TWO Glaswegians are on the latest list of 10 suspected criminals hiding from police on the "Costa del Crime".

TWO Glaswegians are on the latest list of 10 suspected criminals hiding from police on the "Costa del Crime".
Investigators want the public to help them trace fugitives thought to be on the run in the Costa del Sol.
The Glaswegians on the "most wanted list" have been linked to high-profile murders.
William Paterson, 31, is wanted in connection with the murder of gangster Kevin "Gerbil" Carroll in January last year.
Carroll, dubbed Scotland's "public enemy No1", was shot 10 times by masked gunmen outside Asda in Robroyston, near Glasgow.
Derek McGraw Ferguson, who also uses the alias William Murdoch Henderson, is sought in connection with the fatal shooting of Thomas Cameron.
He died outside the Auchinairn Tavern in Bishopbriggs in June 2007.
Ferguson, 47, is 5ft 2ins and balding with short brown or grey hair. He has tattoos on his left arm of a heart, an arrow and a dagger. Part of his left ear is missing and he has green or blue coloured eyes.
The Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and Spanish police are involved in Operation Captura.
Several waves of appeals, first launched in 2006, have led to the arrest of 38 suspects out of 50 appeals. Ken Gallagher, of Soca, said: "Operation Captura is helping make the ex-pat community in Spain an uncomfortable place for fugitives."DISCLAIMER:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.

Five burned bodies found after Moroccan protests

Five burned bodies found after Moroccan protests"Five burned bodies have been discovered in a bank that was set alight during anti-government protests in Morocco. The bodies were found in the northern town of al-Hoceima after Sunday’s protests. Morocco’s interior minister said the demonstrations were peaceful, but vandalism erupted afterwards.
The protestors had been demanding that King Mohammed VI cede some of his power. There has not been any independent confirmation of the deaths or how the victims died. Local sources say young men from outside al-Hoceima ransacked the town on Sunday, looting a number of buildings.
Protests have been erupting in the region since popular movements ousted the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt. The rallies began on Sunday and have been organized by groups including one naming itself the February 20 Movement for Change"

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Body found in Jerez rubbish tip

Body found in Jerez rubbish tip: "A man’s body was found dumped amongst the rubbish at Las Calandrias waste disposal plant in Jerez de la Frontera on Tuesday morning.

The half-buried remains were spotted by a worker at around 8am, with the body’s legs in plain view.

It’s understood there was no documentation on the body, and police are now trying to identify the remains through fingerprints.
There has been no confirmation as yet on the cause of death.

The National Police Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the investigation."

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Most of those arrested are reported to live in luxury property on the Costa del Sol and one of the heads of the operation is reported to be the director of an exclusive club for sporting competition vehicles

12 arrested as stolen car gang broken up in Marbella: "National Police in Marbella have arrested 12 people for trafficking in stolen vehicles which were allegedly taken from other EU countries, generally Italy and central European countries, to be sold in Spain.

21 top of the range cars have been impounded in the operation, and recovered from several parts of the country including Pontevedra, Madrid, La Linea de la Concepción and Marbella.

Most of those arrested are reported to live in luxury property on the Costa del Sol and one of the heads of the operation is reported to be the director of an exclusive club for sporting competition vehicles"

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Ben Kingsley could star in Costa del Crime movie written by British estate agent

Ben Kingsley could star in Costa del Crime movie written by British estate agent: "A film script written by a Marbella estate agent is to be shot in the town this May, in a story which its British writer, Paul Grimshaw, says he has based on his own experiences during the more than 20 years he has worked in the area.

The film takes its title, ‘Shill’, from the practice which is known as shill bidding, when a person who poses as a customer falsely bids on goods to falsely inflate the price of the item. It’s understood from La Opinión de Málaga that that part is to be played by Sam Riley.

The shill meets a crime baron, Victor Drake, as he tries to launder his illegal money and La Opinión has picked up on news from The Olive Press that Sir Ben Kingsley could be up for the role. He played the Costa del Sol-based villain Don Logan in ‘Sexy Beast’, the film which earned Kingsley an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the terrifying gangster.

Kingsley’s co-star in Sexy Beast, Ray Winston, is also reported to be under consideration for the part of Victor Drake. He’s also up against Brian Cox."

