Overseas investors in the Spanish buy-to-let property market are suffering a double blow, as not only are property prices plummeting in Spain, but now

In spite of the ‘hard times’ currently faced by the Spanish property market, with much talk of over inflated property prices, combined with increasing interest rates; new and established Spanish property owners are being offered a helping hand, to support them through increasing problems with affordability.

Several key mortgage products have been developed, offering high loan to values and interest only periods, some even with no early redemption penalties. - 21st August 2007 11:01
Spain's property prices show no signs of cooling -

In spite of Spain’s reputedly ‘cooling’ property market, statistics show that property prices in Spain are not coming down.
Spain's Little Britain -

The influx of British tourists and holiday homeowners in Spain is now putting investors off Spanish property according to research conductred by GE Money Home Lending. Spaniards succeed in campaign to prevent local development -

Spain’s large-scale property development has not only been criticised by environmental agencies for destroying its coastline, but has also caused tension between Spanish councils and residents, who claim that excessive construction is spoiling their villages and towns.Spain's overdevelopment causes irreversible environmental damage - Spanish coastlines are being destroyed by overbuilding, announces a report by Greenpeace on Tuesday, which blamed local councils in Spain for failing to protect the environment. Supply outstrips demand in Spain's property market -

According to a report by property consultants R.R de Acuña & Asociados, house price inflation will dive next year as Spain’s already struggling property market is swamped by an excess of one million properties.

Over the last 3 years the Spanish construction industry has been busy producing 300,000 properties more than the required number. Spain's tourism suffers threat of ETA terrorism -

Spanish police have been on high alert following the threat of a resurgence of violence from the militant Basque separatist group, ETA. Spanish mortgage broker arrested for illegal applications -

The Spanish property market has suffered another blow as mortgages for overseas property buyers have been suspended following the discovery of illegal broker practices. - Property owners in Spain face legal action -

Overseas investors in the Spanish buy-to-let property market are suffering a double blow, as not only are property prices plummeting in Spain, but now Spanish tourism and tax authorities are coming down hard on unlicensed properties and undeclared rental earnings.

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Austrian online bomb threat

Authorities in Quebec, Canada have arrested an alleged terrorist linked to an Austrian online bomb threat, the Blotter on ABCNews.com has learned.

Authorities say the Canadian arrest was carried out in conjunction with the arrests of three other suspects in Austria yesterday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) made the arrest Wednesday at the suspect's home in Trois Rivieres, Quebec, in a joint operation with Austrian authorities, law enforcement officials said Thursday.

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Police believe the two UK based men are members of an international hacking group calling themselves the "THr34t-Krew".

Two UK men were arrested this morning following police raids in the UK and US aimed at dismantling an international hacker group believed to have created a virulent computer worm.

Officers from the Durham Constabulary arrested a 19 year-old electrician and a 21 year-old unemployed man after seizing evidence related to computer and drugs offences during a raid on two addresses in County Durham this morning.

The pair are being interviewed today by officers of the UK's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU).

Police believe the two UK based men are members of an international hacking group calling themselves the "THr34t-Krew".

The group has created an Internet worm, called the TK worm, which infected approximately 18,000 computers around the world, according to a statement by the NHTCU.

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Actor Martin Sheen: "I've Been Arrested 65 Times"

The San Francisco Chronicle has reported that Martin Sheen claims that he has been arrested 65 times in the past 20 years. The most recent arrest was a police citation this year for trespassing on a Nevada nuclear test site. Sheen reportedly told the British magazine Empire that he fondly remembers his first arrest, also in protest of nuclear initiatives. However, Sheen was also quick to add that he has never been sentenced to more than "a little bit" of jail time. Sheen played the role of U.S. President on the television show "The West Wing."

