Cult Leader Found Guilty Of Raping Followers

Aravindan Balakrishnan, 75, was convicted of several sex assaults, cruelty to a child and false imprisonment following a trial at London's Southwark Crown Court.

The court heard how he brainwashed his followers into thinking he had God-likepowers.

He also invented a supernatural force called Jackie who he said could trigger natural disasters if he was disobeyed.

He even fathered a daughter with one of his acolytes, who was then kept prisoner in the home for three decades.

She was beaten, banned from singing nursery rhymes, and was not allowed to go to school or make friends.

She later described herself as a "shadow woman" who was kept like a "caged bird".

Detective Sergeant Paul Wiggett said she was so terrorised by her father that she "genuinely believed the day she left the house she was going to explode - that her life would come to an end".

She said afterwards: "I believe justice has definitely been done. I am very happy with the result and at the end of the day he is still my dad."

As the verdict was read out, Balakrishnan looked straight ahead.

However one of his former followers shouted: "You are sending an innocent man to prison. Shame on you."

Balakrishnan, of Enfield, north London, was found guilty of six counts of indecent assault and four counts of rape.

He was also convicted of two counts of ABH, cruelty to a child under 16, and false imprisonment.

He was cleared of one count of ABH and one count of indecent assault.

Sentencing has been adjourned until 29 January for a psychiatric report to be prepared.

Balakrishnan was remanded in custody.

:: Timeline of events in the case

:: 1963 - Balakrishnan travels to the UK from Singapore and studies at the London School of Economics.

:: 1970s - Balakrishnan sets up a Maoist commune called the Workers Institute, which is based in Brixton, south London.

next 30 years he brainwashes his female followers.

:: 1982 - One of his followers becomes pregnant with his daughter.

:: 1983 - The baby is born into the commune, where she is kept prisoner for the next 30 years.

:: Christmas Eve, 1996 - The child's mother falls from the second floor window of a terraced house where the collective had been living.

She dies several months later.

:: May 2005 - Balakrishnan's daughter runs away from the collective and goes to the police.

Police contact Bala who promises things will improve and she returns home.

:: 23 October 2013 - Balakrishnan's daughter, aged 30, manages to escape the commune and was met by police.

1. :: Christmas Eve, 1996 - The child's mother falls from the second floor window of a terraced house where the collective had been living.

   She dies several months later.

   :: May 2005 - Balakrishnan's daughter runs away from the collective and goes to the police.

   Police contact Bala who promises things will improve and she returns home.

   :: 23 October 2013 - Balakrishnan's daughter, aged 30, manages to escape the commune and was met by police.

   
   
2. 
3. 
4. 




8. 
   Gallery: Letters And Diaries Written By Cult Leader's Daughter

   
   

   
   

'Top Secret' Letter Reveals IS Thailand Plot

Security in the capital was increased following August's bomb attack

The news was revealed by Thai police who spoke after a leaked letter, marked "top secret" and "urgent" and signed by the deputy head of Thailand's special branch, was widely seen by local media.

letter said Moscow's intelligence service had revealed a group of Syrians arrived in Thailand between 15 and 31 October potentially to target Russian interests.

"They (the Syrians) travelled separately. Four went to Pattaya, two to Phuket, two to Bangkok and the other two to (an) unknown location," the letter said.

"Their purpose is to create bad incidents to affect Russians and Russia's alliance with Thailand," the letter said, without naming the suspects.

More than 1.6 million Russian tourists visited Thailand in 2014 - with Christmas and New Year being the most popular time - the largest number from any country in Europe. 

Thailand's police boss Jakthip Chaijinda confirmed the letter "was real" and said more than 200 Syrians had entered Thailand over the autumn.

Pattaya is a popular resort with Russians

The peak holiday period for Thailand is coming up, bringing the hope of huge sums of money from tourism.

However, fears that IS Islamists may be planning an attack is likely to send fears through the tourist industry, particularly in busy resort areas such as Phuket and Pattaya, which are both popular with Russians.

Pattaya police, who say they have increased security in the area, have urged tourists not to be concerned by the reports.

Thailand's capital, Bangkok, was the target of a bombing in August in which 20 people were killed.

However, that was reportedly unconnected with IS supporters.

Russia decided to support Syria's government in September, launching air strikes against IS targets in Syria.

A month later, a Russian passenger plane carrying 224 people travelling back from the resort of Sharm el Sheikh was brought down by a bomb over the Sinai desert in Egypt.

