Military Madness > Norway plan to deliver secret weapons to Ukraine; Ukraine's defence chief investigated for corruption, again

 

Lone Russian hacker exposes covert arms delivery to Ukraine

Norway secretly agreed to provide additional NASAMS anti-aircraft systems to Kiev, leaked documents reportedly show

FILE PHOTO. A NASAMS launcher. ©  Getty Images / iStock / ZenitX

A Russian hacker claims to have obtained highly sensitive documents exposing covert Norwegian arms deliveries to Ukraine, after accessing the servers of defense company Kongsberg. The documents allegedly reveal not only the type of weapons involved but their location and plans for their movement, according to the hacker. 

Known under the alias PalachPro, the hacker told Russian media that he obtained the leaked documents on Tuesday, and detailed how he hacked the defense firm. 

According to the documents, the company reached a secret deal with the Ukrainian government, agreeing to deliver 10 additional Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), worth around $3 billion. The delivery, expected to be made later this year, has not been publicly announced by either side. 

The deal was reportedly reached earlier this year by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who is currently embroiled in a major corruption scandal involving arms procurements at grossly inflated prices. Apart from the NASAMS systems, Norway also agreed to invest some $66 million to design anti-drone systems, as well as to modernize the Ukrainian fleet, the leaked documents suggest.

READ MORE: Kiev demands more air defense systems from West

The hacker said he managed to get ahold of the sensitive data thanks to social engineering, breaching the company’s file exchange systems with the help of one of its employees. Apart from the arms contracts documents, PalachPro claimed to have obtained other top-secret files related to the deployment of NASAMS systems in Ukraine.

“The information I got was indeed secret. In addition to the documents I have shown, there was something else. These files have already been sent to our intelligence services. The effect will be colossal. Not only the approximate location of their systems is now known, but also their plans. I am sure that our state will do everything to ensure that these plans are thwarted,” the hacker told the NSN news agency. 

The NASAMS, which have seen extensive use during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, is a short-to-medium-range anti-aircraft system that is capable of destroying various aerial targets, including cruise and ballistic missiles. Such systems have repeatedly been delivered to Kiev by its Western backers. Russia has already destroyed multiple units of the system, however.

Ukraine’s defense chief probed over power-abuse – anti-corruption watchdog

Rustem Umerov could be guilty of meddling in the country’s military procurement system, the Western-backed NGO has claimed

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. ©  Getty Images

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is under investigation for alleged abuse of power, a non-governmental anti-corruption watchdog has announced. The defense chief has been under fire over his decision to dismiss the head of the country’s independent Defense Procurement Agency (DPA).

The controversy comes as Ukraine continues to grapple with endemic corruption, which has been a major cause for concern for Kiev’s Western backers.

In a statement on Monday, the US- and EU-funded Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) said the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) had opened a case against Umerov based on its complaint, adding that the minister could be involved in “abuse of power or official position.” If found guilty, Umerov could face three to six years in prison.

The NABU has yet to confirm the probe.

Read more

 Most Ukrainians believe corruption on the rise – poll

According to the AntAC, the allegations stem from Umerov’s refusal to extend the contract of Marina Bezrukova, the director of the DPA. Established in 2022 and modeled on NATO standards, the agency is independent of the Ukrainian military and is designed to eliminate conflicts of interest and maximize transparency in the procurement process.

The AntAC previously argued that by cracking down on the DPA, Umerov was attempting to undermine NATO-style defense procurement reforms that were designed to protect the country from the “corruption hell” of previous years.

Umerov has been a fierce critic of the DPA, claiming that “instead of timely delivery of ammunition to our army,” the agency has been mired in “political games” and has nonchalantly allowed egregious leaks of sensitive information.

“Weapon procurements, which should remain confidential during martial law and the full-scale war with Russia, have somehow turned into an Amazon, where every internet user can see in real time who is buying what and in what quantities,” he said. Ukrainian media also claimed that the DPA enjoys considerable political backing from interest groups linked to Western policymakers, particularly the US Democratic Party.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has faced multiple corruption scandals in recent years, with former Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov stepping down in 2023 amid a scandal involving overpriced food contracts for the military.

