Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 21

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

16,336 Ex-Militants Graduate from Camp

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, has said that 16336 ex-militants have so far graduated from the Amnesty Training Camp in Obubra, Cross River State. Of that figure, only 4,759 trainees have been placed in 59 skills acquisition/training centres in 13 states of the federation, while 2,618 have been slated for training outside Nigeria. He disclosed this during the formal demobilisation of batch 13 of the programme’s trainees at the Obubra camp on Monday. He explained that graduating from the camp marked the beginning of the crucial journey of the reintegration plan.

Police Arrest Aba Pastor for Child Trafficking

An Aba-based pastor and six others were, on Monday, paraded by the Abia State Police Command for alleged child trafficking. The Police also paraded 13 suspected cultists from Abia State University, arrested during an initiation ceremony. Also paraded were two suspected kidnappers of a 16-year-old boy in Aba and three other persons that allegedly engaged in re-bagging Dangote cement. The pastor said the children were given to him with the consent of their parents. He admitted that he was paid money for the three children he gave out. He, however, denied that the children were sold as there was specific instruction to their custodians to bring them back to him after two years.

Abia Police Raid Illegal Refineries, Arrest 40 Suspects

The Police in Abia State, on Monday, raided illegal refineries at Ezendioma Community in Ukwa East LGA. The state’s Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Bala Hassan, disclosed this and commended the Aba Area Police Command for arresting 40 people and seizing six vehicles as well as 148 jerry cans of 50 litres used in the illegal refinery. The suspects were paraded at the Aba Area Police Command after the raid. Hassan explained that the Area Commander in Aba, got information that some miscreants were in the habit of distilling crude oil into diesel and other products in the area, and he mobilised men to raid the place.

Troops Deployed in Obosi as Clash Claims 2 Lives

Soldiers and anti-riot policemen have been deployed in Obosi in Anambra State following threats on the lives of prominent people in the community. The indigenes had earlier written to Governor Peter Obi to intervene in the crisis. At least two persons were killed in the rampage last weekend. Soldiers and policemen took over strategic places in the town to forestall further threat to lives.

LG Polls Hold in Rivers

Heavy police shooting and destruction of property was recorded in some areas as LG Polls took place in Rivers state on Saturday. The shooting took place at the Rumuomasi area of Port Harcourt as voters awaited election results. The state police commissioner, Suleiman Abba, confirmed the shooting. According to him, arguments between supporters of two rival candidates, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) led to the chaos, which attracted police to the scene. Several makeshift shops and stalls were also destroyed in the melee, he said.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Gunmen Kill Policeman, Kidnap Catholic Priest in Delta

A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Peter Chukwurah, was, last weekend, kidnapped at a behind the priest’s parish in Ibusa, Delta state. It was learnt that the abductors are demanding N10 million for his release. A policeman was shot dead by suspected gunmen during the abduction. The Police Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Charles Muka, confirmed the kidnap. More than 100 priests have called for God’s intervention in the incident.

JTF Soldiers Injured in Clash with Militants

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta region has confirmed that some of its officers were wounded in a clash with some militants. The JTF clashed with some unrepentant militants, led by John Togo, who had earlier been declared wanted by the Government in Ayakoromo Community in Burutu LGA of Delta State, after the militants allegedly opened fire on them. The spokesman of the task force, Lt. Col T.A Antigha, who commented on the latest development on the recent onslaught, noted that the wounded soldiers had been evacuated to the hospital for medical attention. The JTF again vowed that it would not relent in its effort to track down John Togo and his boys, adding that it was seriously on the trail of the militant.

SSS Rescues Abducted Wife of Governor’s Aide

Operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), penultimate Friday, rescued the abducted wife of Chief Sheriff Oborovwori, a Senior Special Adviser on Land Security to Governor Uduaghan of Delta State. Mrs Oborovwori was rescued after security operatives stormed the kidnappers’ den at in Ughelli South LGA. She was abducted penultimate Sunday after attending a Church service for the burial of her husband’s personal assistant and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent, Joseph Ode, who was killed at a collation centre during the gubernatorial/House of Assembly polls, allegedly by a soldier.

