'Arrogant Facebook failing to tackle paedophile threat,' claims child protection expert

Facebook was last night accused of arrogant complacency in the face of soaring numbers of complaints about online paedophiles.

Child protection teams say cases involving bullies and sexual predators have trebled on the networking site this year.
Jim Gamble, of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, said: 'Is Facebook so arrogant that it does not matter what the collective child protection community think? Social networking websites need to make some decisions
'Do you want to be a chosen site for rapists and murderers?'

The site has already snubbed a request to add a 'panic button' for children to alert police and child protection staff to paedophiles.
Other sites such as Bebo and MSN have adopted the 'Click-CEOP' button but Facebook has agreed to put it only on a separate reporting area and not on every page.
Mr Gamble, a former deputy director of the National Crime Squad, said Facebook had never reported any suspicious or inappropriate behaviour to a UK police force.

CEOP, which comprises former police officers, child protection officials and computer experts, monitors online paedophile activity and passes intelligence to police forces. It receives some public money.

From January to March, it had 252 complaints about Facebook - 40 per cent of which related to paedophiles grooming children. That compares with 297 complaints throughout 2009.
Mr Gamble said: 'Our reports are increasing month on month.

'None of these [252] complaints came direct from Facebook.

'If their system is so robust and they are receiving so many reports and concerns from young people, then where are they?

'What Facebook do not understand is prevention or deterrence.

'The sort of thing I'm talking about is a mother calling us and saying her daughter has been talking to someone on Facebook she is worried about and she's reported it to Facebook and there is no response.

'Facebook are confusing their approach to content with their approach to behaviour.

'That is where predators will go online, engage the young and vulnerable, and lure them offline where they can abuse them.'

Mr Gamble is due to meet the vice-president of the site in Washington on Monday for urgent talks.
Facebook claims having the panic button on every page could lead to fewer reports of potential predators.
The issue hit the headlines last month following the conviction of a serial rapist for the murder of schoolgirl Ashleigh Hall.
Peter Chapman posed as a young boy on Facebook to lure the 17-year-old to her death in Sedgefield, County Durham.
Yesterday Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, accused Facebook of being irresponsible.

'It seems so bizarre that they won't adopt the CEOP button. They will get more business because their site will be seen as safer,' he said.

A spokesman for Facebook said: 'We take the issue of safety very seriously, and recently met the Home Secretary to discuss online safety.

'We are due to meet with CEOP next week to talk them through our safety strategy.

'We will wait to have this meeting prior to sharing our plans more widely with the public soon afterwards.'

Daily Mail

UNITE TO FIGHT THE BNP'S NASTY NICK (UK)

One of Britain's top interfaith campaigners has called on the main political parties to abandon point-scoring over the BNP and unite to tackle the threat at the polls on 6 May.

The BNP is set to field a record number of candidates in next month's general election, which comes less than a year after the party won two seats in the European Parliament.
Warning that he fears Britain will wake up on 7 May to find the BNP has gained its first member of Parliament and up to 50 additional council seats. Fiyaz Mughal demanded that Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats do more to counter Nick Griffin's far-right party.

The director of Faith Matters, who also serves as an adviser on extremism to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, told the Jewish News: The political parties should now be involved in a cross synergy of activities against the BNP, but they are all too busy trying to score points off each other on this issue. I want to see the parties do more individually and collectively because it's a national security issue, not a party political or diversity issue.

And while acknowledging that major parties were taking some action in this battle, he described this activity as merely papering over the edges. In the wake of the BNP�s gains at the European elections, Mughal brought together representatives from eight cultural anti-extremist and faith-based organisations including the Board of Deputies and the CST.

He said the aim was partly to learn, disseminate and promote some of the efforts taking place in the Jewish community from where a majority of anti-BNP activity emanates.

Mughal now wants to see the political leaders make people aware of the reality of the far right through their messages and that it is a threat to all communities not just the Muslim and Jewish communities.

And he also called for the three main parties to hold a joint meeting with interested groups after the poll to develop a plan that looks at how each of the stakeholders can play a role over the next few years in tackling this. They have got to ensure that each partner has resources.

Mughal's call for a united approach against the BNP was yesterday backed by the CST. Spokesman Mark Gardner said: The mainstream parties are well aware of our community's concerns regarding the BNP and share many of them. As a point of principle, we would support calls for the leading parties to work together on combating the BNP, but we recognise that such co-operation will be partly influenced by local constituency factors and personalities.