Ukraine has long struggled to combat corruption, with the EU making progress in this regard a condition for Kiev to join the bloc. The US Department of Defense Office of Inspector General has also sounded the alarm over the issue, saying in May 2024 that the conflict with Russia “created new opportunities for corruption, including bribes, kickbacks, and inflated procurement costs.”

Moscow has warned that weapons deliveries to Ukraine only prolong the conflict without changing the outcome.

Which is what I have been saying for two years. 

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Norway Princess to marry California 6th generation shaman

 

Norway’s Princess Martha Louise to wed U.S. shaman amid years of controversy

By Jan M. Olsen and Stefanie Dazio  The Associated Press

Posted August 30, 2024 11:47 am

 Updated August 30, 2024 11:48 am

 4 min read

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Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret arrive at the boats that will transport them to Geiranger for their wedding celebration on Saturday. Heiko Junge/NTB via APThe Norwegian king’s eldest child, Princess Märtha Louise, will marry American self-professed shaman Durek Verret on Saturday in a picturesque corner of southern Norway.

The wedding comes amid widespread criticism of the couple’s actions and waning support for the Scandinavian royals, who have been plagued by negative reports about an unruly family member who faces preliminary domestic violence charges.

Märtha Louise, 52, and Verret, who claims to be a sixth-generation shaman from California, have attracted headlines with their alternative beliefs. She is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne but said in 2022 that she’ll no longer officially represent the Norwegian royal house in order to work closer with her American fiancé.

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Norway’s Princess Martha Louise and her fiance Durek Verrett arrive at the government’s party event in connection with Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s 18th birthday, which is held at Deichman Bjoervika, Oslo’s main library, Thursday June 16, 2022. Hakon Mosvold Larsen/NTB via AP

The princess — she has retained the title — has said she can talk with angels, while Verret, 49, claims that he communicates with a broad range of spirits and has a medallion which helps ward off spells and cure diseases.

They became engaged in 2022. Once married, Verret will not have royal titles or official duties.

In a 2019 deal, Märtha Louise and Verret agreed not to use her connection to the royal house or her title for commercial purposes.

But earlier this year Märtha Louise labeled bottles of gin with her title and launched the brand in time for the wedding, defying King Harald V’s directive that she should not profit from her royal status. The label was eventually changed.

The couple also sold their wedding photo rights to a British celebrity magazine and the film rights to Netflix. The deals prompted protests from Norwegian media, which says it goes against local practices. The couple has often lashed out against the press while promoting themselves on social media.

Meanwhile Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon’s stepson, is suspected of causing bodily harm and criminal damage. He has confessed that he was intoxicated and was taking cocaine when he was briefly arrested Aug. 6 in Oslo. Borg Høiby, who is the son of Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, has no royal titles or official duties.

Haakon has called it “a serious matter.”

The scandal, along with the upcoming royal wedding, have seriously eroded support for the Norwegian monarchy. King Harald has remained silent about the issues.

A Norwegian political party known for its anti-royalist stance is using the recent scandals to campaign for a proposal to change the Constitution and abolish the monarchy.

2:50

Queen Elizabeth death: Can King Charles III keep the monarchy alive?

“These cases show some of the fundamental challenges with the monarchy,” Andreas Sjalg Unneland, a lawmaker of the Socialist Left Party, told The Associated Press in reference to the royal wedding and the Borg Høiby case.

“Do we have to wait for a scandal that is so big that we abolish the monarchy, or can we give it a dignified ending?” Sjalg Unneland asked, adding that the nation should hold a referendum on the issue.

The proposal, expected to be tabled next month, is not likely to gain support from other lawmakers.

Saturday’s wedding will be officiated following the Norwegian Church’s wedding liturgy. While it is labeled a private event and no guest list has been made public, the royal household in Oslo says Harald, Queen Sonja, the heir to the throne Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit will attend. Norway’s future king and queen will be joined by their children. Borg Høiby will not attend.

The Norwegian Church will officiate this marriage to a shaman who talks to spirits? OMG!

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Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja on board the Royal Yacht wave to the boats carrying wedding guests from Alesund to Geiranger, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, for the wedding celebration of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret on Saturday. Heiko Junge/NTB via AP

Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel also are reportedly attending the ceremony in Geiranger, 265 kilometres north of Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city. Denmark’s King Frederik and his Australian-born wife Queen Mary, however, will not attend.