JTF Describes Togo’s Surrender as a Decoy

The Joint Task Force (JTF), on Tuesday, said that the reported surrender of John Togo, the wanted renegade ex-militant in Delta State, was a decoy to perpetrate more havoc. Togo had, through his spokesperson, ‘Captain’ Mark Anthony, said he had directed his ‘soldiers’ to surrender and return to their home towns. However, the Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt.-Colonel Timothy Antigha, described the purported surrender as a ruse and urged the public to disregard it. Meanwhile, the people of Ngelebiri Mein Kingdom urged the FG to ask the JTF to limit its operations to the camps of John Togo. The traditional Ruler of the Kingdom, Pere Samuel Perekeme, Bigborogha 11, said the continued military presence in his domain, had turned the community into a ghost town.

JTF Arrests 2 Militants in Delta, Kills One

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has announced the arrest of two associates of the leader of the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF), John Togo as they were sneaking into Warri. According to the Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt. Col. Timothy Antigha, one of them attempted to escape but was shot in the leg and rushed to the hospital where he later died. Antigha reiterated that the ongoing military operation to capture Togo would continue and warned members of the public to disregard stories suggesting that Togo had been killed. He stated that the militant leader, aware that his arrest was imminent, had been spreading stories to divert the attention of security agencies in order to escape.

Armed Robbers Raid Four Banks, Cart Away N84 Million

A gang of armed robbers raided four banks in Delta State on Wednesday and escaped with about N84 million. The bandits, about 25 in number, who were armed with explosives and sophisticated rifles, expended over 2,000 rounds of ammunition, killed two persons and injured eight in the daylight robbery, in Kwale and Amai towns. The state Commissioner of Police, Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe, confirming the incident, said that the police gunned down two members of the gang and about N4.7 million was recovered. According to him, 3 AK47 rifles, 20 AK47 live ammunition, 38 empty magazines, a dynamite, two wrist watches, 4 vehicles, 2000 expended ammunition, expended explosives and dynamites.

25 Wanted over Ritual Killings in Ibusa

The Delta State Police Command has declared 25 persons wanted in connection with incessant mysterious killings in Ibusa, Oshimili North LGA of the state. The state Commissioner of Police, Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe, added that ritual killings, in the locality, has become worrisome, as he vowed that he would reward anyone with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. In the last one year, over 50 persons have been killed in their farms, with their private parts, eyes, breasts, or fingers missing.

Edo Police Parade 19 Kidnappers, Rapists

The Edo State Police Command has paraded 19 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers. Firearms, including one AK47 assault rifle, three pump action guns, one single barrel gun, locally made pistols, cutlasses, live cartridges, were among items recovered from them, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police, MD Hurdi. Hurdi also confirmed the arrest of some of the robbers, who attacked a branch of UBA Plc in April. Some of the arrested kidnappers confessed to assaulting some of their victims sexually. Hurdi, who said that the arrest was made in different parts of the state, disclosed that some of the robbers were shot dead during a gun duel with his men.

Court Orders Theresa Ibori to Refund Stolen Money

Wife of former governor of Delta state, Theresa Ibori, has confessed before a London court to spending millions of pounds sterling stolen from Delta state on choice properties in London. She was ordered to refund £5.175 million in one year and if the money is not returned, she must serve an extra 10 years in prison. She further accepted the court’s decision to sell her two of her landed properties in London. She was then returned to prison where she is currently serving 5 years for money laundering. Meanwhile her husband, James Ibori, is awaiting trial in the UK after his extradition from the United Arab Emirates. He also faces money laundering charges.

JTF Discovers More Militant Camps in N’Delta Creeks

Spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Lt.-Col. Timothy Antigha, in a statement on Monday said the JTF discovered new militant camps at Obubu Creek and embarked on a mission to clear the camps of militants. Meanwhile, three repentant militant groups in Edo and Delta states have heeded the Federal Government’s call to sheathe their sword and surrender their arms by embracing the Presidential Amnesty programme.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Court Orders Police to Pay N100m for Shooting Two Brothers

A Federal High Court in Lagos, last weekend, affirmed its judgment for the award of N100 million and N10000 as damages in favour of two brothers, Nnamdi Anyaogu and Felix Anyaogu, respectively, against the Nigerian Police for their illegal shooting. Justice Mohammed Idris, had on 8 March, ordered the Police to pay N100 million, in the suit against the police and one Constable Otaigbe for the enforcement of fundamental human rights of Felix and Nnamdi. The Police later filed an application seeking to set aside the judgment, on the grounds that Otaigbe had been dismissed over the incident and that the Police was also not served with the court processes.

