War on What?

Book review of "The Search For Al Qaeda: Its Leadership, Ideology and Future". Raymond Bonner is the reviewer. He seems surprised by the argument that al Qaeda is a political phenomenon as he thinks it's a criminal one. Maybe he's the wrong reviewer then? Distilling the review; the book may not be original but it is short. Nevertheless, it is a must read because it touches all the necessary bases that future policy makers will have to address.

Is the number of trafficked call girls a myth?

Article claims that Fiona MacTaggart said 80% or prostitutes trafficked. She didn't and if you read the article you will see what she actually said.
But it is correct to say that no-one knows how many prostitutes in the UK have been trafficked

Lloyds pays$350 million to end US case

Let me see now. Lloyds admits criminal conduct according to the BBC. It faked records so that business could be done with US institutions by organisations against whom the US had declare sanctions. Wonder if anyone in the US will be busted for this? Guardian article has more detail: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/10/lloyds-forfeits-350m-to-us
No UK law was broken.

"stolen goods" fear in downturn

Interesting and researchable hypothesis proposed here. More and cheaper goods being stolen from cars in Gwent because market for them must have expanded. My own suspicion is that they may have a new group of chaotic drug users...but we as academics should be devising measurement tools to make these conclusions a bit more scientific, shouldn't we?

Police investigate "mafiosi" in Lancashire

Alleged senior members of the Camorra living in Catterall near Preston and in Chorley. Investigation ongoing.

Colombian Drug Baron assassinated

Leonidas Vargas Vargas shot dead in hospital bed in Madrid. Head of the Caqueta cartel.

SFO opens UK Madoff investigation

Stable doors and horses spring to mind. But at least it will keep them out of BAE's hair...What resources do they have? How many cases can they investigate simultaneously?

U.S. Plans border "surge" against any drug wars

Chertoff bequeaths his successor a "plan" for if and when Mexican drug wars spill North. Lets see...this is to back up his fence that turned amateur illegal immigration into professionalized trafficking and from the man who pushed the stick into the hornets' nest in the first place without a plan for the consequences, or even a risk profile. Wonder who is to succeed him?

"IRA men" on trial for blackmail

Interesting trial. Is the defendants previous record being revealed because this is alleged to be a terrorist trial? If so, this has implications for the peace process. If not, then their previous convictions shouldnt be revealed and they already have grounds for appeal.

But the trial may give an insight into how far the protection racket reached and how it worked. The article alleges that the two victims raised money using the name of the IRA...Murky waters here, I fear, unless it's a misprint. Will keep you posted.

Drugs porn and kidnapping scandals in the US most dangerous sport

Irresistible, I'm afraid! Ive heard of white collar crime, but there will soon be a criminological theory of all this stuff too...