A homemade pipe-bomb was pushed through the letter-box of a house in Salford while a family slept upstairs.
The device exploded, damaging the front door of the house on Westminster Street, Swinton, and blowing the letter-box off.
A 61-year-old man and his wife, 38, were upstairs along with their son, 20, and daughter, 12, when the house was targeted last Saturday.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police.
'Dangerous offender'
The son heard footsteps outside the house and saw a man at the bottom of the garden at about 2345 BST.
He then saw a bright flash outside followed by a loud explosion that caused the house to shake.
When the family went outside they found a haze of blue smoke.
Police found the device was a homemade pipe-bomb. Ball-bearings and shrapnel were recovered from the scene.
The man was described as white, about 5ft 4in tall and slim. He was wearing light blue jeans and a black hooded top pulled over his face.
Det Con Andrew Quinn said: "At this stage we do not know why this family were targeted in such a way but our paramount concern is to find this dangerous offender and lock him up.
"The family deserve the peace of mind of at least seeing this man behind bars so please, if you have any information whatsoever, do call us."
BBC News
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Three charged over Hartlepool mosque attack (UK)
Three people have been charged over race related vandalism, including a spray paint attack at a mosque.
The charges relate to spray paint attacks at the Nasir Mosque in Hartlepool and two addresses in Shotton Colliery, near Peterlee, last November.
All are accused of conspiracy to commit racially aggravated criminal damage.
A man, 24, from Peterlee, a man, 31, from High Pittington, County Durham and a woman, 19, from Buckinghamshire, are due in court on 11 May.
BBC News
The charges relate to spray paint attacks at the Nasir Mosque in Hartlepool and two addresses in Shotton Colliery, near Peterlee, last November.
All are accused of conspiracy to commit racially aggravated criminal damage.
A man, 24, from Peterlee, a man, 31, from High Pittington, County Durham and a woman, 19, from Buckinghamshire, are due in court on 11 May.
BBC News
Cyber-stalking laws: police review urged (UK)
Greater Manchester Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan wants police to be given more powers to seize computers used to harass victims online.
It is hard to prove who committed stalking even though it is easy to establish which computer was used.
The Home Office says it is investigating the issue.
Mr Shewan, who is the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) leader on the issue of stalking and harassment, met ministers at the Home Office last week.
He said: "The legislation is 12 years old and I don't think anyone envisaged 12 years ago the extent that the world wide web would open up opportunities to harass and stalk people via the internet."
Cyber-stalkers can currently either be charged under the Protection from Harassment Act or the Malicious Communications Act, but charities and academics say neither is sufficient given the expansion in technology in recent years.
300% increase
As the number of people using computers has increased, so has the ability to tap into personal information online.
Mr Shewan wants it to be easier to seize computer equipment from a suspect and to get internet providers to hand over the unique identifier of each computer - the IP address.
Professor Carsten Maple, who heads the National Centre for Cyber-stalking Research at Bedfordshire University, said it was easy for those in-the-know to track down information.
He said Trojan spyware can be used to hack into anybody's computer, access their personal files and even secretly switch on their webcam.
Trojans are viruses which pose as harmless programmes and can be sent into computers via e-mails and other methods.
Yet currently police find it difficult to seize computer equipment unless they can prove there was an intention to cause fear or distress.
Prof Maple added his voice to calls for a review of the legislation.
He said: "The lack of power to seize computers makes it difficult to prove who is responsible for stalking, even if it can be shown beyond reasonable doubt that a particular device was used to commit a crime."
Jane Harvey from the Network for Surviving Stalking said 77% of stalking victims waited until more than 100 incidents had happened before going to the police.
She said when they finally took that step it was vital their allegations were taken seriously and the situation investigated fully.
"This is a devastating crime - being stalked online can ruin people's lives," she said.
"We urge the government and the police to do everything possible to ensure those affected by cyber-stalking get proper access to justice."
Prosecutions under the Malicious Communications Act have soared to an all-time high and increased almost 300% in five years to 899 last year.
Charges under the Protection from Harassment Act have risen from just under 12,000 to 12,549 in five years.
Separate figures from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) show that last year 33% of stalking incidents were by e-mail, 32% by text message and another 8.4% through social networking sites.
