kill for their ends
An estimated 50 men and women are alleged to have been part of the group, said to have plotted to overthrow the republic and replace it with a new state modelled on the Germany of 1871 - an empire called the Second Reich.
"We don't yet have a name for this group," said a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor's office. The interior minister said it was apparently made up of an organisation "council" and a military arm.
Wednesday's dawn raids are being described as one of the biggest anti-extremism operations in modern German history. Three thousand officers took part in 150 operations in 11 of Germany's 16 states, with two people arrested in Austria and Italy.
Almost half of arrests took place in southern states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann tweeted that a suspected "armed attack on constitutional bodies was planned". Ms Faeser said later that the investigation would peer into the "abyss of a terrorist threat from the Reichsbürger scene".
The federal prosecutor's office said the group had been plotting a violent coup since November 2021 and members of its central "Rat" (council) had since held regular meetings.
They had already established plans to rule Germany with departments covering health, justice and foreign affairs, the prosecutor said. Members understood they could only realise their goals by "military means and violence against state representatives", which included carrying out killings.
Investigators are thought to have got wind of the group when they uncovered a kidnap plot last April involving a gang who called themselves United Patriots.
They too were part of the Reichsbürger scene and had allegedly planned to abduct Health Minister Karl Lauterbach while also creating "civil war conditions" to bring about an end to Germany's democracy.
A former far-right AfD member of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, is suspected of being part of the plot, and of being lined up as the group's justice minister. Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, who was among the 25 people arrested, returned to her role as judge last year and a court has since turned down attempts to dislodge her.A prominent lawyer was pencilled in to handle the group's foreign affairs, with 71-year-old Heinrich XIII as leader.
Public Prosecutor General Peter Frank said Heinrich was among the suspects whom investigating judges had asked to be held in custody.
Aristocrat 'fuelled by conspiracy theories'
Heinrich XIII styles himself as a prince and comes from an old noble family known as the House of Reuss, which ruled over parts of the modern eastern state of Thuringia until 1918. All the male members of the family were given the name Heinrich as well as a number.
Descendants still own a few castles and Heinrich himself is said to have a hunting lodge at Bad Lobenstein in Thuringia.
The rest of the family have long distanced themselves from the minor aristocrat, with one spokesman telling local broadcaster MDR during the summer that Heinrich was an "at times confused" man who had fallen for "misconceptions fuelled by conspiracy theories".
As well as a shadow government, the plotters allegedly had plans for a military arm run by a second ringleader identified as Rüdiger von P.
They were made up of active and former members of the military, officials believe, and included ex-elite soldiers from special units. The aim of the military arm was to eliminate democratic bodies at local level, prosecutors said.
Rüdiger von P is suspected of trying to recruit police officers in northern Germany and of having an eye on army barracks too. Bases in the states of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria were all inspected for possible use after the government was overthrown, officials said.
One of those under investigation had been a member of the Special Commando Forces, and police searched his home and his room at the Graf-Zeppelin military base in Calw, south-west of Stuttgart.
Another suspect has been identified as Vitalia B, a Russian woman who was asked to approach Moscow on Heinrich's behalf. The Russian embassy in Berlin said in a statement that it did not "maintain contacts with representatives of terrorist groups and other illegal entities".
Several violent attacks have been linked to Germany's far-right in recent years. In 2020, a 43-year-old man shot dead nine people of foreign origin in the western town of Hanau, and a Reichsbürger member was jailed for killing a policeman in 2016.
The Reichsbürger movement is estimated to have as many as 21,000 followers, of whom around 5% are considered to belong to the extreme right. Source
North Carolina sheriff says 'intentional vandalism' at substations caused power outages for 40K customers
A North Carolina sheriff and power company official said "intentional vandalism" at substations has caused outages for about 40,000 customers expected to last longer than 24 hours.
Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields reported that the mass power outage across the county is being investigated "as a criminal occurrence," according to the sheriff’s office's Facebook page.