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Classic Car Broker Peter Brotman Sentenced to Prison after Bamboozling Nicolas Cage Out of $300k

Classic Car Broker Peter Brotman Sentenced to Prison after Bamboozling Nicolas Cage Out of $300k
Peter Brotman, a classic-car broker who reportedly conned actor Nicolas Cage and other clients out of large sums of money was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution. Brotman reportedly sold classic cars on consignment for the rich and famous, then kept the money. His attorney blamed "cash flow problems" as the reason that Brotman, 47, did not send proceeds from the sale of a Rolls Royce, an Aston Martin, three Ferraris, a Cobra and a Jaguar to the clients who owned the cars. Actor Nicholas Cage reportedly lost $300,000 when Brotman failed to pay him the full amount of car sales in 2004.

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Actor Tom Sizemore from "Saving Private Ryan" Arrested for Drugs

Actor Tom Sizemore was arrested for possession of methamphetamine outside a hotel in Bakersfield, California, after an associate, Jason Salcido, started an argument while attempting to check into the hotel. Police then searched Sizemore's car and found two bags of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Sizemore was arrested and kept at Kern County Jail. He was convicted of methamphetamine possession in 2004 and was still on probation from those charges. Police said Sizemore appeared to be under the influence of drugs at the time of the arrest. If convicted, Sizemore could face a significant jail term.

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judge praised actor Mel Gibson

A California judge praised actor Mel Gibson for successfully undergoing a rehab program after he made world headlines for drunken, racist, sexist rants against police in Malibu, California when he was arrested for a DUI. At a hearing in Malibu to assess his progress, Judge Lawrence Mira said he was "impressed" with Gibson's commitment to recovery, though Gibson himself was not present at the hearing. Although Gibson apologized several times for his outbursts

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Handcuffing Herself to Hugh Grant

Woman Prankster Arrested for Handcuffing Herself to Hugh Grant
The star of a Dutch television show was arrested for handcuffing herself to actor Hugh Grant while he walked down the red carpet at the Amsterdam premiere of his latest movie, "Music and Lyrics." Cielke Sijben reportedly ran up to Grant and slipped a handcuff on his left wrist. Grant had to reportedly wait ten minutes for firefighters to free him from the woman. According to a report in the New York Daily News, after the woman told Grant she didn't have a key, he reportedly told her, "I am trying to be with my fans and you are pissing me off."

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background checks on more than 1000 foreigners

THAI authorities are conducting background checks on more than 1000 foreigners working in Thailand after a spate of arrests for alleged child sex abuse, a senior officer said today.

Colonel Apichat Suriboonya, of Thailand's Interpol office, said police had contacted the home countries of many of the targeted foreigners, most of whom are teachers.

"We are now scrutinising more than 1000 foreign teachers working in Thailand," he told AFP.

"Before, educational institutions would only look at their academic qualifications, but that is not enough."

Colonel Apichat did not say how police had chosen the foreigners in question.

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new wireless Internet-access networks

Mijas Mayor Agustín Moreno last week officially launched the town’s new wireless Internet-access networks. A series of WiFi networks provides high-speed wireless access to the rural Osunillas, Valtocado and Entrerríos zones, while a WiMAX network links some 20 municipal offices throughout the town.
There are currently 70 pilot users of the rural-areas WiFi networks. The networks have a capacity for up to 60 users in each of the three zones. “This service represents a revolution for the rural areas of Mijas, and will be extended further, with increased capacity,” said the Town Hall in an official statement.
The 322,000-euro project for the newly launched wireless networks is part of the Town Hall’s ‘Mijas Digital’ programme for the promotion of new technologies. Other projects under the programme include the creation of a new Citizen Services Portal on the Town Hall’s Web site (www.mijas.es), which is already partially functioning. It currently allows users to access certain documents and make tax payments, and in the future will allow the online handling of a variety of Town Hall paperwork or transactions, say officials.
At the launch of the new wireless Internet networks last week, Mayor Moreno also announced that Mijas Pueblo’s Virgen de la Peña Plaza is now a WiFi ‘hotspot’, meaning anyone with a WiFi-equipped laptop can access the Internet free of charge from the plaza.

