3 Brazilian Families Were Alleged to Have Murdered 95 Persons

Brazilian authorities are trying to extinguish a 60-year-old family feud they say has led to at least 95 murders.

Police say they sent 130 law men into six rural communities in northeastern Brazil to make arrests meant to end the bloodshed involving the Oliveira, Veras and Suassuna families.

Cristiano Jacques, police chief in the town of Patos, told a news conference on Tuesday that the families are suspected of killing 64 members of rival clans as well as 31 people in their own families. Police did not describe the origin of the conflict.

"All their crimes are planned in advance, with clear-cut tasks handed out among members of the organization. There are those who plan, finance, recruit gunmen, and execute," he said.

Investigators told police the families have been fighting for more than 60 years, but the violence has increased in the last decade.

The head of security for Rio Grande do Norte state, Aldair da Rocha, said law enforcement moved in now because police in Paraiba learned there were plans to commit another murder during the weekend.

The families have committed eight murders between them this year, officials said

Source...
http://ascology.com

Iran 'steals surface-to-air missiles from Libya'

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have stolen dozens of sophisticated Russian-made surface-to-air missiles from Libya and smuggled them across the border to neighbouring Sudan, according to Western intelligence reports.

The weapons were seized by units attached to the Guards' elite Quds Force, which travelled to Libya from their base in southern Sudan.

Acting on orders received from Revolutionary Guards commanders in Iran, they took advantage of the chaos that engulfed Libya following the collapse of the regime of former dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to seize "significant quantities" of advanced weaponry, according to military intelligence officers in Libya.

They say the weapons stolen by Iran include sophisticated Russian-made SA-24 missiles that were sold to Libya in 2004. The missile can shoot down aircraft flying at 11,000 feet, and is regarded as the Russian equivalent of the American "stinger" missiles that were used by the US-backed mujahideen to defeat Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the 1980s. It is similar to the weapon used by al-Qaeda in the failed attempt to shoot down an Israeli passenger jet taking off from Kenya's Mombasa airport in 2002.

Intelligence officials believe the missiles and other weapons seized from Gaddafi's abandoned arsenals were smuggled across the Libyan border to southern Sudan earlier this month where they are now believed to be held at a secret storage facility run by the Revolutionary Guards at al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur. Some of the missiles are also reported to have been smuggled into Egypt.

The governments of Iran and Sudan recently signed a defence cooperation pact, and hundreds of Revolutionary Guards are based in Sudan where they help to train the Sudanese military and help to support the Sudanese government's campaign against rebel groups. The Guards also have a number of training camps that are used to train Islamist terror groups.

Intelligence officials now fear that the missiles and other weapons will fall into the hands of extremists and will be used to carry out terror attacks.
In the past Iran has been accused of smuggling weapons from Sudan to the Gaza Strip, where they have been used to launch attacks against Israel. In 2009 Israeli warplanes bombed an Iranian arms convoy in Sudan that was carrying weapons to Hamas militants based in Gaza.

Tons of weaponry, including thousands of shoulder-held surface-to-air missiles, has been stolen from Gaddafi's abandoned depots since his regime was overthrown by rebel forces in August. Much of the weaponry, which includes mortars and anti-tank weapons, has been smuggled across the border to Algeria, where there are growing fears within Western intelligence circles that they may fall into the hands of al-Qaeda and other Islamist terror groups.

Some military experts have sought to play down the important of the surface-to-air missiles, arguing that militant groups lack the knowhow and the equipment to fire them. But this would not be an issue for the Revolutionary Guards, who have specialist training in firing such weapons. The fear now is that Iran will use the Libyan weapons to equip terror groups in the region.

"Iran is actively supporting a number of militant Islamist groups in Egypt, Gaza and southern Lebanon, so there is concern that these sophisticated weapons will fall into the hands of terror groups," said a senior intelligence officer. "If the SA-24 missiles fall into the wrong hands then no civilian aircraft in the region will be safe from attack."