Pastor Arrested For Raping 13-Year-Old in Church

The Pastor of a parish of the Celestial Church of God (CCC) in Ojo LGA Lagos State, Isaac Adejumobi, was last weekend arrested by the police following allegations that he raped and assaulted a 13-year-old girl in the church auditorium penultimate Friday. Police spokesperson, Samuel Jinadu, confirmed the arrest. It was gathered that the incident was reported by the girl’s father. The Pastor has allegedly asked her to come early for the Friday Night Vigil because there would be some special prayer for her. The scream of the girl alerted passers-by. It was then a mechanic noticed blood dripping down her legs.

Gunmen Kill Politician in Ijebu-Ode

Former leader of the Odogbolu LGA legislative arm in Ogun State, Akorede Ismail Osibanjo, 35, was murdered on Sunday night by unidentified gunmen in Ijebu- Ode. Osibanjo was killed at the entrance of a popular eatery. An eyewitness reported that the killers who were four in number covered their faces. It was further gathered that the assailants fled with the deceased’s car and left their Mercedes Benz car behind.

Lagos Police Nab 4 Suspected Kidnappers

Four suspected kidnappers in Lagos who demanded N70 million as ransom from a victim’s family have been arrested by the police. The police also recovered from them two locally made pistols and a large cache of ammunition. The suspects were among a six-man gang that kidnapped a protocol officer, Mr. Emmanuel Sackey, on Victoria Island, penultimate Friday. The victim alleged he was held for two days and he managed to escape while his captors were asleep.  He came out of the premises by scaling the fence and met some men to whom he narrated his ordeal. He said in the process he saw two of the suspects fleeing from the scene. He alerted the people and they were chased and arrested them.

72-Year-Old in Custody for Raping Teenager

A 72-year-old man, Adebayo Oke, has been arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old student. Adebayo, while being paraded at the headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command, confessed that he had been sleeping with the girl for about a year, but never raped her. He added that he began sleeping with the girl because his wife refused to have sex with him. The girl was said to have written down her ordeal in a paper and attached it to her answer script which she submitted to her school teacher. Police spokesman, Samuel Jinadu, said it was the teacher and the school authorities who later invited the police.

Kwara Deploys 5000 Policemen for President’s

The Kwara State Police Command has said that it has deployed 5,000 police personnel to maintain law and order during Tuesday’s official visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state. Jonathan is expected to inaugurate various projects. The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Dabo Ezekiel, said the police had set in motion all necessary machinery to ensure that the visit of Jonathan was hitch-free. He called on the residents of the state to cooperate with the police, adding that they should report any suspicious movement or send distress call to the police for prompt attention.

Two Dead as Thugs Clash in Lagos

Two people were killed and many other injured, on Monday, as area boys from Fadeyi area of Ikorodu Road of Lagos state engaged in orgy of violence. Properties were also destroyed by the hoodlums who freely used various weapons. A victim said the violence actually started in February 2010 but it was not frequent. It was gathered that the Monday crisis was a spill-over of a recent clash over who should collect toll from traders.

Police Arraign 20 for Attempted Suicide

Twenty men have been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for attempting to commit suicide. The men, whose ages ranged between 20 and 44, were caught sitting on top of a moving train and charged with attempted suicide and trespass. According to the prosecutor, Insp. Moses Uademevbo, some people had been arrested on several occasions in the area because of similar conduct. He said some of them would have their train fares, but would prefer to stay on top of the train and exhibit highly improper behaviour. He said most times, the men would sit on top of the trains and drink beer and would sometimes throw the bottles at people moving on the ground.