All on board were killed.

Nigeria react angrily over social media bill

Tweeters have been using #NoToSocialMediaBill to campaign against the proposal.

It proposes up to a seven-year sentence or $25,000 (£16,000) fine for anyone found to be sending "abusive messages".

Human Rights Watch condemns the move as an attempt to muzzle free speech.

Millions of social media users in Nigeria, as well as those sending text messages, could be affected, it says in a statement.

What the bill proposes:

• Up to seven years in prison or $25,000 (£16,000) fine for "anyone who intentionally propagates false information that could threaten the security of the country or that is capable of inciting the general public against the government through electronic message."
• Up to years in prison or $10,000 (£6,000) fine or both for anyone disseminating via text message, Twitter, WhatsApp, or any other form of social media an "abusive statement" 
• This also involves messages intending to "set the public against any person and group of persons, an institution of government or such other bodies established by law."
• The bill does not define "abusive statement or messages."
  There will be a public hearing on the bill before it can be passed.
  Activists see the bill as an attempt to target critics of lawmakers and politicians.
  Nigerian MPs often come under the media spotlight because of the huge money they earn.
  However, Senator Bala Ibn Na'allah of the governing All Progressive Congress, who sponsored the bill, said the publication of false stories was becoming rampant in the country.
  "You can't write false stories just because it is social media," he told the BBC Hausa service.
  The offences the proposed bill seeks to criminalise already exist under Nigerian laws including those on treason, defamation, and libel, our reporter says.
  Nigeria has a vibrant civil society, with many activists who use social media for their campaigns. It has the largest number of mobile phone users in Africa.
  
  

Call To Beef Up 'Inadequate' Coastal Security

The Felixstowe Coast Patrol and Rescue Service in action

The country is on high alert after gunmen ran amok in Paris killing 130 people and injuring around 400 more.

But while the UK might have the natural defence of being surrounded by water, only five Border Force boats patrol the entire coastline.

This number has been described as "woefully inadequate" by a former Special Branch officer, Chris Hobbs.

"At the moment we are trying to do things on a wing and a prayer," he said. "I think we are trying to make do at all levels of security, despite what the Government says, with the absolute minimum.

"If you are able to get your hands on a small boat or a yacht to come across and you want something smuggled... be it a person, be it a weapon, be it component parts of weapons... then that is an option.

"What these people will do, be they people smugglers, drugs smugglers, weapons smugglers, is look for the easiest route, they will look for the softest option where they are least likely to be detected."

Despite what is at stake many of those monitoring Britain's waters are volunteers like members of the Felixstowe Coast Patrol and Rescue Service.

Chairman John Cresswell, a former coastguard, says Suffolk alone has 300 miles of coastline which includes miles of deserted creeks and estuaries "that are open to mischief".

"At the end of the day... we are only 90km (55 miles) from mainland Europe, that's less than two hours on a fast boat," he said.

"At one time when a yacht left Europe to come over the England it had to book in with customs and have a small check.

"Now there is none of that. You can leave the coast of Europe and come straight across here to the UK and there are no checks done at all."

Former security minister and head of the navy, Admiral Lord West, says more resources are needed.

"I'm concerned the Border Force don't have the assets to do the sorts of things they need to do and also the other forces involved don't have the assets either," he said.

Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said: "Security at the border is our priority and Border Force has a fleet of five cutters that maintain a presence in UK waters.

"As announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), Border Force will be undertaking more joint working with law enforcement agencies and the Royal Navy to increase patrolling in our territorial waters.

"These measures will lead to faster, more co-ordinated responses to inbound threats and a more intelligence about illegal goods destined for our shores."

Hundreds Die After Floods In India

A man carries his dog through the flooded water

More than 7,000 people have been evacuated by emergency services from Chennai, formerly known as Madras, while essential supplies are being dropped to those who cannot be reached.

Prime Mister Narendra Modi has announced a £100m aid relief package for the region. 

While the rain eased on Friday, forecasters were warning of heavy rainfall or thunderstorms still to come.

The bad weather is being caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal and the strong El Nino effect which has hit coastal areas - Chennai saw 12186mm of rain in the month of November alone - three times more than usual.

The price of vegetables, milk and drinking water has rocketed in the flood-hit areas. Electricity and mobile communications have been - some people have been without power for days.

Fourteen patients on life support at the MIOT hospital in Chennai are reported to have died on Thursday night.