American and European intelligence agencies have now launched a coordinated effort to track down the missing weapons in North Africa to make sure they cannot be used for a fresh wave of terrorist attacks against Western targets.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Nigerian drug racket busted in India- Two arrested.

NEW DELHI: The crime branch claimed to have busted a Nigerian drug racket that used to get heroin smuggled to the capital from Kandahar in Afghanistan through Pakistan and PoK. The gang then re-packed the drugs and sent it through post to Nigeria, from where it used to be transported to Europe on rail.

This was revealed by two Nigerians who were arrested for allegedly possessing 1.2kg heroin worth around Rs 1.2 crore in international market. "The duo had concealed the heroin inside the seats of children's bicycles and were planning to send it through the postal parcel service," said Ashok Chand, deputy commissioner of police (crime).

Richard Nwafor (38), an MBA, and Chris Chinonye (32) were held from the Gole Dakhana area on Saturday when they had come to send the parcels. "There was a tip-off that two Nigerians would come to Gole Dakhana to book parcels containing heroin for Nigeria. The seized heroin was concealed in 20 bicycle seats and kept in polythene pouches and, after being wrapped with carbon, was hidden between the upper portion of the seat and the sponge inside it," said Chand.

Nwafor, who had started a readymade garment business in Nigeria after his graduation, came to Delhi in June this year. "He used to import readymade garments from China and Dubai, for which he frequently travelled to these countries. In 2009, he incurred huge losses in his business as his counterparts in China and Dubai cheated him. He then contacted one of his friends, Ikonne Livinus, and came to India on his suggestions. Livinus gave him a consignment of heroin for sending it to Nigeria. Nwafor purchased cycle seats and after concealing the heroin in them, planned to send them to Nigeria by post," said Sanjay Bhatia, additional DCP (crime).

Chinonye came to Mumbai in 2008 on a business visa. "He used to export readymade garments from India to Nigeria. At the end of 2009, he came to Delhi and started trafficking heroin from India to Nigeria. "Chinonye had earlier sent heroin to Nigeria concealed in women's handbags and other such items. He was assisting Nwafore in sending the seized heroin to Nigeria," Chand said.

Sources said the accused had earlier used soft toys to send the drugs. "While Afghanistan and Pakistan have been part of the golden triangle from where the drug syndicate is run, we have found India is emerging as a favourite destination for transportation," said a source.

This year, five Nigerians were arrested in the city for murder while 33 were held for being involved with drug or fake lottery gangs. The police said that after the arrest of four Nigerians in the money exchanger murder case one month ago, they had identified 29 Nigerians living in West district alone without proper papers and approached the Foreigner Regional Registration Office for their deportation, said additional CP (West) V Renganathan.

Source....
http://m.timesofindia.com

"Witches Graveyard" Reveals 800-year-old witch burial in Italy

These are the 800 year old remains of what archaeologists believe was a witch from the Middle Ages after seven nails were found driven through her jaw bone. 


The grim discovery was made during a dig on what is thought to be a 'witches graveyard' after another woman's skeleton was found surrounded by 17 dice - a game which women were forbidden from playing 800 years ago. 

Experts say they believe the women are aged around 25 - 30 years old and were found buried in a simple shallow grave in the ground with no coffin or shroud. 

The macabre remains were found during a dig close to the sea at Piombino near Lucca in Italy's Tuscany region and the woman had seven nails through her jaw as well as another 13 nails surrounding her skeleton. 

Archaeologist Alfonso Forgione, from L'Aquila University, who is leading the dig, is convinced that the women were suspected witches because of the circumstances in which they were buried. 

He said: 'It's a very unusual discovery and at the same time fascinating. I have never seen anything like this before. I'm convinced because of the nails found in the jaw and around the skeleton the woman was a witch. 

Archaelogists believe this is the skeleton of a woman who was thought to be a witch

'She was buried in bare earth, not in a coffin and she had no shroud around her either, intriguingly other nails were hammered around her to pin down her clothes. 