Monarch Arraigned Over Rape of Corps Member

A traditional ruler in Osun State, the Alowa of Ilowa, Oba Adebukola Alli, was on Monday arraigned before a Chief Magistrates’ Court over an alleged rape of a member of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Miss Helen Okpara. The accused pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the alleged offence. The Magistrate, Mr. Akinwumi Makanjuola, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N250, 000 with two sureties.  The case has been adjourned till August 11.

9,253 Tested Positive to HIV in 12 Months –Lagos Commissioner

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, has said at least 9,253 people tested positive to HIV in the last one year in the state. He also said the three most prevalent diseases managed in the 7,211 patients attended to during the period under reference were malaria, 30 per cent; hypertension, 26 per cent and upper respiratory tract infections, 10 per cent. Idris said HIV/AIDS remained a disease of public health significance, added that government, in collaboration with development partners, provided free anti-retroviral treatment for 2,905 newly enrolled patients.

Osun Police Recover 6 Stolen Cars

Osun State Police Command, on Thursday, recovered six stolen vehicles from robbers and arrested five robbery suspects. Parading the suspects, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Olusegun Solomon, said one Rasheed Kazeem was arrested in Osogbo following the information the command received that he specialised in the sale of stolen vehicles and four cars were recovered from him. Also, the command arrested one member of a three-man gang that has been terrorising Ilesa/Ife and its environs since 2010.

GENERAL

Military Loses Soldiers in Clash with Boko Haram

The Military Special Task Force (STF) deployed to check the serial attacks and killings in Borno State has confirmed that some soldiers and civilians were killed in last weekend’s clash with suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect in Gwange. Gwange is suspected to be the stronghold of the armed group. Spokesman of the 21 Armoured Brigade, Lt. Abdullahi Muhammad, who confirmed the clash on Tuesday, did not state the casualty figures. The state Deputy Police Commissioner, Usman Baba, also confirmed the murder of one police corporal on Tuesday by two suspected Boko Haram gunmen after they ambushed him at a mosque.

May 29: FG Moves to Avert Bloodbath

Security agencies have uncovered a plot by a group to scuttle the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors on May 29. In order to checkmate such plans, all security agencies have been put on red alert with a view to avert any form of carnage. The focal point of this latest plot is to create a wave of instability in the country just before the handover date, thereby making the country ungovernable and, concomitantly. Operatives of security agencies are focusing on the activities of the leaders of the nascent group.

Ban Ki-Moon Arrives Nigeria, Meets President Jonathan
…as Sarkozy Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Security Council Bid

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, arrived in Nigeria on Sunday for a two-day official visit. The visit is part of the global health campaign that he launched in September 2010. He arrived in Abuja after attending the inauguration of Ivorien President, Alassane Ouattara on Saturday. He met President Jonathan on Sunday and he is scheduled to see achievements recorded towards achieving the health targets of the MDGs. Meanwhile, French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, has pledged to rally international support for Nigeria’s bid for permanent membership on the UN Security Council. Sarkozy spoke in Cote d'Ivoire during a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.

10 Killed in Maiduguri Boko Haram’s Attacks

Three bomb explosions rocked Maiduguri on Thursday, leaving a police officer dead, while several others were suffered injuries. The is came barely 12 hours after members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, launched an attack on a police station on Wednesday night, leading to the death of no fewer than 10 people, injuring several others. The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, confirmed the incidents but was silent on the casualties. However, the police said it arrested four suspects.

ACN Tasks Government on Killing of Its Members

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to move quickly to stop the killing of its party members and supporters in Benue and other states, following last Friday’s murder of a key member of the ACN in Benue State, Charles Ayede. The ACN, through its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, warned that it would not watch and allow the killings to degenerate to genocide against its members. The party said Ayede’s gruesome murder falls into a pattern of threats and attacks against ACN members in the state, and that it is part of a campaign aimed at frustrating the party’s decision to challenge the election of Gov. Gabriel Suswan at the tribunal.

Contaminated Water Kills Two, Others Hospitalised in Niger

Niger State Commissioner for health, Alhaji Adamu Abdullahi, on Monday, said that two people have died and 10 hospitalised as a result of gastro-intestinal related disorder in Dikko area of Gurara LGA. Abdullahi, who disclosed this, said the death of the two persons and the hospitalisation of 10 was the result of contamination from the drinking water in the area. The Commissioner said that to forestall a recurrence, the Ministry of Water Resources and the state Water Board have been alerted to urgently repair the damaged borehole in the place.