While saying that political parties have a role to play in combatting the BNP together�, Three Faiths Forum Director Stephen Shashoua stressed this is not only about politics. The more people that are coming out against the bnp the better.

The top three parties last night moved quickly to emphasise their abhorrence to the BNP and their credentials against the party. Liberal Democrat Spokesperson said: We have a strong record of taking on the BNP, for example in Burnley where we have won a series of electoral victories over them. We believe that the best way to take on the BNP is by addressing the issues on the doorstep and showing people that BNP's brand of hate-fuelled politics is useless. A Labour Party spokesperson said: We are fighting hard against the BNP�s vile and divisive politics wherever they are active, and we believe that on polling day the British people will clearly reject the disgusting politics of the BNP. For the Conservatives, Shadow Cohesion minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said: The BNP are completely beyond the pale. They are an appalling bunch of people. What the mainstream parties have to do is prove their worth. Get on the doorstep, explain to people how we are going to take up their concerns, how we are going to respond to their issues. That is the best way to beat these dreadful people by working together on combating the BNP. But we recognise that such co-operation will be partly influenced by local constituency factors and personalities.

While saying that political parties have a role to play in combatting the BNP together, Three Faiths Forum Director Stephen Shashoua stressed this is not only about politics. The more people that are coming out against the BNP the better.

The three main parties last night moved quickly to emphasise their abhorrence of the BNP. A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: The best way to take the BNP on is by showing people that its brand of hate-fuelled politics is useless.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: We are fighting against the BNP's vile politics and believe that on polling day the British people will clearly reject their disgusting politics.

For the Conservatives, Shadow Cohesion Minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said:

The BNP are completely beyond the pale. They are an appalling bunch of people. What the mainstream parties have to do is prove their worth. Get on the doorstep, explain to people how we are going to take up their concerns, how we are going to respond to their issues. That is the best way to beat these dreadful people.
Totally Jewish

MoD apologise over Catterick Garrison firing range 'mosques' (UK)

THE Ministry of Defence (MoD) started to dismantle models of mosques built on an Army firing range last night after being accused of helping to radicalise young Muslims.

North-East Islamic groups had condemned the seven cutouts erected on military ranges on Bellerby Moor, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

Workmen last night removed the green domes from the structures, after the MoD issued an apology for any offence caused.
Turki Aba-Alala, president of Newcastle Islamic Society, said: “This suggests the Army is targeting mosques rather than terrorists. It makes the Muslim students coming to this country, and Muslims from the UK more scared.
“Things like this just increase the insecurity of young Muslims and can help to radicalise them.”

Ali Luft, from the Muslim Federation Cleveland, also criticised the decision to build the models.

He said: “It just doesn’t look right. It’s disturbing people when they hear about it.

“They should be training soldiers in streets, mountains or caves where these people hide – not mosques.” The firing range is used by troops from Europe’s biggest Army base at nearby Catterick Garrison.

Some of the mosques had single domes and others had double domes. The structures, which are visible from a public road, were first brought to the attention of the Bradford Council for Mosques (BMC) by a passer-by.
BMC members, who have visited the range to inspect the models, said yesterday that the mosques were being used as a symbol of danger and served to reinforce negative stereotypes of Muslims.
Mohammed Saleem Khan, chief executive of the council, said the shape and colour of the structures – a green dome – symbolised an Islamic place of worship.

“It is so obvious,” he said.

“Even a non-Muslim recognised the significance. The first person who raised the issue with us was a non-Muslim.”

In response, the Army said it was vital soldiers trained in an environment which replicated where they were deployed.
Officials said the facilities at Bellerby Moor had been upgraded recently following feedback from troops in Afghanistan.

A spokesman said the structures were meant to be generic Eastern buildings rather than mosques, and were not used as target practice.

He added: “We apologise for any offence that we may have caused. It was never our intention for these generic structures to look like or replicate mosques, only to provide a setting similar to operational environments in which our personnel could train.

“We are seeking a meeting with representatives from the Muslim community to hear their concerns in order to discuss the way forward. We are in the process of removing the offending structures.”

The Northern Echo

Australia halts Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum claims

Australia has announced the immediate suspension of all new asylum claims by people from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans said the decision had been made "in the light of changing circumstances" in those countries.
He added that the move would "send a strong message to people smugglers".
Correspondents say a recent increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving by boat has put pressure on the Australian government.

Rights group Amnesty International called the decision "an appalling political move".

Friday's announcement came as news emerged that the navy had intercepted a sinking boat with 70 people on board off Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, where Australia has a detention centre.

