Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Shocking! Malaysian MP says - There is nothing wrong with rape victims marrying their rapists or for 9-year-old girls to marry

Wonders shall never cease! A Barisan Nasional lawmaker has caused outrage internationally after he suggested that some 9-year-olds were "physically and spiritually" ready for marriage and also that rapists should be allowed to marry their victims as a way to remedy the situation.

The Malaysian member of parliament, Tasek Gelugor, made the comment yesterday as Malaysia passed a law on sexual offences against children without criminalising child marriage. Gelugor's comment was in response to a proposal by a female opposition member of parliament to amend the Sexual Offences Against Children bill so that child marriages can be banned.

Gelugor refused her suggestion and said that some 12- and 15-year-old girls looked older than their actual ages and that if a girl reaches puberty at the age of 9 she was ready for marriage and should be allowed to get married.

"When we discuss 12- and 15-year-olds, we don't see their physical bodies because some children aged 12 or 15, their bodies are like 18-year-old women," Gelugor said.

He continued: "They reach puberty at the age of 9 or 12. And at that time, their body is already akin to them being 18 years old. So physically and spiritually, it is not a barrier for the girl to marry."

On the issue of rape, Gelugor, who is a former Syariah court judge, said that although rape is a criminal offence, the rapist and the victim should be "given a second chance to turn a new leaf in life".

"Perhaps through marriage they can lead a healthier, better life. And the person who was raped does not necessarily have a bleak future. She will have a husband, at least, and this could serve as a remedy to growing social problems," he said. "The girl becomes safer when she is married rather than when she is left alone. Don't assume they (rapists) remain bad people."

Dr Siti Mariah, the woman who called for child marriages to be made a criminal offence, objected to his suggestion, arguing that allowing the rapist to marry the victim would not guarantee a better life.

"I don't agree with marrying off the victim to the rapist. If the rapist repents, maybe that's fine, but what if the husband is 'haprak' (useless)?" she said.

Sadly, Dr Siti's motion to amend the Sexual Offences Against Children Bill to include child marriages as an offence was ultimately defeated by a voice vote.

Norway to build world's first ship tunnel at sea

The Stad Ship Tunnel will be the world's first sea tunnel to pass through a mountain

Norway on Wednesday unveiled plans to build the world's first sea tunnel to pass through a mountain, avoiding dangerous waters that intimidated even the Vikings.
Built to bypass the Stad peninsula, a storm-swept area in western Norway, the Stad ship tunnel will be 1.7 kilometres (one mile) long and 36 meters wide, making journeys safer.
"The Stad tunnel for boats will finally be built," said Norwegian Transport Minister Ketil Solvik-Olsen, presenting a comprehensive transport plan for the period 2018-2029.
"The government is now ensuring a safer and more reliable passage of the most dangerous and harsh waters for the transport of goods along the Norwegian coasts," he said in a statement.
The North Sea is roughed up by fierce winds off the peninsula and many ships wait for storms to abate before continuing their journey.
Even the Vikings, who were talented sailors, preferred to avoid the waters, instead transporting their boats by land.
Tunnels for boats exist in other parts of the world such as the Canal du Midi in France, but the Stad tunnel will be the first to accommodate ships up to 16,000 tonnes for freight transport and passengers, including the iconic Bergen-Kirkenes Coastal Express, which connects the Nordic nation's south and north.
The project is estimated to cost 2.7 billion kroner (295 million euros, $315 million).
It should take between three and four years to build, with work to begin in the first half of the multi-year plan, the government said.

Source : AFP

I made $544,000 selling pure water- Defendant, Veronica Onyegbula says

The Economic and Finacial CrimesCommission EFCC, yesterday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the fourth defendant in the ongoing N24 billion police pension scam trial, Veronica Onyegbula, during interrogation in 2012 when she was arrested, that she made $544,000 from sales of pure water.

Onyegbula is standing trial alongside Esai Dangabar; Ahmed Inuwa Wada; Atiku Abubakar Kigo; Sani Habila Zira; Uzoma Attang and Christian Madubuike on criminal charges bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust for their complicity in the scam at the police pension office. It is alleged that the accused persons conspired and sequentially withdrew money from the Police Pension Fund (PPF) in an account domiciled at First Bank of Nigeria and shared it amongst themselves.