Just after 7 p.m. on Saturday, several communities across Moore County began experiencing power outages. As utility companies began responding to the different substations, "evidence was discovered that indicated that intentional vandalism had occurred at multiple sites," the sheriff’s office said.
Moore County sheriff’s deputies and various other law enforcement agencies within the county responded to the different areas and are providing further site security, the sheriff’s office added. The post said anyone with information "about this act of violence" should contact the Moore County Sheriff’s Office at 910-947-2931. "As utility companies began responding to the different substations, evidence was discovered that indicated that intentional vandalism had occurred at multiple sites," Fields also told WRAL.
WRAL reported that power is not expected to be fully restored until 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Jeff Brooks, with Duke Energy, told WRAL crews are experiencing "multiple equipment failures" affecting substations in Moore County, which acts as a border between Piedmont and the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
"We are also investigating signs of potential vandalism related to the outages," Brooks said.
WRAL reported that a Duke Energy outage map Saturday evening showed 37,998 customers without power in Moore County. The Randolph Electric Membership Corporation also counted nearly 3,000 customers without power in the southern part of the county, according to the news station. Source
Because we all know thunder behaves this way......and plumes of smoke always follows lightening strike....
Londoners described a huge ‘explosion’ before massive clouds of smoke could be seen rising into the sky above north London.
Huge rumbles of thunder could be heard across parts of Hackney Wick, and the incident could have been related to the weather.
Witnesses described a ‘huge flash of light’ followed by the sound of a ‘massive’ bang in Hackney Wick.
The light was seen by residents all the way in Bow. ‘I saw a big flash of light out the window. I genuinely thought it was lightining but then I didn’t hear a thunder’ one resident said.
Meanwhile, another witness in Homerton said she heard ‘a big bang’, so thought it was a loud thunder.
Hackney Police said on Twitter: ‘We’ve received several calls about loud bangs in the Stoke Newington area this evening. ‘No major incidents have been reported to us. The noise appears to have been caused by thunder and lightning.’
However, the police did not make any reference to whether something had been struck in the storm to cause the smoke.
According to LightningMaps.org, several strikes took place in quick succession in Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington, Hampstead and Camden.
Jo Brodie tweeted: ‘Impressive lightning…Seen from my window in Blackheath, where we now have torrential rain.’
David Wyllie said: ‘Quite a loud explosion (and flash of light) here in Islington but no sign of thunderclouds.’ Barnaby Slater said: ‘Huge flash of light followed by sound of massive explosion and plume of smoke in North London.’
Aubrey Whitfield said: ‘Two huge flashes of light in London and loud bangs. Explosion? Heard in Hackney. Hope everyone is safe.’
Mikan said: ‘I just heard a very loud bang/explosion in North London?? Initially I thought it was thunder but apparently people across London heard it too.’
The London Fire Brigade and the Met Office have been contacted for further information. Source
Local residents and right-wing activists among crowd as protest resumes against East Wall asylum accommodation
A crowd of between 200 and 300 people attended a protest in Dublin’s East Wall on Saturday, the latest in a series of demonstrations against the moving of asylum seekers into an old ESB building.
The crowd of mostly local residents were addressed by amongst others, a former independent councillor Malachy Steenson as well as members of the right-wing Irish Freedom Party.
The protest was the latest of several demonstrations staged in the north inner city community this week following a decision to accommodate a large group of asylum seekers in an office building without prior consultation.
The organisers, a local committee led by Mr Steenson, a solicitor, suspended the protest to facilitate a meeting between two government ministers, Paschal Donohoe and Roderic O’Gorman, and a local committee on Friday. They resumed the protest after that meeting ended without a resolution. Mr Steenson, who describes himself as a republican socialist, said he was one a committee of seven local people who met the ministers. He said the group gave the government seven days to move the asylum applicants out and close the building.
The group was led to believe this won’t happen. Speaking ahead of today’s protest, Mr Steenson told Independent.ie that the group will continue to protest.
“This facility will close,” he said. The issue is a “national issue” not a local one, he said, adding: “People are contacting us from all over the party. This is now national movement that is emerging.”