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Hundreds of criminals are at liberty in Spain, fleeing the UK before they can be named in a police warrant and barred from leaving

wanted in connection with unsolved murders - including the gunning down of Glasgow gangster Kevin "Gerbil" Carroll - are believed to be hiding out in Spain, it was revealed yesterday.
William Paterson, 31, and Derek McGraw Ferguson, 47, both from Glasgow, have been featured on a list of ten of the "most wanted" suspected criminals collated by Crimestoppers and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), as part of Operation Captura, an international police effort to trace criminals who have fled to Spain.

Police want to trace Paterson over the murder of Kevin Carroll in an Asda supermarket car park in Robroyston, Glasgow, last year.

He is described as being 6ft 1in, with red hair and blue eyes. He goes by the nicknames Buff or Billy.

Ferguson is wanted over the murder of Thomas Cameron at a pub in Bishopbriggs in June 2007.

He is described as being 5ft 2in with short brown balding hair. He has tattoos of a heart, arrow and dagger on his left arm, while part of his left ear is missing.

Scottish police are also interested in tracing a third man on the list, Andrew Mark Spooner, 41, of Leicester, who failed to appear at Glasgow High Court to face drug charges in 2001.

Speaking at a press conference to reveal the list yesterday, Paul Stanfield, Scottish regional manager for Soca, said: "These are very dangerous offences these men have committed.

"We are warning the public not to approach these people but to call us immediately with any information.

"The Costa del Sol has been seen since the 1980s as a safe place to hide out, for the same reasons people go there on holiday.

"There are good package deals to Spain and a large expat community so they decide to head there. We hope that expat community can tell us where they are."

He insisted, however, that the criminal world's perception of Spain as a safe haven was outdated and that if they were discovered and captured, then extradition back to the UK to face justice would follow swiftly.

• Who's who in the hall of shame

Mr Stanfield said of Paterson and Ferguson: "They are now wanted fugitives, who are asked that they give themselves up to the police. It can't be a nice life, looking over your shoulder for the rest of the coming years, always thinking that the police are behind you, coming for you. We certainly won't stop until these people are brought to justice."

It is suspected that hundreds of criminals are at liberty in Spain, fleeing the UK before they can be named in a police warrant and barred from leaving. The ten men named yesterday are wanted for in connection with a wide range of crimes, including drug smuggling, murder, and child sex offences.

Among those on the list is Antony Fraser, the grandson of notorious London gangster "Mad" Frankie Fraser, who is wanted in connection with the smuggling of two tonnes cannabis into the UK from Holland in 2009.

Kate Johnston, the national manager for Crimestoppers, stressed how dangerous these men are and the role of the public in helping to find them.

She said: "The crimes they've committed are very serious crimes, we'd much rather these people are brought back to face the justice they deserve."
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New Crimestoppers campaign to be launched on Monday on the Costa Blanca

New Crimestoppers campaign to be launched on Monday on the Costa Blanca: "The British ‘Crimestoppers’ organisation is launching a new campaign, the sixth, to try and find fugitives which are thought to be in Spain.

The new campaign is focussed on the Costa Blanca, with the province of Alicante thought to be one of the main refuges for criminals from the U.K., Germany, France and other countries.

Crimestoppers work closely with the Spanish Interior Ministry, and a press conference is to be held in the offices of the Government Sub-Delegate in Alicante on Monday to give full details of the latest campaign.

Ten new appeals, which include some of the UK's most dangerous individuals, will be revealed later today at a press conference in Alicante, an area with a large British ex-patriate community and a potential hideout for fugitives on the run from British law enforcement."

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Four arrested for Almeria robberies

| Four arrested for Almeria robberies | Costa de Almería | News | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain: "GUARDIA CIVIL have arrested four men, aged between 29 and 35, for illegal association and robbery. The officers learned that a group of men from Kosovo, whose sole activity was theft, were operating in the area, and an investigation was launched in August last year.

They targeted small warehouses, shops and houses in small, quiet areas, and are believed to be responsible for robberies in Vera, Alcontar, Pechina, Berja, Antas, El Ejido and Almeria, as well as others in Toledo, Jaen and Madrid."