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Pedro Román

The former deputy mayor of Malaga, Pedro Román, may soon get out of jail, if he comes up with the million-euro bail stipulated by the Provincial Court last week. Román was Jesus Gil’s right hand man during two terms in Marbella Town Hall. Earlier in the week, the Attorney General had refused to let out Román or Juan Antonio Roca - the alleged mastermind behind Marbella’s Malaya case because of the risk of flight and destruction of evidence. However, the Malaga court took into account the fact that Román had returned voluntarily from Switzerland to face the charges of corruption brought against him. It also said there was little evidence not already in the hands of the police and courts and therefore there was nothing left to destroy. It is the highest bail imposed so far in the Malaya case.

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case regarded by many as the most significant of its kind in Spanish legal history

THE massive sum of 600,000 euros has been demanded in return for the temporary freedom of Fernando del Valle in the Marbella money-laundering case which occurred last March. The family of the Chilean-born lawyer, accused of being the mastermind behind the 250 million euro fraud, are now attempting to secure the bond which will lead to his release from the prison in Albolote, Granada. His lawyer, Javier Núñez, admitted that it would not be easy raising the money, a previous attempt to win bail through presentation of his assets having been rejected. In a case regarded by many as the most significant of its kind in Spanish legal history, 50 arrests have so far been made, including a large number of multi-national, high-profile individuals, many of whom are lawyers

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List of developments affected by compensations in Marbella area

Playa de Río Verde. 21 inhabitated dwellings in street Carlos Ponsac. Must hand over 26% of it’s land.

Hacienda Los Caballeros. Residential dwellings. Must hand over 30% of its plot of land.

Urb. La Trinidad. 116 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute 37% of it’s land.

Villa Parra Palomera. 119 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute 46% of it’s land.

Los Manchones Altos. Detached inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute 37% of its land.

Hotel NH Alanda. Must contribute its own plot of land.

Llanos de Nagüeles. Detached inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute 38% of it’s plot of land.

Cascada de Camoján. 14 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute 47% of it’s land.

Monte Paraíso. Arroyo Guadalpín. Residential gated complex. Must contribute 51% of its land.

Viña del Marfil. Detached dwellings. Must contribute 33% of its land.

Lomas del Río Verde. Residential buildings. Must contribute 50% of its land.

Hotel Senator. Hotel and residential. Must contribute 50% of its land.

Molding Clinic. Must contribute 50% of its land.

Las Cañas Beach. 186 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute its own plot of land plus 25.000 m2 of a plot in street Margarita next to the Carolina Park as well as a plot of land next to street Goya.

Las Jacarandas. In Boulevard King Fahd. 104 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute its own plot of land plus 6.300 m2 from a plot located in street Carlos Ponsac beside the beach.

Conjunto Costa Nagüeles. 798 dwellings, hotel NH Nagüeles and commercial centre. Must contribute it’s own plot of land plus 63.300 m2 of a plot wedged between Camino de Camoján and street Santa Ana.

Los Pinos de Nagüeles. 239 dwellings and a school. Must contribute 27% of its land as well as 63.000 m2 of a plot wedged between Camino de Camoján and street Santa Ana.

Mansion Club. Rocío de Nagüeles next to the Büchinger clinic. 114 dwellings, clinic and social club. Must contribute 28% of its land as well as 23.500 m2 of a plot in Avenue Büchinger.

Cascada de Camoján. 14 occupied dwellings. Must contribute 47% of its land.

Monte Paraíso. Arroyo Guadalpín. Residential gated complex. Must contribute 51% of its land.

Viña del Marfil. Detached dwellings. Must contribute 33% of its land.

Lomas del Río Verde. Residential buildings. Must contribute 50% of its land.

Hotel Senator. Hotel and residential. Must contribute 50% of its land.

Molding Clinic. Must contribute 50% of its land.

Arroyo de las Piedras. Altavista de Marbella. 55 dwellings. Must grant 17.066 m2 of El Batatal.

Sierra Blanca. Commercial centre. Must grant 1.313 m2 of a plot on corner street Wagner with St Rossini and another plot next to St Litz.

Lagos de Sierra Blanca. Must grant 9.261 m2 of a plot on corner street Wagner with St Rossini and another plot next to St Litz.

