Al Qaeda wants 7 million dollars for freeing 3 Spanish hostages

Story in Le Monde, quoting el Mundo http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/12/31/espana/1262226162.html there are other conditions too, including the freeing of several Al Qeda of the Maghreb militants held in prisons in Mauretania. You can read the story in French or Spanish.

Former Liverpool drug dealer to take his crime-cutting ideas nationwide

Unusual piece of good news from Liverpool. Man heads the Criminal information Bureau, providing mentors and support for criminals when they come out of jail.

Republican threat forces 20 police officers to move homes

This is very depressing news. 3 dissident Republican groups targeting PSNI officers and being joined by disillusioned ex-Provos. Gives a timeline of incidents during 2009.

Iran's involvement in British hostages' kidnapping

Guardian claims that Peter Moore was installing IT equipment in Ministry of Finance that would have discovered Revolutionary Guards siphoning off money for militias allied to it.

Flores drug indictment gives clues to Mexican cartels' networks in the US

The story of how the cartels moved and distributed their narcotics in the US, exposed by betrayals consequent upon Calderon's attack on the established groups in Mexico.

Shoplifters? Studies say keep an eye on workers

Employees nick more than shoplifters by abusing the gift card system...and the Banks? and the executives? Weve been here before. Crime is what the lower classes do, neber the bosses. Id like to see a study which shows clearly who loses a company what each year, not a statement of "theft" defined in a particular way. "loss" not "theft", dum-dum!

U.S. had early signals of a terror plot, officials say

Same paper. Actually, the information was available but agencies failed to share it in a way that would have activated the red flags. Twas ever thus. Rest of article about the domestic politics of security in the US. Basically Obama has to blame everyone he can and then be seen to be doing something about it...which will mean more time standing in queues at airports. Oh and more pressure on the Uk to do something...anything!

Terror Enquiry looks at suspect's time in Britain

Odd article from the New York Times that seems to blame the UK for America's failure to share intelligence...."That view, if confirmed, would offer a stark reaffirmation that Britain, the United States’ closest ally, poses a major threat to American security. Critics say the British security forces have failed to adequately monitor and restrain the Islamic militancy that thrives in the vast network of mosques that serve the nation’s 1.5 million Muslims, and on university campuses across the country where nearly 100,000 of the 500,000 students are Muslims, including many, like Mr. Abdulmutallab, from overseas." Out of the woodwork come the Londonistan brigade. Yet hidden in the article is the admission that no-one can recognise a trigger point in radicalisation..a point at which a young Muslim moves from fundamentalist to fighter.

HMIC Report on the policing of the G20 demonstrations

Contains an overview of the principles, political legal and practical of policing protest in the UK. Excellent piece of work.

Bob Quick's Evidence to the Parliamentary Committee on the Issue of Privilege

Fascinating statement by Bob Quick on the Damian Green affair. Worth close study.