In defence news today, broadcast channels are dominated by North Korea’s claim overnight to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb and a Sky News exclusive on Daesh weapons testing at a ‘jihadi university’ in Syria. In the newspapers, there are reports that a law firm accused of ‘hounding’ British soldiers over actions in the Iraq war could be struck off, and further coverage regarding the identity of the masked man in the latest Daesh video.
BRITISH JIHADI
Friends, family and associates are divided over whether a 32-year-old Muslim convert who skipped bail from London to head to Syria is the jihadi behind the mask who presides over the murder of five men in the Islamic State video released over the weekend, according to The Guardian. Abu Rumaysah fled Britain in September 2014 shortly after he was arrested on suspicion of encouraging terrorism and being a member of the proscribed group al-Muhajiroun. He was able to do so, the newspaper writes, because his passport was not taken away from him after he was released on police bail.
IRAQ
The Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph write that solicitors from a law firm ‘hounding’ British soldiers over their actions in the Iraq War could be struck off. A year-long investigation into Leigh Day's alleged practices concluded the claims were serious enough to pass on to a disciplinary tribunal, they report. It was launched after it emerged the firm shredded a key document which could have stopped the Al-Sweady inquiry into Iraqi allegations of torture by British troops, according to the newspapers, and saved taxpayers £31million.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said earlier this week:
We are concerned at reports about people being solicited by British lawyers to make allegations which, as the Al-Sweady Inquiry showed, can often be fabricated. And these reports are rightly being investigated by the relevant professional bodies.
This Government made a clear manifesto commitment to ensure our Armed Forces are not subject to persistent legal claims that undermine their ability to do their job. We are now working to deliver this.
At the end of the day, every false claim diverts defence spending from the front line and hinders our troops’ ability to act in difficult operational situations.
NORTH KOREA
Broadcasters including BBC News and Sky News are today reporting North Korea’s claim to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb amid reports of a tremor near the main nuclear test site. North Korean state media announced the test after monitors detected a 5.1 magnitude quake close to the Punggye-ri site. The North is thought to have conducted three previous underground nuclear tests there since 2006. There was strong reaction to the announcement, with South Korea saying it was a serious challenge to global peace and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said:
If a nuclear device has been detonated by North Korea, this is a grave breach of UN Security Council resolutions and a provocation which I condemn without reservation. It underlines the very real threat that North Korea represents to regional and international security.
We will be working with other UN Security Council members to ensure the international community responds urgently and decisively to this latest activity.
DAESH WEAPONS
Sky News continues to report its story, first broken by the channel last night, on weapons testing footage obtained from Daesh. It says the terrorist group is employing scientists and weapons experts to train jihadists to carry out sophisticated attacks in Europe, while also modifying weapons systems capable of targeting passenger jets and military aircraft.
Sky also report that the Daesh research and development team has produced fully working remote controlled cars to act as mobile bombs, while they have fitted the cars with "drivers" - mannequins with self-regulating thermostats to produce the heat signature of humans, allowing the car bombs to evade sophisticated scanning machines that protect military and government buildings in the West.
US DEATH
Various news outlets, including The Guardian, report yesterday’s incident in Helmand, during which one US serviceman was killed and two more injured. Troops came under attack during an operation in Marja, which is largely controlled by militants, and a rescue helicopter sent in to assist suffered mechanical difficulties and had to be abandoned.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Follow us on Twitter and don’t forget to sign up for email alerts.