Büchinger Avenue. Residential complex. Must grant 2.504 m2 of a plot in Büchinger Avenue.

Miramar. Residential complex. Must grant 1.502 m2 of a plot in Büchinger Avenue.

Hotel Guadalpin. Must grant 3.590 m2 of plots in St Velázquez next to the sea as well as another plot in Guadalpins’ riverbed.

María de Salamanca. Residential complex. Must grant 7% of a plot next to the sea opposite Gil’s building which is a commercial centre.



RÍO REAL

Cristo de los Molinos. 6 dwellings. Must grant 23% of its land.

Bellavista Phase 1 and Bellohorizonte Phase II. Residential complex. Must grant 36% of its land.

Lindasol and Bellohorizonte. 300 dwellings. Must grant 2 plots of their own as well as 12.000 m2 of a plot next to the Cristo de los Molinos.

Incosol. 73 dwellings. Must grant 52% of its land.

Río Real Playa. 9 blocks and a restaurant. Will be able to legalize blocks 1 to 4 granting blocks 5 to 9.

Pueblo Río Real Playa. 60 dwellings. Must grant its own plot of land.

La Morena. 45 dwellings. Must grant 58% of its land and 2.800 m2 of a plot opposite Río Real Golf

Los Monteros St Ciervo. 21 dwellings. Must grant a dwelling.

Golf Río Real in Ave. de la Alcudia. Residential complex. Must grant its own plot.

Vista Golf. 24 dwellings. Must grant 50% of its land.

Above Río Real. 56 dwellings. Must grant 6.331 m2 of a plot located in Río Real.

Mansion located in Ave. Balcón. 1 dwelling. Must grant 2.228 m2 of a plot next to Golf Garden.

Las Mimosas in St Cipreses and St Mimosas. 42 dwellings. Must grant 1.922 m2 of a plot in St Buganvilla.

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developments in Marbella, more than 100, affected by town hall compensations due to planning illegalities.MARBELLA AREA

La Concha. 376 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute to the town hall with 6.645 m2 of a plot of land north of the bull ring with industrial warehouses in use.

Parque Miraflores. 576 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute over 9.406 m2 of a plot of land north of the bull ring with industrial warehouses in use.

Edificio Belmonsa. 110 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute 1.774 m2 of a plot of land north of the bull ring with industrial warehouses in use.

Edificio Plaza. 335 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute it’s own land plus 5.003 m2 of a plot of land north of the bull ring with industrial warehouses in use.

Edificios Puerta Grande. 190 inhabitated dwellings. Must hand over 60% of this land to the town hall plus 13.300 m2 of a plot of land where the McDonald’s in road to Ojén is located as well as a plot of land located close to the bull ring.

Jardines de la Represa. 153 inhabitated dwellings. Must grant 36% of its land plus 13.300 m2 of a plot of land where the McDonald’s in the road to Ojén is located as well as a plot of land located close to the bull ring.

Terrazas de Marina Marbella. 551 inhabitated dwellings. Must contribute 11.930 m2 of banana Beach where 300 families already live.

Plot of land opposite Don Miguel. 221 dwellings under construction. Must hand over 47% of this plot of land.

Urb. La Montua. Various inhabitated dwellings. Must hand over 67% of this plot of land.

Blue Crystal building in Marina Marbella. Inhabitated. Must hand over 78% of this plot of land.

Los Olivos phase V in street José Iturbi. Inhabitated. Must hand over 72% of its plot of land.

La Cañada. Mall. Must hand over 50% of its plot of land.

Mirador de Guadalpín in camino del Pinar. Inhabitated dwelling. Must hand over 47% of it’s plot of land.

Conjunto Valle Azul in Avenue José Manuel Valles. 140 inhabitated dwellings. Must hand over 38% of it’s plot of land.

Urb. La Torecilla. Inhabitated urbanization behind La Cañada mall. Must obtain 20% of it’s land.

Edificio Independencia in Miraflores. 36 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 396 m2 from an inhabitated building opposite the Mediterranean building on Marbella’s Paseo Marítimo .