'This indicates to me that it was an attempt to make sure the woman even though she was dead did not rise from the dead and unnerve the locals who were no doubt convinced she was a witch with evil powers. 

'The second skeleton we have found was buried in a similar fashion but this time we found 17 dice around her - 17 is an unlucky number in Italy and also dice was a game that women were forbidden to play. 

'The way the bodies were buried would seem to indicate some form of exorcist ritual and the remains will be examined to see if we can establish a cause of death for them.' 

One puzzle that the archaeologists have been unable to explain is why the women if they were evil witches were buried in consecrated ground as the area is the site of an 800 year old church. 

The skeletons were found with dice, which women were not allowed to play [Credit: Daily Mail]

He said: 'The only possible explanation is that perhaps both women came from influential families and were not peasant class and so because of their class and connections were able to secure burial in consecrated Christian ground.' 

The team is trying to find the burial place of the St Cerbonius, a bishop who died more than 1,500 years ago and who is the local patron saint of the area. 

Pictures traditionally show him having his feet licked by a bear after legend has it the animal refused to eat him after he was condemned to death for sheltering Roman soldiers by the Barbarians who had invaded Tuscany. 

Two years ago a Medieval woman's skull was found near Venice with a stone driven through its mouth - which experts said was the traditional way of dealing with vampires and preventing them from rising from the dead. 

Source....
http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com

Police and Boko Haram: What is the deal in Aliyu Tishau's release?

In what seems like an ironic twist, the Nigeria Police Force on Friday said the Boko Haram co-founder, Aliyu Tishau, was released to an unnamed sister security agency.

Tishau had granted an interview to the African Independent Television on Tuesday, in which he claimed that he had met with the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, and passed information to him on the activities of his sect, and the places they were going to carry out terror attacks.

However, the police said on Friday in Abuja that Tishau was handed over to a sister security agency on July 7, 2011 following a request.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Olusola Amore, who stated this, however declined to name the affected agency despite pressure from reporters.

Amore maintained that as far as the force was concerned, the Boko Haram co-founder was still in the custody of the unnamed security outfit, saying that he (Tishau) was not released on bail.

"The suspect, Mr. Ali Tishau, had been requested for on June 27, 2011 and was released on July 7, 2011 to a sister organisation for investigation in the spirit of information and intelligence sharing," Amore said. "To date, he has not been returned to the police."

However, a police source fingered the Army (Defence Intelligence Agency), adding that the release was done through a letter dated June 27, 2011.

But in a swift reaction, the Army authorities said the Boko Haram co-founder was never with them.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Raphael Isah, vigorously denied that the Army ever requested for Tishau from the police.

Isah said, "I can say authoritatively that Tishau was never with the Nigerian Army. We may be compelled to demand from whoever is saying that Tishau was with the Nigerian Army to provide proof."

The Director, Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima, declined to confirm whether Tishau was released to them, adding that he would only comment on the issue if the police officially named them as the agency that took custody of the Boko Haram leader.

"I can't comment until Monday after being briefed," Yerima said. "Even then, the police have to formally mention us (Defence) as the agency that took custody of Tishau before we can make a categorical statement on the issue."

Similarly, findings at the State Security Service showed that Tishau was also never with them.

An SSS official who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak officially on the issue, said, "Between you and I, the guy (Tishau) was never with us."

The police explained that Tishau was in their custody until July 7, 2011 when he was released to a sister organisation for further investigations in the spirit of information and intelligence sharing among the services.

The force added that the sect leader had not been returned to them till date, stressing the force expected the suspect to be returned to its custody after the investigations.

Amore, who addressed reporters on behalf of Ringim, said Tishau was released along with two other Boko Haram members, whose identities were not also stated.

Amore described Tishau's television interview as orchestrated falsehood, adding that the police did not want to react to insinuations "in the interest of the nation and the President."

"There is no iota of truth in the claim that the self-acclaimed Boko Haram member has given useful information to the police on the spate of bombings that occurred recently," Amore said.