At the resumed hearing of the case at an FCT high court yesterday, one of the prosecuting witnesses and an operative of the antigraft agency, Rukayya Ibrahim, told the court that during interrogation, the accused informed the agency that she made the huge sum of money from her pure water business. Rukayya said this while while giving evidence in the trial within trial requested by counsel to Onyegbula, Barrister Ernest Ikeji.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Barrister Leke Atolagbe, Rukkaya told the court that all the statements made by Onyegbula were voluntarily made under a cordial interactive session and not under duress as being alleged by her counsel.

The presiding judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, adjourned the trial within trial to today at the instance of the prosecution counsel.

Single mum on benefits went on 'massive spending spree' after bank accidentally put £43,000 in her account

A single mum living on benefits who went on a "massive spending spree" after a bank accidentally deposited €51,000 (£43,750) in her account has walked free from court.

Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc

Margaret McDonnell, 23, received a suspended jail sentence after spending the money on items for her two children - including bedclothes, clothes and shoes - the Irish Mirror reports .
She also ate out every night for two weeks - brought her friends and family out for dinner - and bought gifts including two crystal vases and a “crystal mushroom lamp”, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.
McDonnell - who insisted "any young girl on social welfare like me would have done what I did” - was ordered to pay just €1,000 (£860) back to the bank within 18 months.

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc

Referring to the money lodged in McDonnell's account, Judge Cormac Quinn commented: “If it's too good to be true it is because it is too good to be true."
Oisin Clarke, defending, said it was a case of the goose laying golden eggs and McDonnell spending the money before it stopped.
McDonnell of Rathvilly Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of theft of cash from Bank of Ireland on dates between 7 and 16 March 2013.
Between large ATM withdrawals and money spent in shops and restaurants, a total of €24,946 (£21,400) was taken.
Last January, Judge Quinn adjourned the case to give time to the Probation Service to assess McDonnell's suitability for community service.
And today, he noted that the Probation Service had put her at a low risk of re-offending.
He suspended a sentence of 18 months on condition that she pay €1,000 (£860) back to the bank within 18 months- and also ordered her to carry out 150 hours of community service.
Detective Garda Karl Smith told the court that in March 2013 a Bank of Ireland customer went into the branch in Finglas to get details to allow the transfer of €51,808 (£44,450) into his account from a foreign bank account.
He was given an IBAN number but when the money did not later show up in his bank account, he contacted the bank again. It was then discovered he had been incorrectly given the details of McDonnell's account.
The €51,808 had dropped into her account on March 6. The following day she withdrew €5,000 (£4,290).
Over the next nine days she spent large amounts in Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Heatons, Centra, Lifestyle Sports, Shoe Rack and New Look.

On discovering its mistake, the bank took back the €26,862 (£23,000) remaining from the original deposit.

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc

They also wrote to McDonnell asking her to repay the rest but she ignored the letter.
After her arrest she accepted full responsibility for spending the money. She told the gardai (the local police) that she thought the money was hers if it was in her bank account.
She said: “I just went on a high. It was such a lot of money. It was in my account so as far as I was concerned, it was mine."
She said she spent the money “on everything and anything, stupid things”.
Asked if she was bothered by the thefts she told gardaí: “If only you knew me, you would know I was bothered by this.
"Any young girl on social welfare like me would have done what I did.”
She said she ignored the letter from the bank because she was scared and realised she had done something wrong.
Mr Clarke said his client had never before had disposal income to spend and had never been able to buy gifts for friends or family.
On March 7 she spent €3,844 (£3,300) in Tierney's gift shop in Blanchardstown after buying two crystal vases and a crystal lamp.
Judge Quinn asked how she managed to spend so much in gift shops that sell “ordinary middle of the road type gifts”.
Counsel said McDonnell had never been in trouble before and had always tried to live her life in an upright fashion.
Det Gda Smith said it was highly unlikely she would reoffend.
He said she had “flittered the money away” and had nothing to show for it all.
Mr Clarke said McDonnell receives €250 (£215) lone parent allowance each week and could only afford to pay €15 (£12.90) out of this to make up the stolen money.
Judge Quinn said the offences weren't pre-planned and the money was spent on mundane things.

Source : Manchester Evening

Some Swedish workers are getting microchips implanted in their hands

How would you feel about having a microchip implanted in your hand to make things more convenient at work?