Edificio Parquesol (right across the Marbell Center). 132 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 3.269 m2 from the old building where the old post office used to be located in Marbella, from the Radio Nacional building in Marbella centre and from a plot of land north of the bull ring.

Edificio Portillo. 80 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 1.035 m2 from the old building where the old post office used to be in, from the Radio Nacional building in Marbella centre and from a plot of land north located in the road to Ojén.

Edificio de Correos (Post office’s new building) located in street Jacinto Benavente. 114 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 4.654 m2 from the Siebla petrol station and froma plot of land north of the road to Ojén.

Huerta Belón: 6 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 3.576 m2 from a plot in street Hnos Belón Lima.

Buildings in street “Acera de la marina” next to Marbella’s yacht marina (“Puerto Deportivo”). 123 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 1.125 m2 from the building where the old Marbella post office used to be, from the Radio Nacional building and from a plot of land located in the road to Ojén.

Edificio Antonio Herrero. 68 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 1.487 m2 from the building where the old Marbella post office used to be, from the Radio Nacional building and from a plot of land located in the road to Ojén.

Edificio antiguo Povisa. 48 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 3.938 m2 from the Siebla petrol station and from a plot of land north of the road to Ojén.

Urb. Jardines de la Represa in front of the Police Station. 150 inhabitated dwellings. Must obtain 6.491 m2 from Siebla petrol station and from a plot of land north of the road to Ojén.

Industrial warehouses located in the Polígono la Ermita. Must obtain other warehouses from the same polígono.

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tornadoes have been reported out to sea

An English woman thought to be in her thirties died earlier today when she was swept away by a wall of flood water after stepping out of the car she was travelling in. The incident occurred at around midday on the Son Serralta residential estate in Puipunyent on Mallorca. The victim's boyfriend and their baby were rescued uninjured from inside the vehicle.

With torrential rains affecting all the Balearic Islands since last night, the regional government has informed that tornadoes have been reported out to sea. Consequently, orange level alerts have been issued for Mallorca, Ibiza, and Formentera while Menorca is on yellow alert.

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arrested the director of a Gibraltar-based bank

National Police officers have arrested the director of a Gibraltar-based banking agency for his alleged involvement in the Marbella money laundering scam. He is accused of chanelling money into the south of Spain from Russia via Holland. According to a police source, the man, who used to manage a banking office in Marbella, was arrested on the La Alcaidesa residential estate located between Concepción and San Roque, which is one of 251 properties confiscated by police in the first phase of the operation. So far, a total of 48 people have been arrested in the investigation which is code-named "Operation White Whale."

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A British man, Harvey Jeffrey L, arrested last Saturday as part of the "White Whale" money laundering investigation

A British man, Harvey Jeffrey L, arrested last Saturday as part of the "White Whale" money laundering investigation, has been jailed by judge Miguel Angel Torres after an appearance this afternoon at Marbella municipal court. His wife, who was also arrested at the weekend, was allowed to go and no charges were brought against her. Both are suspected of swindling fellow Brits out of hundreds of thousands of euros since setting up a business at the end of 2001, which is being investigated as part of a wider investigation into a money laundering operation thought to be run from the Del Valle law firm based in Marbella.

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dramatic drop in the amount of building going on in the province

Malaga’s Official College of Architects has revealed that there’s been a dramatic drop in the amount of building going on in the province. The College approves the architectural plans for new buildings, so sees first-hand the volume of building work to be undertaken. In the first six months of last year, plans for 25,175 new homes were approved; this year that figure slumped by 34.5% to 16,477. The western end of the province has seen the biggest drop, with house approvals down by over 50%. Apartment building is also affected, with all areas on the eastern Costa del Sol showing a drop in the number of plans approved. In inland Malaga, the number of approved plans is rising.

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561 “illegal” building permits

The Junta de Andalucia announced last Friday that it will take Marbella Town Council to court if it does not revise 561 “illegal” building permits issued under former mayor Jesus Gil and his successors. Earlier last week, the council announced it was going to “wipe the slate clean and start again” and would not revise any more illegal licences. A council spokesman said annulling the urban permits and agreements of the so-called Gil and post-Gil years would result in many claims for compensation that the council would not be able to settle.