The FPRO said in continuation of the efforts to combat the illegal movement of arms, ammunition, and the illegal movement of immigrants on Nigeria's borders with Niger and other countries, the IG held a meeting with the Customs, Immigration, SSS, and officials of the security agencies from Niger Republic.

This, according to him, was done to fashion out a workable strategy that would address trans-border crimes, criminal elements and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms within the region.

Amore explained that the measure took cognizance of the current wave of terrorism, as well as political upheavals within and outside the neighbouring states.

Tishau made wide-ranging claims in the AIT interview. He said that he was present with the IG when Boko Haram elements bombed the Force Headquarters on June 16, 2011, claiming that he gave a phone to Ringim to speak to the planner of the attack.

Tishau accused some northern governors of giving birth to Boko Haram, claiming that a governorship aspirant in Gombe State once asked him to assassinate his opponent.

Claiming that he co-founded Boko Haram with Mohammed Yusuf, who was killed by the security agencies in September 2009, Tishau said he was detained by Nigeria's security operatives for 10 months, but that he was making contacts with his fellow members from the detention cell

Source...
http://www.punchng.com

Chicago Man Kills Mother Over Concert Tickets

A Chicago man stabbed his mother to death then doused her body in chemicals after she refused to buy him tickets to an Avril Lavigne concert, a jury found.

Robert Lyons, 39, was found guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday after a week long trial, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Prosecutors said that Lyons began to argue with his mother, Linda Bolek, when she refused to call a friend to arrange tickets for the concert in 2008.

Lyons stabbed his mother nine times in the back, then poured insecticide and drain cleaner on her body, prosecutors said.

A jury deliberated for just two hours before returning their verdict, the report said

Source...
http://www.foxnews.com

A Teen gay commits suicide after bullied by Homophobias

James Rodemeyer, a 14-year-old high school freshman who was bullied because of his sexuality, took his own life Monday. Now many, including his idol Lady Gaga, want the bullying they believe caused his death to be treated as a crime.

The Amherst, N.Y. Police Department's Special Victims Unit has opened a criminal investigation into Jamey's death, ABCNews.com reports. Capt. Michael Camillleri confirmed to BlogPost that the unit has started a preliminary inquiry.

"The special victims unit is looking into the circumstances that occurred prior to Jamey Rodemeyer's death," Camilleri said in an e-mail. "At this point it is too early to determine if any crimes were committed."

Jamey was found dead outside his Buffalo area home Monday. He had family and friends who supported him, and was seeing a therapist and social worker. But he was a target of bullies, both online and at school.

"The bullies now are still walking around. They get to wake up tomorrow and go to school and see all their friends, but my son will not be given a second chance no matter how much I have prayed," Jamey's mother Tracy told CBS News. "I would have given my own life to turn back the minute we seen him."

His father Tim said, "They have to somehow get the power away from the bully, and I don't know how you do that, and that's the biggest question in my mind."

Jamey's idol Lady Gaga expressed her heartbreak over his death on Twitter. The singer said she will work to "make a law for Jamey."

Singer Ricky Martin, who is openly gay, joined Gaga's cry for a law.

"Jamey's suicide is a tragic reminder of the vulnerability of gay teens," Malcolm Lazin, founder and executive director of the Equality Forum, told ABCNews.com. "They are bullied and marginalized.

"While some may say that Jamey took his life, it is unrelenting homophobia that murdered him."

There are a few recent cases of alleged bullies being charged with crimes. Six teens were charged in the suicide of Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old student from Ireland who was bullied at her Massachusetts school. Five teens accepted pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of criminal harassment. None was sentenced to jail time.

Then there's the case of Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers student who killed himself one year ago Thursday. His roommate, Dharun Ravi, allegedly watched Clementi with another man by streaming him with a Web cam and talked about it on Twitter. Ravi's currently on trial for bias intimidation and other crimes.

Camilleri asked anyone with knowledge of specific incidents of a crime against Jamey to contact the department's detective bureau at (716) 689-1393.

Source....
http://www.washingtonpost.com