In Sweden, some workers are actually volunteering to do just that, electing to have a chip the size of a grain of rice implanted in their bodies to help them unlock doors, operate printers, open storage lockers and even buy smoothies with the wave of their hand, according to an Associated Press report. Epicenter, a digital hub in Stockholm that houses more than 300 start-ups and innovation labs for larger companies, has made the implanted chip available to its workers and to member organizations in recent years. It's a biohacking experiment in simplicity that's been embraced by some early adopters associated with the center but represents a technological frontier sure to make others shudder.

But while it may sound like the dawning of an era of a cyborg workforce, management consultants say they're hearing little interest in the concept so far, and those leading the experiment in Sweden say it's an entirely voluntary exercise intended simply as a technological test for convenience. “It's very early to try to depict where this is going,” Patrick Mesterton, co-founder and chief executive of Epicenter, said in an interview with The Washington Post. “We're just doing this because it’s interesting. We want to play around with technology.”

The promise behind the implant being offered at Epicenter is efficiency. People who get “chipped” — the same technology used to track pets or deliveries — can replace key cards, employee badges and credit cards for certain functions at the facility with technology that can't be lost or left behind.

Every once in a while, Epicenter, with the help of its “chief disruption officer,” who is one of the founders of BioNyfiken, the Swedish Association of Biohackers, organizes a “chip and beer” or “chip and wine” event after work. They bring in an outside firm to offer the procedure, which costs about $150, is voluntary and involves plenty of paperwork, Mesterton said. “Then they can ask us if they want to activate the chip on the services in the building.”

Mesterton said about 75 of the 2,000 people who work for the organizations housed at Epicenter had elected to have the chip implanted, including six of his 12 employees. Another 75 people who have no direct affiliation with Epicenter, but have attended open events at the facility, have chosen to be chipped out of their own interest. (A chain of gyms in Sweden, Mesterton said, offers access through embedded chips.)

The technology does not allow for any kind of monitoring, he said. It “doesn't even carry that ability. It's exactly the same as if you would use a single key card,” he said. Known as a “passive chip,” it has no built-in power supply and can't send signals about its position. “If a person is worried about being traced, your mobile phone or Internet search history poses a bigger threat than the RFID chip we use ever would do,” Mesterton said in an email.

Ethical or privacy issues, however, could become a concern if the chips do more in the future and organizations embrace the technology. As Ben Libberton, a microbiologist at Stockholm's Karolinska Institute, told the Associated Press, “conceptually, you could get data about your health, you could get data about your whereabouts, how often you're working, how long you're working, if you're taking toilet breaks and things like that.”

That's one reason management consultants say such chips are unlikely to show up in American workplaces anytime soon. Michael Chui, a partner with the McKinsey Global Institute who leads its research on the impact of long-term technology trends, said that while there is “a broad awareness for the technical ability for this to happen,” right now there is “zero interest in actually doing it.”

For one, the business case isn't very high, with “smart badges” and biometric scanners able to do much of the same work. Then, he said, “there is a general creep factor about it.”

Josh Bersin, who leads a unit at Deloitte that does human resources research, says that while wearable devices have become more common, particularly among manufacturing employees or drivers, big employers are still wary of such technology. “For lots of big companies, just the idea of a smart badge is scary enough,” he said. Suggesting that employees put something inside their bodies — “that's a big leap. I can leave my smart badge or my phone at home.” He hasn't had clients suggest it.

More likely, he said, is that companies will make more use out of sensor technology that can be embedded inside workers' badges. Such devices can track location data, listen in on the emotion of employees' voices and suggest, say, the most effective places for retail clerks to stand to improve sales. One company, Bersin said, used high-tech badges to find that employees with a positive attitude also tended to have more physical mobility during the day, a finding they used to redesign work practices, shorten meetings and even move others outside.

Others think it's possible the technology could be tried in the United States within a few years, at least as the next iteration of biometric scanners that log people in and out of work sites. C.R. Wright, a partner with the employment law firm Fisher Phillips in Atlanta, said technology such as fingerprint or hand scans have become more popular as a way to avoid forgotten badges, prevent workers from “buddy punching” the clock, and secure particularly sensitive or secretive facilities.

“We already have biometric tags and packaging. It's jumping to the human application,” he said. Though any kind of embedded microchip is likely to bring pushback from workers, “within the next five years, I would think it will be tried here.”