Reality stars, media influencers and TV personalities will round out the ceremony’s guests in the scenic town of Geiranger, which sits on the shores of its eponymous fjord designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon, 2nd right, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, right, and their children Prince Sverre Magnus, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, center, arrive at the boats in Alesund, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, that will transport them to Geiranger for the wedding celebration of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret on Saturday. Heiko Junge/NTB via AP

The Norwegian royal yacht, Norge, has anchored there, surrounded by mountains and rivers. The ship will serve as the dwelling of the king and queen, the royal household in Oslo said.

Märtha Louise has three children from her previous marriage with Ari Behn, whom she divorced in 2017 after 14 years of marriage.

0:44

Norway writer who accused Kevin Spacey of alleged groping dies at 47

Although she is the first child of the 87-year-old Harald, her brother, who is two years younger than her, will succeed their father as king.

The Norwegian Constitution was altered in 1990 to allow the firstborn, regardless of gender, to take precedence in the line of succession. The change does not apply retroactively and Haakon remains first in line to the throne. His oldest child, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, will one day ascend the Norwegian throne.

That is, if there is still a throne to ascend to.

European Politics and Energy Madness > Will Norway's new pipeline fare any better than Nordstream?

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New gas pipeline begins full service to Europe

The pipeline helps break Russia's grip on the energy sector of Europe's Baltic states

It also helps reduce the need for American natural gas in northern Europe

By Daniel J. Graeber

The Baltic Pipe is ready for the full capacity of natural gas, helping to address some of the lingering energy security concerns in Europe. Photo courtesy of Energinet.

Nov. 30 (UPI) -- It's a "huge day" for European energy security as full natural gas flows began Wednesday on a pipeline connecting Norway to the continental economies, the operators of the Baltic Pipe announced.

It took three years to build the pipeline network connecting Denmark, Norway and Poland and even longer for preparation given that it was proposed first well over a decade ago. Formally commissioned in October, the pipeline is now ready to operate at its full capacity of 350 billion cubic feet per year.

Progressing in earnest since suspected sabotage on the Nord Stream natural gas network, a Russian pipeline running through the Baltic Sea to Germany, Baltic Pipe goes a long way toward addressing European energy security concerns.

Does it really? After the British, so it appears, blew up Nordstream to stop Russian gas, do you think Putin will sit back and do nothing? While there is some evidence that Britain bombed Nordstream, they had little to gain from such an act of sabotage. America had much more to gain in creating new European markets for its gas. That, I suspect is one of the primary drivers of this proxy war.

With that in mind, Russia might not be the only country interested in sabotaging the Baltic Pipe. Whoever sabotaged the Nordstream pipeline set a really stupid precedent. 

"It's a huge day for us in Europe," said Torben Brabo, the director of international relations at Energinet, a Danish gas transmission operator. "After a very intense process, we have reached the target and can open the valves on Baltic Pipe."

For Europe, Baltic Pipe helps break Poland's heavy dependence on Russia for its natural gas, diminishing the Kremlin's clout in the former Soviet republic. It also supports others in the Baltic region that may be connected to Poland through pipelines.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that, before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February, the EU relied on Russia for 40% of its natural gas supplies.

That's been reduced, however, thanks in part to a diversification effort, from imports of U.S.-sourced liquefied natural gas and now the Baltic Pipe.

The operator said that 80% of the pipeline's total capacity is booked for the next 15 years. All of the Baltic states have the option to bid for the remaining capacity to supplement the natural gas coming already from Norway.

"There has been excellent cooperation across the countries, and we can build on this, when we are going to work even closer together on energy and the expansion of renewable energy in future," Brabo from Energinet continued. "Cross-border cooperation is not only a necessity in order to overcome the energy crisis, but also to ensure that we achieve a safe and efficient green transition."

Baltic Pipe is a collaboration between Energinet and Polish gas transmission system operator GAZ-SYSTEM.

Bits and Bites from Around the World > Norway conscripts must return underwear; Death Row inmates sue for firing squad; Pres Candidates hair-raising solution

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Recycling underwear?

Norway tells conscripts to return underwear after service

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Conscripts in Norway have been ordered to return their underwear, bras and socks after the end of their military service so that the next group of recruits can use them.