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Fugitive arrested as he watched Old Firm game in Marbella

Fugitive arrested as he watched Old Firm game in Marbella | Glasgow and West | STV News: "The High Court in Glasgow heard that father-of-four Craig Jones, 40, flew out to the Costa del Sol two days after police discovered cocaine with a street value of £280,000 in a flat he rented in Firwood Court, Newton Mearns near Glasgow.

Jones was arrested at a bar in Marbella during Rangers’ 3-1 Old Firm derby victory against Celtic on October 24, 2010.

On Friday, he admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine at the flat on January 28, last year.

Advocate-depute Bruce Erroch, prosecuting, told the court that Jones rented the flat for £450 a month, but when he failed to pay the rent the landlords went to visit and then called in the police.

Police searched the flat and the attached garage and found a parcel containing 74% pure cocaine.

Mr Erroch said: “It had a potential street value of approximately £280,000.”"

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Two Killed by Sniper in Spain

 Two Killed by Sniper in Spain: "Two people were killed Thursday by a sniper who opened fire on pedestrians on a busy street in this southeastern Spanish city.

Police arrested two men after the shootings.

The arrest was carried out by members of an elite National Police unit who forced their way into a house in which a sniper had holed up located near a hospital in the heavily traveled area of Cartagena.

Official sources said that the shooting could be linked to a settling of scores among common criminals fighting over control of drug corners.

The sniper, who was shot in the head by p"

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'The Phantom' fugitive Loizos Michaels accused of fleecing millions from Victorians | Herald Sun

'The Phantom' fugitive Loizos Michaels accused of fleecing millions from Victorians | Herald Sun: "AN alleged fugitive conman with a trail of rich and famous possible victims is suspected of ripping off millions of dollars from Victorian investors.

Victoria Police is investigating scores of allegations against smooth-talking businessman Loizos Michaels from people who have lost up to $180,000 each.

The style of Mr Michaels, who is alleged to have connections with Hell's Angels bikies, has been likened to something from TV's The Sopranos.

A Melbourne man who says he lost big money in one of Mr Michaels' schemes said he had boasted of being a step ahead of the law.

He has dropped the name of one of Australia's most famous business families, the Packers, in New Zealand while dealing with high-flyers there.

Fraud squad detectives in Victoria have been on his trail for months."

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Charles Taylor war crime trial enters final phase

BBC News - Charles Taylor war crime trial enters final phase: "The war crimes trial of former Liberian leader, Charles Taylor, is entering its final phase.

Prosecutors will present their closing arguments focussing on his alleged warmongering in the west African state of Sierra Leone.

The Special court for Sierra Leone, sitting in the Hague, has already heard testimony that Taylor presented so called blood diamonds to the supermodel, Naomi Campbell."

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Freed cyber activist lauds protests - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Freed cyber activist lauds protests - Middle East - Al Jazeera English: "Egyptian anti-government protesters have welcomed the release of a Google executive who disappeared in Cairo last month after playing a key role in helping demonstrators organise.

Wael Ghonim was released on Monday by Egyptian authorities, sparking a fast and explosive response from supporters, bloggers and pro-democracy activists on the internet.

Ghonim's release came nearly two weeks after he was reported missing on January 28 during protests against Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

'Freedom is a bless[ing] that deserves fighting for it,' Ghonim, Google's head of marketing for the Middle East and North Africa, wrote in a message posted on his Twitter account shortly after his release.

He said he was seized in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, late last month as he joined tens of thousands of protesters in the city's Tahrir Square, the focal point of protests aimed at calling on Mubarak to step down from his 30-year-rule in Egypt."

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Mass protests continue in Egypt - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Mass protests continue in Egypt - Middle East - Al Jazeera English: "Protesters in the Egyptian capital are holding mass demonstrations, with a new wave of optimism reaching the pro-democracy camp following the release of the detained cyber activist, Wael Ghonim.

As demonstrations seeking an immediate end to Hosni Mubarak's rule enter their 15th day, protesters - set up in makeshift tents in central Cairo's Tahrir [Liberation] Square - are refusing to leave until their demands are met.

In a bid to counter the political challenge, the government offered on Monday a pay rise to public-sector workers, but the pro-democracy camp feels the government has conceded little ground in trying to end the current crisis.