Bauchi Court Remands 41 over Post Election Violence

Forty one suspects arrested over the post election violence in Bauchi State, which led to the deaths of several persons, were Monday ordered to be remanded in prison custody. Those remanded in the prison custody are standing trial for the death of seven corps members, two policemen, two businessmen as well as the burning down of shops, houses and places of worships in Jama’are and Giade LGAs of Bauchi state. All the 41 suspects were charged separately with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, and mischief by fire contrary. The Presiding Chief Magistrate, Mohammed Mukhtar Abubakar, ordered the suspects to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to 2nd June.

Presidential Election Tribunal Commences Sitting

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Tuesday, held its inaugural sitting in Abuja with the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, leading the panel. However, proper hearing of the matter could not commence as the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) withdrew its ex-parte application to inspect electoral materials and in its place, filed a new application. Counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Joe Kyari Gadzama, did not oppose the withdrawal of the earlier application. After hearing all parties and striking out of the earlier application, Justice Salami adjourned hearing of the fresh application till May 23.

3 Charged with Murder of Nigerian Teenager in UK

Three teenagers were on Monday in London charged with the murder of Temidayo Ogunneye 15, a Nigerian school boy in the UK. Kieron Carew-Donaldson, 18 of Brixton, Darius Kwakye, 18 of Camberwell and a 17 year old girl, also faced a two counts charge of robbery. Chief Inspector John Mcfarlene said that Ogunneye was the fifth teenager to be stabbed to death this year in the city.

UK Security Expert Commend Nigerian Security Agencies

A British security expert and Coordinator, Policing Centre for Excellence, United Kingdom, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, has said the Nigerian security agencies have improved significantly in their operations, citing their performance in the just concluded general elections. He stated that the security personnel still needed to improve in some areas. Ogunsakin stated that Nigeria was making progress in different areas of endeavour, adding that the deepening democratic culture could only make things better. He called on the media to celebrate the achievements of the nation’s security organisations, adding that the British press did not expose the weakness of their security agencies, but rather motivated them to perform better.

Nigerian Soldiers Wants Better Funding for Peacekeeping Missions

Nigerian soldiers have complained that the various peace-keeping missions were not well-funded, exposing them to unnecessary risks. This was one of the issues discussed by officers and senior non-commissioned officers of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army during a Study Period with the theme, hosted by the 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, Calabar, Commanded by Brigadier- General Shehu Yusuf. The soldiers complained that their welfare was not seen as important, and even during the Nigeria-led ECOMOG in Liberia and Sierra Leone, they were not provided with the adequate arms and ammunition and other logistics.

FG Orders Price Crash for Kerosene

The Federal Government, Thursday, ordered oil and gas industry regulator, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to crash the high cost of Kerosene, and make it available to the masses. Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, blamed the scarcity and high cost of the commodity on marketers, who are making extra profit from the situation. She noted that the NNPC has sufficient product to meet national demand.

INTERNATIONAL

70 Killed as Taliban Claims Revenge for bin Laden

At least 70 people were killed, penultimate Friday, in a double suicide bombing on paramilitary police in Pakistan, while more than 100 people were wounded. The explosions detonated in northwest Pakistan as newly trained paramilitary cadets were getting into buses and coaches after a training course, and they were wearing civilian clothes, police said. Pakistani Taliban spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, said his group was responsible for the attack, describing it as the first revenge for Osama bin Laden's martyrdom.

22 Killed as Argentine Plane Crashes

All 22 people aboard a commuter plane were killed when it crashed in southern Argentina, the airline said Thursday. The Sol Lineas Aéreas plane was headed to the city of Mendoza from Cordoba on Wednesday night when the pilot issued a distress call before the plane went down, according to airline spokesman, David Avellanda. The plane had on board 18 adult passengers, a child, and three crew members. Authorities later found the wreckage of the plane in the Rio Negro province. There were no signs of survivors.