The protests began last week when local people learned that almost 400 international protection applicants had been moved into a disused ESB office on East Wall Road.
Local people said they had not been consulted, and the occupants of the building were not garda vetted. Source
China Covid: Protests continue in major cities across the country
Protests against strict Covid measures in China have spilled into a second night and spread to the biggest cities.
Demonstrators gathered in the capital Beijing and the financial hub Shanghai.
Many held up blank pieces of paper to express their discontent and acknowledge the censorship. Some have, however, gone as far as calling for President Xi Jinping to step down.
Millions have been affected by nearly three years of mass testing, quarantines and snap lockdowns.
It is very unusual for people to publicly vent their anger at Communist Party leaders in China, where any direct government criticism can result in harsh penalties.
The police have largely allowed the rallies to continue, but in Shanghai officers arrested several people and cordoned off streets on Sunday.
Hundreds of people gathered on the banks of a river in the capital Beijing for several hours on Sunday, singing the national anthem and listening to speeches.
Earlier in Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University, dozens held a peaceful protest and sung the national anthem, according to pictures and video posted on social media. Protests also took place during the day in the south-western city of Chengdu and central cities of Xi'an and also Wuhan - where the Covid outbreak originated nearly three years ago.
Videos posted on social media appear to show hundreds of Wuhan residents taking to the streets, with some protesters pictured knocking down barricades and smashing metal gates.
The latest unrest follows a protest in the north-western city of Urumqi, where lockdown rules were blamed for hampering rescue efforts after a tower block fire in which 10 people died. China's authorities have denied those claims. Source
Cops raid Virginia Walmart shooter's home as first victims are pictured: Store worker, 22, was among six killed by manager who LAUGHED as he opened fire in break room in 'planned attack' before turning his pistol on himself
The Walmart gunman silently opened fire in the break room of the Chesapeake store where he worked last night, picking off colleagues with his pistol before eventually turning the gun on himself. The shooter has not yet been named publicly. Witnesses and survivors have told how he opened fire in the breakroom of the Walmart in Sam's Circuit, Chesapeake, at 10.12pm last night. He opened fire in a breakroom where members of the night shift had just gathered to discuss their shift. One witness said he was 'laughing' during the attack, which is said to have lasted only four minutes. At 10.16pm, by the time cops entered the store, the gunman had killed himself. He killed six people, including 22-year-old Tyneka Johnson, who was named by her family on Wednesday. 'As soon as my team lead said, '"all right, we have a light night tonight," I looked up and my manager just opened the door and he just opened fire.' He wasn't aiming at anybody specifically. He just literally started shooting throughout the entire break room and I watched multiple people just drop down to the floor, whether they were trying to duck for cover or they were hit. 'He didn't say a word, he didn't say anything at all... He just came around the corner and started shooting,' Briana Tyler told Good Morning America. She said that when she started working at the store two months ago, she was told that he was the manager 'to look out for'. 'There was always somethingoing on with him just having an issue with someone but I never expected it would get to this level. He was the manager that everybody had something to say about.' Employee Jessie Wilczewski said she was hiding under a table when the gunman looked 'right at her' and told her to go home. 'It didn’t even look real until you could feel the ... ‘pow-pow-pow,’ you can feel it. I couldn’t hear it at first because I guess it was so loud, I could feel it.'
One witness who survived the shooting told local Virginia outlet WAVY that the shooter had 'issues' with other managers in the store, which led her to believe the attack was 'planned'.
President Biden issued a statement on Wednesday morning, condemning the shooting and repeating his call for stricter gun laws. He has repeatedly called for a ban on assault rifles.
On Wednesday morning, police raided the shooter's three-bedroom home in Chesapeake, which is around three miles from the store.
'Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, one of our most cherished holidays that brings us together as Americans and as families, when we hug our loved ones and count our blessings.
'But because of yet another horrific and senseless act of violence, there are now even more tables across the country that will have empty seats this Thanksgiving.
'There are now more families who know the worst kind of loss and pain imaginable. Jill and I grieve for those families, for the Chesapeake community, and for the Commonwealth of Virginia, which just suffered a terrible shooting at the University of Virginia this month,' he said, referring to the shooting on November 13.