'[The pay rise] doesn't mean anything,' Sherif Zein, a protester at Tahrir Square told Al Jazeera on Tuesday. 'Maybe it will be a short-term release for the workers ... but most of the people will realise what this is, it's just a tablet of asprin, but it's nothing meaningful.'

Zein said protesters had called for mass demonstrations and he believed the crowds of Egyptians would not let them down.

Mubarak's message has thus far clearly stated that he has no plans to leave office until his term is up in September."

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Airliner evacuated in Chile after bomb threat

Airliner evacuated in Chile after bomb threat - BusinessWeek: "Chilean authorities evacuated passengers and crew from an Iberia airline flight to Madrid, Spain, following a bomb threat Sunday. Police said later they arrested a Chilean woman in the case.

Authorities said a team from Chile's civil aviation agency searched the airliner and found no explosives.

A police official, Alfred Chiang, said Sunday that investigators arrested a woman who had dropped off a passenger at the terminal. He said police were still trying to determine a motive for the call, which was made minutes before the airliner was to take off."

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Spain stands behind savings banks to stave off crisis

Spain stands behind savings banks to stave off crisis: "Spain’s move to stand behind its ailing savings banks has staved off a full-blown financial crisis and saved the eurozone’s third largest deficit country from an immediate further downgrade of its sovereign debt.

The effect has been to strengthen bank balance sheets, helping the country prepare for the next round of European bank stress tests in July. Spain’s credit default swaps, which measure the cost of insuring government debt, rallied from 361 basis points on January 20 to 228bp on Friday morning last week.

The most important factor has been reform and consolidation of the cajas, or savings banks, which have been reduced from 45 to 17 over the past six months, according to the Spanish Treasury. Tough new capital ratios are overseen by the Fondo de Reestructuración Ordenada Bancaria (Frob)."

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Passengers in Spain revolt against overweight baggage fees

Passengers in Spain revolt against overweight baggage fees | abc7news.com: "You may think you're upset about overweight baggage fees, but in Spain, there was revolt.

The discount carrier RyanAir kicked 100 passengers off a flight after they rose up in protest over a baggage fee.

RyanAir put out a statement saying the so-called 'mutiny' began when a student refused to pay for his oversized bag.

Pretty soon scores of passengers came to the student's defense. Police were called, the flight was delayed three hours, and the bag-fee protesters were not allowed back on the plane."

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Spain's salad growers are modern-day slaves, say charities | Business | guardian.co.uk

Spain's salad growers are modern-day slaves, say charities | Business | guardian.co.uk: "The Costa del Sol is famous for its tourists and beaches but just behind them is a hidden world of industrial greenhouses where African migrants work in extreme conditions
The exploitation of tens of thousands of migrants used to grow salad vegetables for British supermarkets has been uncovered by a Guardian investigation into the €2bn-a-year (£1.6bn) hothouse industry in southern Spain.

Charities working with illegal workers during this year's harvest claim the abuses meet the UN's official definition of modern-day slavery, with some workers having their pay withheld for complaining. Conditions appear to have deteriorated further as the collapse of the Spanish property boom has driven thousands of migrants from construction to horticulture to look for work."

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Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy guitar legend, died from suspected heart attack - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy guitar legend, died from suspected heart attack - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk: "Former Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore died from a suspected heart attack, an initial post-mortem examination has found.

Forensic experts told a court in Spain's Costa del Sol that the Ulster rocker died of natural causes, hours after starting a six-day holiday with a girlfriend.

Last night it emerged his funeral is likely to be held in Brighton, where the 58-year-old had been living, rather than his home city of Belfast.

Moore was found dead in a hotel room during the early hours of Sunday morning"

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- Returned the 18 immigrants intercepted patera in Motril

Politics - Returned the 18 immigrants intercepted patera in Motril - ADN.es: "The National Police has proceeded this afternoon to return to Morocco of 18 Moroccan immigrants were intercepted in the last small boat that arrived in Motril (Granada) on Friday night.

Police have taken by bus to the immigrants, all male and elderly, and from there to Algeciras to Ceuta in a fast boat and later hand them over to Moroccan authorities at the border, according to Efe reported to police.

Maritime Service Members Civil Guard intercepted on the night of Friday, about 13 miles off the coast of Granada, a small boat and carrying wood in Moroccan immigrants."