5 Foreign Journalists Regain Freedom from Libya, Iran

The Libyan government released four foreign journalists on Wednesday. A fifth journalist who disappeared in Syria also appeared in Qatar. The four journalists made appearance at a Tripoli hotel after being released from six weeks detention in Libya. All five were reported in good health. Earlier, Dorothy Parvaz, who works for Al-Jazeera television, arrived at her network's home base in Doha after being freed by Iran. Parvaz said that while in Syria, she witnessed the torture of Syrian civilians. There was no word on the fate of another missing journalist, Anton Hammerl, who disappeared in Libya about 6 weeks ago.

cnnSetShareLnks(); 36 Slain in Taliban attack on Construction Workers

At least three dozen road workers in southeastern Afghanistan were killed on Thursday when Taliban forces attacked their camp in the Wazai Zadran district of Paktia province, an Afghan official said. The employees worked for a company working on a highway used frequently by coalition and government forces. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, saying it objected to the use of the key highway by coalition forces. Abdullah Durani, the chief director of public works in the province, said militants abducted 72 workers from a camp where they were spending the night and burned 12 vehicles and road-building equipment.

Sudan Steps-Up New Air Strikes in Darfur

United Nations officials have claimed that Sudanese government warplanes have staged new air strikes in Darfur, prompting the global body to halt flights in the stricken region. The UN mission in Darfur, UNAMID, said that warplanes on Tuesday hit the village of Sukamir, north of the main Darfur city of El Fasher. The UNAMID head, Ibrahim Gambari, has expressed concern over the air strikes and called upon all parties to exercise the utmost restraint in the use of lethal force. The air attack came two days after a strike in the south of Darfur.

10 Protesters Die in Afghanistan

Ten people were killed and 50 wounded in violent protests on Wednesday against the killing of two men and two women, in Afghanistan.  They were reportedly killed in a night-time raid by foreign forces in north Afghanistan. While Local police and residents say the four people killed were civilians, NATO-led forces said they were armed insurgents. A crowd of demonstrators, armed with spades and axes, took to the streets of Taloqan in a protest against the raid and tried to storm a foreign military base. Police and Afghan security guards opened fire to disperse the crowd, estimated at 3,000, after the violence mounted.

IMF Chief Charged with Sexual Assault

The President of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has been arrested and charged with sexual assault. Strauss-Kahn was accused of sexually assaulting a New York Hotel maid. A 32-year-old maid filed a sexual assault complaint after fleeing the hotel suite, where the alleged incident occurred around 1 p.m. penultimate Saturday. Strauss-Kahn, Wednesday, has resigned from his position as IMF boss to enable him concentrate on the trial and prove his innocence, according to a letter released by the IMF. John Lipsky will be the Acting Managing Director, until a new Managing Director is appointed. He was on Thursday granted bail by a New York judge. According to reports, he will be under house arrest in an apartment rented by his wife, where he will be watched by an armed guard.

Blast Kills Five Government Troops in Somalia

A bomb explosion killed five pro-government troops at a base Somalia’s militants fled from last week, officials said. Agency reports said a new military offensive by African Union (AU) forces has gained ground against al-Shabaab insurgents. Maj. Paddy Ankunda, a spokesman for AU troops in Somalia, said his forces began an operation last Thursday that has gained 500 yards of territory from insurgents. Some of the territory gained included a former Sufi shrine that al-Shabaab used as a military base. Abdi Muhummad, a commander, said he believes the al-Shabaab group, buried the explosive before fleeing.

Tunisia Threatens Libya over Cross-Border Shelling
…Canada Expels Five Libyan Envoys

Tunisian Government has threatened to report Muammar Gaddafi to the United Nations (UN) Security Council if his forces fired into Tunisian territory again, after Libya’s three-month-old conflict spilled beyond its borders. Canada has also announced its decision to expel five Libyan diplomats for actions it called “inappropriate.” Canadian foreign ministry statement said “The five diplomats and their families must arrange for their immediate departure”. Canada is taking part in NATO operations in Libya, but has not broken off diplomatic relation with Tripoli.