Source : The Washington Post

Omg! Chinese Kung Fu master uses his testicles to pull seven cars weighing 12 tonnes

Mr Ye Wei, a Chinese Kung Fu master astounded a watching crowd by pulling a row of seven Audi cars with nothing but his testicles. The 39yr old pulled the cars a distance of eight metres to successfully break his personal record set last year which saw him pulling five cars.

According to Mr Ye, the stunt called Xi Sui Gong or Xi Sui Technique is a wellness regime practised by Taoists to improve their fertility. After successfully completing the challenge, Mr Ye told a reporter that he had been practising kung fu for around 30 years and that he had worked as the principal for three martial arts schools. Dr Chen Yu,Department of Urology at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital said 'Xi Sui Gong' could help curing or prevent urinary incontinence as the exercise trains the pelvis and muscles around the thigh.'

He also added the action of stimulating the testicles can help problems of premature ejaculation and extend the endurance on sex performance.
However, there is also an effect of bending the penis and skin peeling on the testicles.
Watch the video below:

Source: Daily Mail.

23-Year-Old Nigerian Youth Sentenced To Death By Hanging For Stealing Android LG Smartphone Worth N87,000 Naira By High Court In Abuja

23-Year-Old Nigerian Youth Sentenced To Death By Hanging For Stealing Smartphone Worth N87,000 Naira

A young man has been sentenced to death by hanging for stealing a smartphone.

Tope Abiodun, 23, has been in a Nigerian prison for four years after stealing an Android LG smartphone valued at 87,000 NGN (£256).
He claims he was planning to sell it to buy food for his younger siblings, according to an activist who is highlighting the case.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sentenced Mr Abiodun to death by hanging.
Justice campaigner Don Capello wrote of the case: ‘Justice Chizoba Orji of Apo high court FCT Abuja jailed 23 yrs old Tope Abiodun (from Kabba Kogi state) to death by hanging for stealing an Android LG phone valued at 87,000 naira.
‘This happened few weeks ago in a country where those that looted billions that were meant to make life easy for such youths from being tempted to survive through stealing, are out there roaming the streets in freedom.
Mr Capello said: ‘This is unfair to the poor and vulnerable masses. Tope fluently speaks Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa languages.
‘He has transformed since he was imprisoned four years ago, this is a lad that will assist visitors with their luggage down to cells of those they came to visit in Kuje prison.
‘He is a good boy we cannot allow to die. I am appealing to well-meaning Nigerians, clergies alike to come to his aid. He has an ageing mother, he was not born to see his father alive. One can easily understand his upbringing.’

Justice campaigner Don Capello shared a Facebook post of Tope highlighting the case.

The campaigner explained in a Facebook post: ‘Tope Abiodun committed this crime when he was 18-years-old, he told me the pressure to feed his younger siblings pushed him to do it.
‘Probably he did that as an ignorant young boy out of the normal juvenile delinquency stage in our lives.’
In the post, Mr Capello revealed that he had helped the youth process his case through the appeal court.
He added: ‘I am so sad about this because I have spent much to help this boy even though I have my issues.
‘At the end the judge gave him a very harsh sentence (death by hanging).’
It was not clear whether an execution date had been set.
There was no comment from Nigerian legal authorities on the case.
The death penalty in Nigeria can legally be enacted by hanging, shooting or stoning.
Offences that can carry the death penalty include same-sex marriage, treason and mutiny.
Rape, murder, terrorism, kidnapping and robbery are also punishable by death.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4367986/Thief-sentenced-death-stealing-phone-Nigeria.html#ixzz4cvvELiph

Islamic extremist, Michael Adebowale who killed British soldier moved to psychiatric hospital

An Islamic extremist who murdered British soldier Lee Rigley in London will be moved back to a 'softer' psychiatric hospital from jail, the UK Sun reports.
Michael Adebowale, 25, has been in high-security prison HMP Wakefield since September 2015 after he and accomplice Michael Adebolajo hacked the 22-year-old fusilier to death in Woolwich in May 2013.

The pair ran down the solider, a father-of-one, with a car before launching a brutal machete attack.
Adebowale was transferred from the tough category A prison in Yorkshire to the "softer" psychiatric hospital, where it costs £250,000-a-year to house inmate.

According to the newspaper, Adebowale has refused to comply with medical treatment while in Wakefield jail leaving officials no choice. The move was reportedly passed last month and the killer made the 210-mile journey earlier this week.