'Hardline approach'
More than 100 boats carrying asylum seekers have been intercepted by the Australian navy since the current government came to power in 2007.
Many of them are carrying people from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Mr Rudd has been under mounting political pressure over the rise in the number of boat people, says the BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney.
The immediate suspension on the processing of visa applications from new Afghan and Sri Lankan asylum seekers is clearly intended as a deterrent.

But our correspondent says the decision is being widely interpreted as a political move to neutralise an always sensitive issue ahead of this year's election.

"We have taken a consistently hard-line approach to people smuggling and today's announcements will further strengthen the integrity of Australia's immigration system," said Mr Evans.

Boats will not be turned away by the Australian navy and boat people will still be taken to a detention centre at Christmas Island.
However new arrivals will not be able to apply for asylum.
The Australian government says it will review the situation for Sri Lankans after three months, and for Afghans after six.

Amnesty International urged the Australian government to explain why it believed security conditions in the affected countries had improved enough to justify suspending asylum claims.

"Sadly it appears that the government has caved in to political pressure and is now attempting to override the rights of the most vulnerable to score political points," said Andrew Beswick, of Amnesty International Australia.
BBC News

AWB Secretary General Andrie Visagie in TV studio bust up

The leader of a far right paramilitary group stormed out of a live TV debate amid continuing tension following the murder of Eugene Terreblanche

Secretary General of the AWB Andre Visagie was appearing on the ETV television show Africa 360, when he stood up and appeared to threaten Lebohang Pheko, director of policy of a campaign group.

ETV anchor Chris Maroleng intervened before Visagie called his own security man onto the set. Visagie claims he was not being given the chance to answer accusations made against him.

Tensions are continuing to run high in South Africa following the killing of white supremacist and former AWB leader Eugene Terreblanche.
BBC News

South Africa set for Eugene Terreblanche funeral

The funeral of Eugene Terreblanche, the infamous South African white supremacist leader, is to take place.

Thousands of supporters are expected in the rural town Ventersdorp to commemorate his controversial life.
Terreblanche was killed on his farm on Sunday. Two of his workers have been charged with murder.

Having fought South Africa's transition to democracy, Terreblanche was hated by many, if not most, of his fellow countrymen.
But thousands of Terreblanche's supporters are expected to fill the grounds of the Afrikaans Protestant Church for his funeral in Ventersdorp.
Though all the indications are that the murder had more to do with money than politics, it has led to a period of heightened racial tension.

White groups and opposition parties blamed an ANC official, Julius Malema, for singing an apartheid-era song at rallies, that includes the lyrics "shoot the farmer".

The ANC has rejected that link, but accepts that the song and the debate around it was polarising society.

It has now instructed its members to stop using it.
BBC News

London UKIP election candidate in racism row (UK)

A UKIP parliamentary candidate has been reinstated after posting racist remarks on a social care website.

Paul Wiffen, who is campaigning to be MP for Ilford South in east London, responded to a criticism of the party on the Community Care site.
The remarks focused on Muslims, Romanian Gypsies and African and Caribbean communities.
UKIP said he had been suspended but, following his apology and an inquiry, he was allowed back into the party.

The comment was made in response to a post by Community Care's Outside Left blogger on asylum.

Mr Wiffen, chair of UKIP London, said: "You left-wing scum are all the same, wanting to hand our birthright to Romanian gypsies who beat their wives and children into begging and stealing money they can gamble with, Muslim nutters who want to kill us and put us under medieval Sharia law, the same Africans who sold their Afro-Caribbean brothers into a slavery that Britain was first to abolish (but you still want to apologize for!)"
He has since apologised saying: "I was very surprised to see such a party political piece on a website called 'Community Care', and when I read the lies about UKIP being a racist party, I just saw red, and fired off an angry email.

"I am truly sorry to anyone offended by some of the language I used."

A spokesman for UKIP said: "UKIP is a party of real people, not career politicians.

"Real people sometimes make mistakes, and when they do, they should apologise.

"Both UKIP and Mr Wiffen have apologised for any offence caused."

Mike Gapes, Labour MP for Ilford South, said: "There is an unpleasant whiff about Mr Wiffen."

Toby Boutle, the Conservative candidate for the area, said if Mr Wiffen 's comments are correct then "it says a lot about UKIP that someone like this is their regional chairman in London".
Lib Dem candidate Anood Al-Samerai said: "I would not wish to see this man standing in Ilford South."

BBC News