Saudi Diplomat Shot Dead in Pakistan, Taliban Claims Responsibility

Pakistan’s Taliban has claimed responsibility for killing a Saudi diplomat in the Pakistani city of Karachi on Monday. The Pakistan’s Taliban warned the United States (U.S.) against attacking its close ally, al Qaeda. The group has also vowed to avenge the killing of Osama bin Laden. The diplomat was on his way to the consulate when four people riding motorcycles opened fire on his car, a Karachi police official said. Pakistan’s interior minister condemned the attack and ordered Karachi authorities to provide “complete security” to Saudi nationals stationed in the city.

Ex-Army Chief gets 30-Year Sentence over Genocide

Former Rwandan Army Chief, Augustin Bizimungu, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the 1994 genocide. The UN war crimes tribunal for Rwanda also convicted ex-paramilitary police chief, Augustin Ndindiliyimana, but released him for time already served. Two other senior generals were each sentenced to 20 years in prison. About 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the genocide. Bizimungu and Ndindiliyimana are two of the most senior figures to be sentenced by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), established to try the ringleaders behind the killings.

Protesters Killed in Israel-Palestinian Border Violence

About eight people were killed and dozens wounded in a violence that erupted on Israel’s borders with Syria, Lebanon and Gaza last weekend. It was reported that Israeli troops shot at protesters in three separate locations to prevent crowds from crossing Israeli frontier lines. Also, Israeli and Syrian media reports said Israeli gunfire killed four people after dozens of Palestinian refugees infiltrated the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria, along a disputed border. The Lebanese army had also earlier fired in the air in an attempt to hold back the crowds. In Tel Aviv, a truck driven by an Arab Israeli slammed into vehicles and pedestrians, killing one and injuring 17 people. Police were trying to determine whether the incident was an accident or an attack.

3 Americans Arraigned for Aiding Taliban

Three United States citizens who were arrested last weekend on charges that they provided funds and other material support to the Pakistani Taliban, appeared in court on Monday. Hafiz Muhammed Sher Ali Khan, 76, imam at the Flagler Mosque in Miami, and two of his sons were arrested on the four-count indictment. Three other individuals also are named in the indictment and are at-large in Pakistan are Ali Rehman, Alam Zeb and Amina Khan. All six defendants are charged with conspiring to provide, and providing, support to a conspiracy to murder, maim and kidnap persons overseas, as well as conspiring to provide material support to terrorist organisation.

29 Slain in Northern Guatemala Massacre

Assailants killed at least 29 people on a ranch in northern Guatemala, National Civil Police spokesman, Donald Gonzalez, disclosed. It is one of the worst massacres since the end of Guatemala's 36-year civil war in 1996. Gonzalez said police are investigating whether the attack is related to Saturday's killing in Peten of Haroldo Leon, the brother of alleged Guatemalan drug boss, Juan Jose "Juancho" Leon. Guatemalan police said the victims of Sunday's massacre were bound and their bodies showed signs of torture, with some of them decapitated. They were believed to have worked on the farm. Police found a message written in blood at the scene saying: "Salguero, we're coming for you."

ICC Prosecutor Requests Warrants to Arrest Gaddafi, Others

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday requested arrest warrants for Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, his son and his brother-in-law, to face charges of crime against humanity. Luis Moreno-Ocampo said his office "gathered direct evidence about orders issued by Moammar Gaddafi himself, direct evidence of Saif al-Islam (Gaddafi) organizing the recruitment of mercenaries and direct evidence of the participation of (Abdullah) al-Sanussi in the attacks against demonstrators, who are protesting against Gaddafi’s long term rule. Moreno-Ocampo also disclosed that the ICC has information about women who were stopped at checkpoints and, because they were carrying the flag of the rebels, were taken by police and gang raped.

Briton Beheaded in Spanish Supermarket

A British woman beheaded in an apparently random supermarket attack in Spain's Canary Islands has been identified as Jennifer Mills-Westley. Mills-Westley was a retired county council worker in Norfolk, eastern England, according to council leader, Derrick Murphy. A knife-wielding man attacked her in a supermarket, eventually cutting off her head and running away with it. Shopping center security guards chased the man, subduing him until police arrived. The man, whom national police in Tenerife identified as a Bulgarian, was apparently known in the shopping area, the government spokeswoman said.