His victim’s family have spoken of their outrage following his transfer to the softer establishment. Fusilier Rigby’s mum Lyn, 50, had hailed the end of his "gentler life" following his original move from the hospital said: "I’ve said before that Adebowale deserves to be in a tough prison for what he did to my Lee," she told The Sun.
"I get the impression this whole situation is going to yo-yo back and forth for years because the authorities clearly don’t know how to deal with him. I need to be reassured that the right punishment is being handed down to the man who took my son's life."

Source: London Evening Standard

Single Mother & 8yrs Old Son Shot Dead By Her Boyfriend

A single mum from Sanford, Florida and her 8yrs old son were killed by her boyfriend just hours after the police were called to her home about a domestic dispute.

Latina Herring, 35, and her son, 8, were shot and killed by Allen Cashe, 31, on March 27th.

Her father and second son, 7, were also shot and are currently in critical condition in the hospital.

The suspect Allen Cashe had gone on a shooting spree, firing 24 bullets from his AK-47 at Latina and her entire family. He also shot at and injured two other random people who were standing in his way as he tried to make his escape.

Cashe first called police around 3.20am as he and his girlfriend were arguing outside a convenience store. When police arrived, he told them Latina had stolen his keys and accused her of having an “attitude" after "coming home from the club drunk”. Latina accused him of having her house keys. Police settled the case as best they could and left.

Twenty minutes later, they got another call to Latina's home in Sanford, Florida and found them arguing on the lawn. Latina reportedly claimed that Cashe had a gun but police disputed her claim.

One police said: "She’s making false accusations. It’s the second time she’s done it."

Another officer was heard saying to Latina in a video footage released by the police department: "We’re going to handle it, ma’am, just stop calling 911 and making up accusations that you don’t know about, alright?"

At that point, authorities decided it was a civil matter, not a criminal one, and did not make an arrest. Frustrated with the way the police handled the situation, Latina said she should have lied that her boyfriend had hit her. Police waited and after Cashe left the house they also left but he returned to the house around 6 a.m. with a gun, kicked the door in and killed Latina in her bed and her young son Branden Christian as he was asleep on the sofa. He also shot Latina’s father, Bertis Gerard Herring Jr, and her other seven-year-old son, Brendon Christian.

Neighbours called 911 to report gunshots after they saw Herring Jr. standing outside, bleeding and screaming for help. Cashe said he did what he did because he was upset with Latina for calling the police. He was formally charged with first-degree murder of Latina and her son. He is in custody at the Seminole County Jail and is being held without bail.

It was revealed that Cashe has a history of violence and abuse. Court record shows he's been arrested at least 5 times for crimes ranging from violence and battery to threats but each time he went free and authorities revealed it was because his victims were always afraid to take him to court.

Sanford police chief, Chief Cecil Smith said: "Part of the issues is that we have so many victims who refuse to prosecute... They will file the complaints, they will file the charges but when it gets into the court system they choose to step back."

British government to disclose names of Nigerians who own houses in the country as from next year

The Executive Secretary, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Bolaji Owosanoye, says British Government has promised to give the Federal Government information about Nigerians who own property in that country begin from next year 2018.

Speaking in an interview with NAN in New York, Owosanoye, says this move is a great step towards eradicating corruption in the country.

“There’s no doubt that rogues in government oppress and impoverish their people by corruption and this must be sanctioned by collective action. We need to make sure that there is no safe haven for you (corrupt officials) to run to. Britain has promised that by 2018, she will provide Nigeria with the information about who owns what and where; that’s very helpful. These include all the houses that have been bought by public officials or accounts that are held by public officials on which they are right now not paying taxes or which they cannot explain the sources. So if you cannot buy a house in England, you have to look for somewhere else. But if all countries criminalise this, then it becomes much more difficult unless you want to buy the house on Mars,” he said

12,000 Nigerians set to be repatriated from Germany

The German authorities are planning to repatriate 12,000 Nigerians who are seeking asylum in the country.

This was made known by Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the senior special assistant to President Buhari on Diaspora Affairs, during the public presentation of two books 'From Libya with Tears' and 'Practical News and Feature Writing’ in Lagos.

The books were written by Mr. Dele Bodunde, who retired as a Managing Editor/Director in NAN on Tuesday at the attainment of 60 years.

According to Dabiri-Erewa, who was represented by her Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Abdul-Rahman Balogun she said that the German Embassy in Nigeria had intimated her office on plans to repatriate at least 12,000 Nigerian asylum seekers from the European country.