Businesses and factories are closed as are schools and colleges and examinations have been postponed and trains in and out of the city have been cancelled.

The Chennai International Airport will be closed until Sunday.

Its runway crosses the Adyar River which broke its bank and flooded the airport - almost three dozen aircraft were at one stage seen with their underbellies submerged in water on the runaway.

Although the water has started receding slowly, it has nowhere to go.

Residents blame unauthorised building work, bad planning and the relentless building within the city. Storm water drains are choked and blocked because of the unregulated building activity.

The state high court has ordered the government to reveal the number of illegal buildings but, although some 150,000 are known to have been built, none have been demolished.

The city of Mumbai was hit by 944mm of rainfall in one day in 2005, which caused massive flooding and led to the deaths of some 500 people.

It was the blocked storm drains again that were believed to be behind the disaster.

Paris Gunmen Had Links In Britain - Report

Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the alleged mastermind of the attacks

Several people suspected of having connections to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the alleged Islamic State ringleader of the attacks, are based in Birmingham, according to two officials.

Some are thought to be of Moroccan heritage.

The officials claim at least one person connected to the suicide bombings and shootings travelled to Britain beforehand. 

A total of 130 people were killed in a series of coordinated attacks on the Stade de France, the Bataclan concert hall and restaurants in the French capital on 13 November.

The manhunt that followed centred on Belgium, where some of the attackers had been living. 

The Wall Street Journal report comes as Belgian police released images of two men they believe aided Salah Abdeslam, who was dubbed "Public Enemy Number One" after the attacks.

The two - who used fake IDs with the names  Samir Bouzid and Soufiane Kayal - are described as "armed and dangerous".

It means a total of four people are actively being hunted by Belgian police.

Authorities continue to seek Abdeslam, who is thought to have fled to Belgium after the killings, and Mohamed Abrini, who is accused of driving Abdeslam to Paris.

Abaaoud, a Belgian national of Moroccan descent, died during a raid by French police days after the attacks.

In the wake of the massacre the UK government revealed it had thwarted seven terror attacks on its soil in the past year.

The UK's terror alert remains at its second-highest level, severe - meaning an attack is highly likely.

The Director General of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, Charles Farr, said last month that up to 800 Britons had travelled to Iraq and Syria, some to join Islamic State.

About 50% have returned, while about 70 are believed to have been killed, he said.

On Wednesday MPs voted for Britain to extend airstrikes against IS targets from Iraq to Syria.

Forth Road Bridge To Stay Shut Until New Year

The repairs are said to be 'highly dependent on weather conditions'

Transport Scotland said the decision was based on inspections by engineers and the "advice and assessment" of independent experts.

A 20mm crack in a truss under the southbound carriageway was detected on Tuesday, close to the bridge's north tower.

Repairs are already under way and authorities said it should be reopened "for the return to work in January".

Engineers said allowing vehicles to still use the bridge would "increase the risk of causing extensive secondary damage".

The closure, which began at midnight, has already caused big delays for some rush-hour drivers.

Traffic Scotland said Friday morning queues on the A985 had reached 11 miles on the approach to the Kincardine Bridge.

There was also a six-mile queue near the Clackmannanshire Bridge.

As well as using those bridges, drivers are being urged to travel on the M9 or A9, and use public transport if possible.

The fractured steelwork which needs repair

Extra bus and rail services will now be laid on between Fife and Edinburgh.

A full rail plan for the duration of the closure and a special travel webpage are also being prepared.

Transport Minister Derek MacKay said the decision to close the bridge was "essential for the safety of the travelling public" and "not taken lightly".

"Every effort is being made to open the bridge as quickly as possible but safety is the main priority, however these works are weather dependent given the height and location of the bridge," said Mr MacKay.

The problems only occurred in the last few weeks, he added.

Mark Arndt , from Amey, the company which maintains the bridge, said the work was a "complex engineering challenge".

"The component failure is in a difficult to access location and our response is also highly dependent on weather conditions," he said.

More than 70,000 vehicles normally use the bridge every week day.

Police and the ambulance and fire services will still be able to cross in emergency situations.

Motorists are also being advised to follow @forthroadbridge and @trafficscotlandfor the latest developments.

A new bridge - the Queensferry Crossing - is due to open over the Firth of Forth next year, costing the Scottish Government up to £1.4bn.

The existing Forth Road Bridge will eventually become dedicated for public transport, cycling and walking.