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A spokesman said sales had dropped 15% this year because tourists had a lower

The Association of Small and Medium-sized Companies of Marbella and San Pedro Alcantara (Apymem) said it expected that between 115 and 130 businesses will close down this autumn.

A spokesman said sales had dropped 15% this year because tourists had a lower purchasing power than in the past and therefore spent less. He also said the small and medium-sized businesses simply could not compete with the big shopping centres. Apymem has also asked the council to give provisional licences to 800 companies which are located in illegal buildings.

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kidnapping an Englishman

Police arrested a Dutch citizen in Alhaurin de la Torre last week and charged him with kidnapping an Englishman who worked for him as chauffeur. The latter started work on June 19th but was forced to work increasingly longer hours until he was finally forbidden to go anywhere unless accompanied by his employer or one of his sons. The Dutchman also held on to his documents. The Englishman managed to give the family the slip during a visit to Torremolinos at the beginning of this month and made his way to Otura in Granada province, where he contacted the Local Police

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Overcrowding at the Alhaurin de la Torre jail as “scandalous”.

The Comisiones Obreros (CC.OO) trade union has described the overcrowding at the Alhaurin de la Torre jail as “scandalous”. It is the second worst prison in Andalucia, with a population of 1,846, that is, 1,000 more than it was originally built for. Only the jail in Albolote,, Granada province, is more overcrowded, with 1,883 prisoners.

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largest open-air cannabis plantation

The National Police in Seville revealed last week that they had discovered the largest open-air cannabis plantation near the town of Dos Hermanas found in Andalucia to date. The police had been investigating a suspected drug trafficker in the town during the course of which they picked up a South American couple who were acting suspiciously. A search of the couple’s house turned up the address of a finca. When the police visited it, they found what they called a cannabis plantation covering just over 1,000m2 of land.

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Four people died, three of them instantly

Four people died, three of them instantly, when the driver of the car they were travelling in from Madrid to San Pedro Alcántara tried to make an illegal turn on the highway in the early hours of Wednesday morning, just as they were arriving at their destination. The car they were in crashed into a taxi which was travelling in the same direction. A Spanish woman and her daughter, who was driving the car, and the baby of the third woman, a 22-year-old Paraguayan, died in the crash. The latter died a few hours later in hospital. It was the worst crash in Andalucia so far this year.

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seven fixed radar are to be installed on the roads of Malaga province by the end of the year

The Central Traffic Authority in Madrid announced last week that another seven fixed radar are to be installed on the roads of Malaga province by the end of the year. There are currently four on the A-7 motorway, two on the A-45 and one on the A-357. The new ones will be installed at “black spots” on secondary roads. Since the system was installed a year ago, average speeds are down from 93 kph to 90.7 for light vehicles, and from 86 kph to 85.4 for the heavier vehicles. Road deaths are also down 20%.

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nights out

According to restaurant and bar owners, the first cut made by families affected by higher mortgage interest rates are their nights out. Discotheques and bars report an average drop in sales of 20% in the past eight months. Restaurants report that clients study the prices more closely and tend to opt for the cheaper dishes. Many mortgage payers are foregoing their lunches out and take food to work in what they call “tupper”. One said he and his family hadn’t even visited McDonalds in the past five months. Another said a trip to the cinema was now considered an exciting night out. Malaga’s Catering Industry Association said the number of bars and restaurants in the province was dropping steadily. He said that while tourist areas like the Costa del Sol are particularly vulnerable, the situation is the same throughout the country.

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Beachgoers who smoke can heave a sigh of relief

Beachgoers who smoke can heave a sigh of relief. The Junta de Andalucia announced last week that it would not be banning smoking on the beach, after Health Minister Bernat Soria had said the government was studying the possibility of banning smoking in open spaces such as beaches. However, he said law regional governments and local councils will have the last word. Smoking has already been banned on one beach in Catalonia but no other costal town seems in a hurry to follow that example.