She also noted that about 128 Nigerians were among the over 576 West African migrants to Europe that recently died in the Mediterranean sea.

'Just some days ago, 128 Nigerians died in the Mediterranean sea out of 576. Most of them were from West African countries and they were on their way to Europe.

'Now, this is an unfortunate incident and I think it is better to remain in Nigeria and keep struggling, instead of making desperate journeys that could take their lives,’ she said.

She, however, added that some Nigerians had been trapped in Libya and were subjected to various inhuman treatments and that only the intervention of the Federal Government had ensured the return of many.

Source: Guardian Newspapers

Shocking! Man beats 7-year-old son to death, and fed his remains to pigs

A 41-year-old Kansas man admitted to killing his 7-year-old son and feeding his body to pigs.
Michael A Jones pleaded guilty in Wyandotte County District Court last Friday, March 31, to one count of first-degree murder over the death of child Adrian Jones. The boy’s remains were found in a barn at a home rented by Jones and his wife, 31 year old Heather Jones..
The crime scene was “one of the worst things” investigators had seen in their careers, according to Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Sheryl Lidtke described Adrian Jones as a curious, energetic boy who was cute as a button and said the abuse he endured was the worst she had seen in her nearly three decades as a prosecutor.

"He was horribly abused, neglected and ultimately killed. I 'm sure his suffering was unbearable" she said, adding that he was essentially starved to death.

According to court documents, he died between September 18 and October 4th, 2015, but his remains weren't found until more than a month later when police were called to the family's home for a domestic disturbance.

Jones was arrested the day before Thanksgiving in 2015 and later charged with aggravated battery and assault for the incident, but investigators learned while on the couple's property that the boy had not been seen for several months.

A search warrant was then executed on the property and human remains found in a barn were later identified as Adrian's, through DNA testing.

The boy's stepmother, Heather Jones, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and child abuse in November. She was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. She also received an additional five years and eight months in prison for child abuse.

Jones, who faces a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3, 2017.
Judy Conway, the boy's grandmother said she was relieved to learn of the guilty plea.

"It makes me pretty happy. I am relieved that Jones and Heather Jones will hopefully be behind bars for the rest of their lives. It won't bring Adrian back, of course, but it makes me feel really good that neither one can hurt another child again."

Source: Kansas City Star

Omg! Policeman Chasing ‘Yahoo Boys’ Shoots Woman To Death

A policeman allegedly shot and killed a woman yesterday evening in the Onipanu toll gate area, Mushin, Lagos.

Olorunloye tweeted that the woman is his mom and the policeman was chasing internet fraudsters popularly called ‘yahoo boys’ when the incident happened.

Her son demanded justice and sent out several frantic tweets, including tweeting at the Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, calling for intervention in the matter.

According to Olorunloye, on getting to police station, they were asked to come back today. Many Nigerians have joined him in demanding justice for his innocent mum.

Shocking! 17-year-old boy pleads guilty in plot to assassinate the Pope

A New Jersey teen has pleaded guilty to a plot allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group to kill Pope Francis in 2015, during a public Mass in Philadelphia, US.

The suspect, Santos Colon, admitted on Monday in a federal court in Camden that he attempted to conspire with a sniper to shoot the Pope during his visit to Philadelphia and set off explosive devices in the surrounding areas.

According to the US Justice Department, Santos Colon, 15 years old at the time, sought to recruit a sniper to shoot the pope as he celebrated mass in Philadelphia on September 27, 2015. Colon also allegedly planned to set off explosives.

But the teen unknowingly recruited an undercover FBI agent for the job, and was arrested quietly 12 days before the event.

The US citizen from Lindenwold, New Jersey, was charged as an adult with one count of attempting to provide material support to terrorists on Monday and faces up to 15 years in prison.

He also faces a fine of $250,000, or twice the amount of any financial gain or loss from the offense, prosecutors said.

However, no date has been set for sentencing and the investigation is ongoing.

Shocking! Benue lawmaker reportedly made to kneel down and apologise to Governor Ortom

Hon. James Gbande, member representing Kwande East State Constituency was allegedly made to kneel down and apologise to Governor Samuel Ortom after he accused the governor of not doing enough to bring an end to incessant attacks by Fulani herdsmen.

Source: Benue News

Irunmole-nla