The Norwegian military said Monday that it is struggling with dwindling supplies, in part due to the pandemic.

The Norwegian Defense Logistics Organization said because of “a challenging stockpile situation, this move is necessary as it provides the Armed Forces with greater garment volumes available for new soldiers starting their initial service.”

Its press spokesman Hans Meisingset said that with “proper checks and cleaning, the reuse of garments is considered an adequate and sound practice.”

Until recently, the roughly 8,000 young men and women who every year do their military service returned their outer clothing but were allowed to leave barracks with the underwear and socks they were issued.

Military service is mandatory for both men and women in Norway and lasts between 12 and 19 months.

Meisingset said the pandemic was not the only reason why the stock of garments is low for some items. It also depends on finance, contracts and other issues.

NATO-member Norway’s national defense magazine, Forsvarets Forum, reported that it was not the first time that the Armed Forces had struggled with such shortcomings, with a union spokesman saying it “has been a recurring problem” for years. In June 2020, a third of the soldiers’ clothing and equipment was missing.

“A year ago, we looked at exactly the same shortcomings in close-fitting clothing that we see now, and earlier this autumn, the largest and smallest sizes of footwear were missing,” Eirik Sjoehelle Eiksund was quoted as saying. adding that he believed it was due to errors in the system around ordering and delivery.

Death row inmates sue to be killed by firing squad

A trial is scheduled to take place to determine the constitutionality

of the current form of killing by lethal injection

This Oct. 9, 2014 photo shows the gurney in the the execution chamber at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Oklahoma © AP / Sue Ogrocki

Two death row inmates in the US state of Oklahoma are petitioning a judge to allow a firing squad as an alternative to lethal injection, arguing it would be quicker and have less room for error than the current mode of execution.

Donald Anthony Grant, who murdered two people during a 2001 robbery, and Gilbert Ray Postelle, who murdered four people in a 2005 shooting while high on methamphetamine, have appealed to US District Judge Stephen Friot to delay their executions until a trial can determine whether lethal injection is a constitutional form of killing death row inmates.

According to AP, a trial on the matter is set to take place on February 28. However, Grant and Postelle are due to be executed weeks before on January 27 and February 17 respectively.

Both men were denied clemency last year.

Attorney Jim Stronski told the judge that while a firing squad “may be gruesome to look at, we all agree it will be quicker.” Though Judge Friot said there was “a lot” for him to get his “mind around,” he suggested that a decision would be made by the end of the week.

Experts involved with the appeal have claimed that death by firing squad would be either completely or almost painless and have less room for error than lethal injection, which has led to several cases of excruciating executions.

John Marion Grant, another Oklahoma death row inmate who was executed last year, “began convulsing about two dozen times” during his execution by lethal injection and vomited on his own face before he was eventually pronounced dead around 21 minutes after the first injection.

In 2014, Amherst College Professor Austin Sarat revealed that the rate of botched lethal injections was 7% higher than other forms of execution.

Similar cases have been used to argue in favor of alternative methods of execution, such as the firing squad, which was widely used in the US before lethal injection became the default option in all 27 states that still use capital punishment. A moratorium on executions has been in effect in California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.

South Korean presidential candidate gets to the root of the problem

Presidential candidate makes free hair loss treatment his campaign pledge

One in five South Koreans suffer from balding, according to

the country’s Democratic Party

© AP / Business Wire

The South Korean ruling party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is trying to win the hearts and heads of voters going into the March election by promising to include hair loss treatment in the national health insurance plan.

Helping those “suffering from hair loss” is going to be among his priorities if he becomes president, Lee announced in a Facebook post on Friday.

“I will expand the national insurance plan’s coverage of hair loss treatment drugs and actively look into including hair transplants for the treatment of serious cases of hair loss as well,” he vowed.

The Democratic Party politician insisted that his plan will allow the creation of a stable market for hair loss medication in South Korea, promoting the development of new drugs to tackle the problem and lowering the price of the existing ones.

Lee’s camp floated the idea of expanding national health insurance to cover hair loss treatment last week. The candidate even held a meeting with a group of voters who were affected by the problem.