Walmart is yet to give any kind of information about the shooter or the victims.
In a Twitter statement last night, the company said: 'We are shocked at this tragic event at our Chesapeake, Virginia store.
'We're praying for those impacted, the community and our associates.
'We're working closely with law enforcement and we are focused on supporting our associates.'
A second Walmart employee, who showed up for their nightshift shortly after the shooting, told reporters at the scene: 'Thank goodness I showed up late.'
The supercenter was open to the public at the time of the shooting - and cops said the Walmart may have been busy as shoppers were preparing for Thanksgiving.
It was due to close at 11pm on Tuesday night.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a tweet: 'Our hearts break with the community of Chesapeake this morning. I remain in contact with law enforcement officials throughout this morning and have made available any resources as this investigation moves forward.
'Heinous acts of violence have no place in our communities.' Source
An Envoy Air pilot passed out while taking off from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and was later pronounced dead, officials said on Tuesday. The co-pilot took control of the plane and managed to land safely.
The incident involved Envoy Air Flight 3556, an Embraer E175 aircraft, which was scheduled to fly to Columbus, Ohio on Saturday night. The flight was flown for American Eagle, which – like Envoy Air – is part of American Airlines. “We need to return. Captain is incapacitated,” the co-pilot told air traffic control just seconds after taking off from Chicago’s international airport. The plane landed safely a short time later.
“Despite heroic efforts to revive him, Captain in training, Patrick Ford, passed away,” Ric Wilson, the Vice President of Flight Operations at Envoy Air, said in a message to fellow pilots. “We are deeply saddened by this loss.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident. Aviation sources said Ford died of a heart attack, though officials were not able to confirm that.
“Sincere thanks to Line Check Airman, Captain Brandon Hendrickson, for his leadership and professionalism in the safe handling of his aircraft, passengers and crew,” Wilson said. Source
FAA is now investigating after the captain of American Eagle (Envoy) Flight 3556 became incapacitated shortly after taking off from ORD Saturday night. The captain died later at a hospital. The copilot safely landed the plane at ORD. 57 passengers & crewpic.twitter.com/pcvFIuUCM9
‘May not have acted alone’: Prosecutors say Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen may have had an ACCOMPLICE to the crime – as judge delays decision to unseal arrest affidavit and ‘double killer’ remains behind bars
Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen could have an 'accomplice' to the double murder, according to prosecutors fighting to keep his arrest affidavit under wraps - as the alleged killer remains behind bars until next year.
Allen, 50, is accused of murdering both Libby German, 14, and her friend Abigail Williams, 13, as they hiked a trail in Delphi, Indiana, in February 2017.
WTHR reported that the prosecutor said in court that there is reason to believe that Allen is not the only one involved in the killings - though no other names were mentioned.They said: 'We believe Richard Allen is not the only actor involved in this.'
Ron Logan, who died in 2020, had long been the prime suspect in the killings after the girl's bodies were found on his property and Kegan Kline was also named as the possible murderer.
Allen was given court-appointed lawyers after sending a handwritten letter to the judge asking for representation last week.
A judge in Indiana put off his bail hearing until next year and will mull over the decision to unseal the arrest affidavit – as the mother of one of his alleged victims begs for it to remain sealed.
His lawyers have since filed a request for Allen to be released without posting bond or by setting a ‘reasonable bail amount’, which will be considered on February 17 at a bail hearing.
Currently the only details that have been released are that Allen's initial bail was set at $20million following his arrest, though he is reportedly now being held without bond.He has pleaded not guilty to both counts of murder, and prosecutors have sealed his arrest warrant from being accessed by the public. The state has filed a motion requesting a gag order in the case.
Andrew Baldwin, defense attorney for Allen, says that he is the 'wrong guy' and the sealed probable cause affidavit is 'flimsy' adding: 'You expect more than what I saw.'
As part of Allen's petition to be let out on bail, his attorneys say 'because neither the proof of guilt is evident, nor the presumption of guilt strong, the Accused is seeking a hearing to release the Accused.'
