Flame: Massive cyber-attack discovered, researchers say

Russian security company, Kaspersky Labs exposes Flame. Malware that collects sensitive information. Both Israel and Iran targetted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18238326

Bomb attack outside a school in Brindisi (Apulia)

The bomb attack has killed a 16 years old girl and injured several persons. Mayor blames organized crime for this unprecedented attack.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/9276635/Bomb-attack-outside-Italian-school-kills-teenage-girl-and-wounds-seven.html (en)

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/12_maggio_19/brindisi-esplode-ordigno-scuola-feriti_3c11fef0-a17f-11e1-8681-fb83092733eb.shtml (ita)

Italian laundry

How Mafia-style groups use the gambling market for money laundering

http://www.corriere.it/inchieste/italian-laundry/57dd801c-594c-11e1-b00f-503ee71194ec.shtml

Derry: fear and republican vigilantes stalk new city of culture

Guardian article on the activities of post-IRA organisation RAAD Republican Action Against Drugs in Derry City. Vigilantism running amok.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/13/republican-vigilante-campaign-violence-derry

U.S. May Scrap Costly Efforts to Train Iraqi Police

Piece from the New York Times suggesting that the State Department's programme to train the Iraqi police was poorly conceived, poorly planned and is about to be abandoned


http://tinyurl.com/cledaa6

Special Report - U.S. documents allege HSBC money-laundering lapses

fascinating piece on some big trouble coming down the line for HSBC...Settlement could prove expensive!

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/05/03/uk-hsbcusa-probes-idUKBRE8420G120120503

Web War II: what a future cyberwar will look like

Cut and paste piece from the BBC magazine. 3 part documentary to be broadcast on BBC World Service and then available on iplayer. Probably worth downloading, especially f they get a debate going between those who could be accused of exaggerating the threat for business purposes and those who are more balanced and analytical.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17868789

Thein Sein's drug problem

Useful update on narcotics production in Burma. Warlords, militias, ethnic groups, corrupt Army commanders, changing markets. A reminder that not so long ago, Burma was the world's biggest opium producer.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ND27Ae01.html

EU Anti Mafia Committee

A new committee of MEPs has been given one year to investigate organised crime, corruption and money laundering in the European Union, and to come up with fresh proposals to tackle the issue.


Anti Mafia Committee Set Up by European Parliament

Europol Welcomes anti-mafia committee

Sonia Alfano (ALDE, IT) was elected chair of the recently established special committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering, during its first meeting on Tuesday in Strasbourg. Committee members also elected 4 vice-chairs and nominated Salvatore Iacolino (EPP, IT) as rapporteur.

First meeting of the special committee on organised crime 

Credit card 'info for sale' websites closed in global raids

and about time too! But they will just defect to the Dark or deep web.
Particularly idiotic remark from SOCA cybercrime head: "I'd rather arrest 10 code writers than 1,000 front-end fraudsters," 
It's the organisers, stupid! Code writers are tools just like the front-enders

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17851257