The Democratic Party said that around 10 million of the country’s population of over 51 million have been suffering from hair loss. Those people have been forced to buy expensive drugs from abroad or resort to prostate medication as a cheaper substitute.

While many Koreans were enthusiastic about Lee’s initiative, there were some who accused him of pursuing a populist policy that is only going to put the country’s health insurance service under more financial pressure.

The 57-year-old responded to the critics in his post, arguing that “the anxiety, social phobia and severed relationships that people with hair loss suffer from are directly connected to the quality of life, and with the discriminatory attention they receive in everyday life, [hair loss] can’t be regarded as a personal matter.”

Islam - Current Day > Iranian Attacks Foiled by Mossad; Terrorist Attack in Oslo; Pastor in Jail 9 Years for Blasphemy; Car Explodes in Liverpool

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Mossad foils Iranian attacks on Israeli tourists and businessmen

November 7, 2021

By David Hellerman, 

World Israel News

Tourists and businessmen in Senegal, Tanzania and Ghana were reportedly targeted

Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that the Mossad intelligence services thwarted a string of Iranian attacks on Israeli businessmen and tourists in Africa.

According to the report, the Iranians targeted Israelis in Senegal, Tanzania and Ghana.

 

The report added that the plot may have been Tehran’s revenge for the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the mastermind of Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Fakhrizadeh was killed in 2020 by what reports described as a remote controlled artificially intelligent sniper rifle.

In a possibly related development, police in Cyprus arrested six men in a plot to target Israeli businessmen. The initial arrest was made in October after Israeli authorities tipped off Cypriot authorities. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett blamed Iran.

Israel and Iran are engaged in what many are describing as a “shadow war.” This has included Iranian drone attacks on Israeli shipping in the Gulf of Oman, cyberattacks on Iran’s nuclear and energy infrastructure.

The plot may also reflect Iran’s efforts to counter Israel’s diplomatic in-roads in Africa. The African countries of Sudan and Morocco signed the Abraham Accords, and the island nation of Comoros is reportedly moving towards normalizing ties with Israel.

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Knifeman, shouting Allahu Akbar, tries to attack people

& injures policeman in Oslo, gets killed by the officer

9 Nov, 2021 11:01

Police members stand at a site where shots were fired in Bislett area in Oslo, Norway November 9, 2021. © Reuters / NTB

A shirtless man brandishing a knife attacked residents and a police officer on Tuesday before being shot. A police spokesman confirmed that the officer had been injured but not critically.

Footage and photos shared online show a law enforcement vehicle ramming a shirtless man in the Norwegian capital as he brandished a knife and reportedly threatened passersby.

After being flung backwards by the police car, the knifeman manages to get back to his feet and opens the passenger door of the police vehicle. At that point, he appears to engage in an altercation with a seated officer before a colleague emerges with a gun, shooting the assailant.

The head of operations with Norway’s police, Torgeir Brenden, stated that the man was readying himself to stab another individual when the police car hit him. “He was about to attack people on the street when the police came and had it stopped,” Brenden stated.

“Two people were involved, and the police took care of them as best they could,” the police chief said without elaborating. It is understood that an officer was injured but not seriously. Brenden said that no one else was injured but added “we can imagine that he intended to attack more.”

It is not yet known what the suspect’s motive was, although eyewitnesses claim that the man shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) during the attack.

Gee, I wonder what his motive could possibly be? As I have mentioned many times, radicalized Muslims are clinically insane, according to Syrian psychiatrist Dr. Wafa Sultan. Being outside without a shirt in November in Norway, is definitely a clue as to his sanity.

The police confirmed that the incident took place around 9am local time in the Bislett part of Oslo. The condition of the suspect has not been confirmed although some reports suggest he died at the scene.

According to Norwegian media, the knifeman was convicted in December 2020 of committing another semi-naked knife attack on June 4, 2019. The attacker, who reportedly shouted 'Allahu akbar' during the 2019 attack, was stunned by a police gun and arrested. He was sentenced to compulsory mental health care and a fine. The man grew up in Russia’s southern republic of Chechnya and, according to local media, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The attack comes after an incident in Cannes, France on Monday, when a man armed with a knife opened the door of a police car and attacked one of the three officers inside. The knifeman, who reportedly said something about “the prophet,” was shot by one of the other officers. One officer sustained injuries.