Though prosecutors did not name any potential accomplices, both Logan and Kline have long been linked with the slayings. Source
Gunman kills 5 at LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs before patrons confront and stop him, police say
CNN
—
A 22-year-old gunman entered an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, just before midnight Saturday and immediately opened fire, killing at least five people and injuring 25 others, before patrons confronted and stopped him, police said Sunday.
The suspect in the shooting at Club Q was identified as Anderson Lee Aldrich, according to Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez. He used a long rifle in the shooting, and two firearms were found at the scene, Vasquez said.
At least two people inside the club confronted and fought the gunman and prevented further violence, Vasquez said. “We owe them a great debt of thanks,” he said.Joshua Thurman told CNN affiliate KOAA he was inside the club dancing when he heard gunshots and saw a muzzle flash.
“I thought it was the music, so I kept dancing,” he said. “Then I heard another set of shots, and then me and a customer ran to the dressing room, got on the ground and locked the doors and called the police immediately.”
The violence lasted just minutes. Police received numerous 911 calls starting at 11:56 p.m., officers were dispatched at 11:57 p.m., an officer arrived at midnight and the suspect was detained at 12:02 a.m., police said. A total of 39 patrol officers responded, police said, and Fire Department Captain Mike Smaldino said 11 ambulances went to the scene.
Authorities initially said 18 people were injured but later adjusted that total up to 25. Of those, several are in critical condition with gunshot wounds, though the exact number was unclear, officials said.
The suspect is being treated at a hospital, police added. Officers did not shoot at him, police said. Source
What we know about Anderson Lee Aldrich, the alleged Colorado Springs Club Q shooter
An attacker opened fire in a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs late Saturday, killing five people and wounding at least 25, officials said. The club said the suspect was subdued by patrons, and Colorado Springs police said he was taken into custody and hospitalized for treatment of his injuries.
Here’s what we know about the suspect:
Who is Anderson Lee Aldrich?
Colorado Springs police Chief Adrian Vasquez identified the suspect as 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich at a news conference Sunday morning. Investigators recovered two guns on scene and said Aldrich used a long gun during the shooting, Vasquez said. Aldrich remains in a local hospital.
Does Aldrich have a criminal history?
Law enforcement officials said Aldrich’s “interactions with law enforcement” are part of the broader investigation, and they would not say if he’d previously been contacted by police. A man with the same name and matching age was arrested in June 2021 for threatening his mother with “a homemade bomb, multiple weapons, and ammunition,” according to media reports at the time. That man was arrested after a brief standoff.Howard Black, spokesman for the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, would not confirm Sunday morning that Aldrich was the same man arrested in June 2021. Black said the June 2021 incident “is all part of the investigation and will be released as appropriate.”
What do police believe was Aldrich’s motive in the Club Q shooting?
As of Sunday morning, officials declined to answer questions about the suspect’s motive for the shooting, citing the ongoing investigation.
In a statement, Club Q termed the shooting a hate attack.
“Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community,” the club posted on its Facebook page. It said its prayers were with victims and families, adding: “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.” Source
JUNE 2021
Bomb threat in Lorson Ranch neighborhood
Friday night COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Friday afternoon around 2:00 p.m., deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff's Offices responded to reports of a bomb threat on Rubicon Drive in the Lorson Ranch neighborhood, just south of the Colorado Springs Airport. The suspect, 21-year old Anderson Lee Aldrich, refused to comply with deputies' orders to surrender. It was reported to the Sherrif's Office that he had a homemade bomb, multiple weapons, and ammunition.A Tactical Support Unit, which includes the Regional Explosives Unit was called in. Around 10 homes were evacuated in the surrounding area, while an emergency text notification was sent out to homes within a 1/4-mile radius of the address. The Regional Explosives Unit cleared both homes and did not find any explosive devices. At around 6:00 p.m., the suspect was taken into custody and has been booked into the El Paso County Jail. Aldrich faces two counts of Felony Menacing and three counts of First-Degree Kidnapping. Source