A Home Office spokesman said it was working with the police, Crown Prosecution Service and charities to try to improve the police response and make sure there were robust prosecutions.
He said: "Cyber stalking is a crime. As with all other forms of stalking we take it very seriously and we expect other agencies to do the same.
"The Home Office, Ministry of Justice and the Crown Prosecution Service are currently working together with victims and support charities to discuss whether the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and its enforcement has been effective in providing an appropriate response to stalking."
BBC News
1 of 2 Greek youths who took down Nazi flag from Acropolis dies at 89 (Greece)
The family of one of two Greek youths who removed the flag of occupier Nazi Germany from the Acropolis 70 years ago says he has died.
Apostolos "Lakis" Santas' family said Saturday the 89-year-old had died of respiratory failure.
Santas was a 19-year-old law student when he and his close friend Manolis Glezos, also 19, climbed the steep Acropolis hill in the centre of Athens on the night of May 30, 1941, and took down the flag from its mast, even though it was guarded by a sentry. The pair escaped after hiding the flag in a cave.
It was seen as the first, symbolic act of resistance against the month-old occupation.
Glezos and Santas later joined a left-wing resistance group and were imprisoned and exiled during the civil war that followed liberation.
Google Hosted News
Apostolos "Lakis" Santas' family said Saturday the 89-year-old had died of respiratory failure.
Santas was a 19-year-old law student when he and his close friend Manolis Glezos, also 19, climbed the steep Acropolis hill in the centre of Athens on the night of May 30, 1941, and took down the flag from its mast, even though it was guarded by a sentry. The pair escaped after hiding the flag in a cave.
It was seen as the first, symbolic act of resistance against the month-old occupation.
Glezos and Santas later joined a left-wing resistance group and were imprisoned and exiled during the civil war that followed liberation.
Google Hosted News
Royal wedding: Police probe racist attack at Middletons' local pub party (UK)
A party to celebrate the royal wedding at the Middletons’ local pub ended in a punch-up when a drunken gatecrasher attacked three guests.
Landlord of the Old Boot Inn John Hayley, 55, held the £15-a-head bash for 350 regulars after returning from Westminster Abbey, where he had been a wedding guest.
But a fight broke out after a thug is said to have called an Asian woman a “f***ing P***” when she sat in someone else’s seat.
The attacker then grabbed her and threw her to the floor before attacking her sister-in-law and a male pal outside. The Asian woman was left with a cut face and black eye. The thug fled before police arrived.
The pub, in Bucklebury, Berks, is a regular haunt of Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, who have lived nearby for the past 10 years. Kate and Wills have also popped in.
Charlie Hewitt, 47, whose girlfriend Liza Simpson, 39, was attacked by the thug, said: “They were having a delightful day and really enjoying the party. When they got to the Boot it all got a bit unsavoury and some not nice things were said. It really upset her, though, and it’s a real shame to end such a lovely day like that.”
A police spokesman said they were investigating.
Mr Hayley organised the party months ago and he had employed bouncers to stop trouble.
Speaking outside the Abbey after the wedding, he said: “I was sat right at the front. Kate walked so close, I could have touched her dress.”
Sunday Mirror
Landlord of the Old Boot Inn John Hayley, 55, held the £15-a-head bash for 350 regulars after returning from Westminster Abbey, where he had been a wedding guest.
But a fight broke out after a thug is said to have called an Asian woman a “f***ing P***” when she sat in someone else’s seat.
The attacker then grabbed her and threw her to the floor before attacking her sister-in-law and a male pal outside. The Asian woman was left with a cut face and black eye. The thug fled before police arrived.
The pub, in Bucklebury, Berks, is a regular haunt of Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, who have lived nearby for the past 10 years. Kate and Wills have also popped in.
Charlie Hewitt, 47, whose girlfriend Liza Simpson, 39, was attacked by the thug, said: “They were having a delightful day and really enjoying the party. When they got to the Boot it all got a bit unsavoury and some not nice things were said. It really upset her, though, and it’s a real shame to end such a lovely day like that.”
A police spokesman said they were investigating.
Mr Hayley organised the party months ago and he had employed bouncers to stop trouble.
Speaking outside the Abbey after the wedding, he said: “I was sat right at the front. Kate walked so close, I could have touched her dress.”
Sunday Mirror
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