In October, a Muslim convert killed five people in a bow and arrow rampage in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg.

The Voice of the Martyrs (Canada) >

Pakistani pastor in jail since 2012 for blasphemy

2 h  · 

Pakistani pastor, Zafar Bhatti, has been in prison since July 2012 after being charged with allegedly sending blasphemous text messages. Five years later, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for blasphemy – a charge based on allegations he continues to deny. In June of this year, an appeals court upheld the pastor's sentence, despite conflicting evidence.

In the latest ruling of the appeals process, a judge decided on October 18th not to hear Pastor Zafar's case but rather send it back to a lower court to be heard again. This recent ruling has been viewed as another means of causing unnecessary delay to the legal proceedings concerning the accused Christian. 

Pastor Zafar's lawyers are now considering taking his case to the Supreme Court.

Pakistan needs to get rid of these badly abused blasphemy laws, however, anyone who tries gets assassinated. That's Islam in Pakistan!

Dozens of Middle Eastern migrants enter Poland ‘by force’

14 Nov, 2021 13:52

Refugees from the Middle East and elsewhere at the Belarusian-Polish border near Grodno, Belarus,

November 8, 2021. © Leonid Shcheglov/BelTA/AP

Polish officials said they have caught 50 asylum seekers who illegally entered the country from Belarus as the EU accuses Minsk of engineering a refugee crisis.

Regional police spokesperson Tomasz Krupa said 50 people crossed the border “by force” near the village of Starzyn shortly after 8pm local time on Saturday. Police detained 22 would-be asylum seekers, all of whom are Iraqi nationals, he added.

The Polish Border Guard later said all of the 50 intruders were quickly apprehended and “brought to the border line.”

Krupa said that at around the same time on Saturday, several dozen people tried to breach the border near Klukowicze-Kolonia, while around 100 more were waiting nearby. According to the police spokesperson, the migrants pelted the officers with stones, damaging a police vehicle. “A stone hit the helmet of one officer. Fortunately, the policeman didn’t require hospitalization,” he said.  

Overall, there were 223 attempted illegal crossings from Belarus to Poland on Saturday alone, according to the Polish Border Guard. 

More than 3,000 asylum seekers, mostly from the Middle East, have been camping out at the Belarusian border and braving cold November nights, as well as tear gas and pepper spray occasionally employed by Polish border guards. Reports say up to 10 migrants have been found dead since the standoff began last month. 

The EU accuses Belarus of engineering the refugee crisis as part of what it calls a “hybrid attack” against the bloc. The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, told Le Journal du Dimanche on Sunday that member states will decide on November 15 whether to broaden sanctions on Minsk to target “all those involved in the smuggling of migrants to that country, for example, airlines and travel agencies.”

Borrell said the EU will be looking at sanctioning around 30 Belarusian government officials “involved in the crisis.”

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has denied facilitating the influx of migrants to the Polish border. Belarusian officials accuse the EU of waging its own hybrid war on Minsk by supporting opposition figures and media. 

Car explodes outside hospital, counter-terrorism police investigate

14 Nov, 2021 18:17

FILE PHOTO. ©  Reuters / Peter Nicholls

A car exploded at the Women’s Hospital in Liverpool city centre on Sunday morning, police have confirmed, adding that counter-terrorism detectives have taken over the investigation out of “caution.”

The blast involved a taxi that pulled up at the hospital shortly before 11:00 GMT, Merseyside Police said in a statement, adding that one person died in the incident and one man was hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries.

The blast has not been classified as a “terrorist incident” at this stage, the statement read. It also said officers “are keeping an open mind as to what caused the explosion but given how it has happened, out of caution, Counter Terrorism Police are leading the investigation supported by Merseyside Police.” 

The police also called on locals to “remain calm but vigilant.” A large number of police, including a bomb disposal unit, have been deployed to the area that has since been cordoned off. 

Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted she was regularly being updated on “the awful incident at Liverpool Women’s Hospital.” The hospital said it was temporarily restricting patient access and would only allow emergency ambulances to enter.

“We are reviewing our patient activity for the next 24-48 hours and patients should wait to be contacted for updates about any planned appointments or other attendance at the hospital,” the hospital’s CEO, Kathryn Thomson, said.