Air France Crash: Black Box Data Intact

Flight recordings from an Air France jet that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 have been preserved and are readable, French investigators disclosed. The voice and data recorders were retrieved in early May off the Brazilian coast. The readings include the last two hours of the cockpit voice recordings. BEA safety investigators were able to download the data, but any information gleaned from it will take months to process, investigators have said. The report into the cause of the crash itself will not be ready before early 2012, although an interim report will be published in the summer, the BEA said on Monday. Flight AF 447 went down on June 1, 2009 after running into an intense high-altitude thunderstorm, killing all 228 people on board were killed in the disaster.

‘NATO Helicopter Pakistan Incursion' Wounds Two
…as Drone Strikes Kill 7

A NATO helicopter has injured two people in the Pakistani region of North Waziristan, after hitting a Pakistani checkpoint, local officials say. The alleged attack comes one day after two US drone missiles struck the restive border area of North Waziristan, killing at least seven suspected militants. US drones frequently strike the tribal areas along the Afghan border, which are considered to be a haven for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants who launch attacks in Afghanistan. In another incident, over 70 armed militants attacked a security post on the outskirts of Peshawar on Wednesday. Two members of the security forces and no fewer than 15 insurgents were killed in a four-hour gun-battle that erupted following two successive attacks on the security post.

Ouattara is Inaugurated as President

Ivory Coast’s President, Alassane Ouattara, was inaugurated on Saturday as the country’s president in the stately ceremony meant to mark the return of constitutional order and the end of a political standoff that sparked a conflict that killed hundreds earlier this year. In an effort to stop Ouattara from assuming office, outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo deployed the army to block the roads leading to the hotel which had served as Ouattara's campaign headquarters. The inauguration was attended by about 20 heads of state, including Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, in a show of international support for the democratically elected leader.

Army Tanks Storm Syrian City as US, Others Flay Crackdown

The United States and some European countries have warned of more pressure on Syria if a crackdown against pro-democracy protests continues. Rights activists said a crackdown to crush a two-month wave of protests against President Bashar al-Assad has killed no fewer than 800 civilians. President Assad, Wednesday, accepted that the security forces have made mistakes during the uprising. He blamed poorly trained police officers in part for the crackdown that has killed several people. Assad said thousands of police officers were receiving new training. But there was no sign the crackdown was letting up as a human rights activist said Syrian troops have used machine-guns in an attack in the city of Homs.

NATO Hits Government Facilities in Tripoli
…As Oil Chief Defects

NATO air strikes, Tuesday, pounded two Libyan government buildings in Tripoli, including the interior ministry that is responsible for internal security, setting them on fire. Also, the Chairman of Libya’s National Oil Corporation, Shokri Ghanem, has defected from Muammar Gaddafi’s administration and fled to neighbouring Tunisia, a Tunisian security source said. A Libyan government spokesman appealed for a ceasefire and said authorities were likely to release four foreign reporters held in a Tripoli after they face trial in an administrative court. Similarly, British armed forces attacked a training base used by the bodyguards of Gaddafi’s inner circle and the intelligence agency’s building, the Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday.

Egyptian Saif al-Adel is Acting Leader of al Qaeda

An Egyptian, Saif al-Adel, who was once a Special Forces officer has been chosen "caretaker" leader of al Qaeda in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death, according to a source with knowledge of the group's inner workings. Saif al-Adel has long played a prominent role in the group, according to Noman Benotman. Benotman has known the al Qaeda leadership for more than two decades. He was once a leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), a militant organization that used to be aligned with al Qaeda, but in recent years renounced al Qaeda's ideology. Benotman disclosed that al-Adel, also known as Muhamad Ibrahim Makkawi, had been chosen interim chief of al Qaeda because the global jihadist community had grown restive in recent days.

12 Killed as Militants Attack Checkpoint in Pakistan

More than 60 militants attacked a security checkpoint Wednesday, killing two security personnel and wounding five others in Pakistan, police said. Ten militants were killed in the gun battle that occurred in a village near Peshawar, a senior police official said. On Tuesday, two Pakistani soldiers were injured during clashes with NATO forces. NATO helicopters flying in eastern Afghanistan fired across the border into Pakistan after being fired on twice, a NATO official said. After being fired upon a second time, the helicopters returned fire, the official said.