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illegal use of water during the first six months of this year

Of the 589 cases opened by Andalucian Water Agency involving the illegal use of water during the first six months of this year, 251 pertained to Malaga, making the province the leader in water abuse. The cases range from illegal sinking of wells and tapping into the municipal water supply to abandoning old vehicles in streams, using them as rubbish dumps or cementing over them. Fines for irregularities involving water range from 600 to 30,000 euros. The Agency is also reminding users of underground water it is now compulsory to install water metres.

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EU residents in Spain

A new legislation has done away with the requirement of residence cards for EU residents in Spain. European Union citizens will no longer be issued with residence cards.

The new decree was approved on the 16th of February 2007 by the Spanish council of Ministers and will take effect on the 28th of March 2007.

It requires all EU citizens planning to reside in Spain for longer than 3 months to register in person at the Foreigners office in their province of residence or at designated police stations.

They will be issued a certificate stating their name, address, nationality, identity number and date of registration. Those EU citizens who already have residence cards in Spain will not need to re-register until their residence card expires upon which they will be issued with a certificate.



The British Embassy recommends that British citizens in Spain always carry proof of identity; and that recommendation should be applied to all EU residents.

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“The number of people looking to set up a business in Spain is increasing all the time,” his department gets 1,500 enquiries a year. Over the last fiv

Emigration gets easier every day and is, thanks to cheap flights and the internet, not that drastic anymore as it used to be. 320 days a year of sunshine, inviting beaches no more traffic jams and piece of quiet. Jose Morillo, Director of investment at the Spanish embassy stated “The number of people looking to set up a business in Spain is increasing all the time,” his department gets 1,500 enquiries a year. Over the last five years, GDP growth in Spain has been 68% above the European Union average. Setting up a business in Spain is straightforward, but it can be time consuming obtaining the correct forms and licences.



Facts & Figures



“500 Brits leave UK every day. Spain is number one choice in Europe for Brits to live abroad.”



Five hundred Britons are leaving the UK every day to find a new life overseas, according to the Office of National Statistics. In 2006 a record of 410,000 people left Britain to live and work abroad.

Some 75,000 Britons chose to start a new life in Spain in 2006. Out of the 410,000 people who left the country 216,000 were British citizens. In 2001, the figure was 159,000. A large majority of the people leaving the UK said that they intended to stay abroad for more than four years, and over 40% said they were “emigrating” (this is 164,000 emigrants). Almost 30% said they were leaving to look for a job, already have defined jobs or wanted to start their own business (living the dream).

This means in 2006 133,000 Britons looked for a job or started a business in Spain. In 2007 these figures are expected in carry on increasing.

Most reasons for leaving Britain includes, the strict rules in the UK but be aware although the business rules might not be as strict in Spain they are very time consuming. It takes a lot of time and patience to get licences, permits and identification numbers. For people emigrating with children under 18 they will find it easier to fit into the Spanish schools system and society. Spain is the quickest growing economy in Europe (3, 2% a year) is crying out for computer specialists and construction workers

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Brits fleeing the UK

BRITS are leaving the UK in their thousands in search of a better life abroad. Another Brit leaves every three minutes, the Institute for Public Policy Research has estimated. Former immigration control officer Liam Clifford set up globalvisas.com, a visa consultancy firm, 12 years ago. This year, he has seen a 400 per cent increase in enquiries for visas to countries such as Australia and Canada.



He says: “One of the reasons people cite is over-stretched public services in the UK. A lot of the time the trigger is that children are coming up for school age and they are going to be affected by crime and education issues.

“Because of immigration, even rural villages are now overstretched so people can’t just move out of the city any more.

“People don’t want to be seen as racist, but they feel they are not getting the services they require.”

In 2005 the difference between the number of people emigrating and those arriving in the UK was 185,000, the equivalent of adding just over 500 people a day to the UK population. There are now 5.5million expat Britons with the highest concentrations in Australia, Spain, the US, Canada and Ireland. Here we talk to Brits who have left the UK and take a look at the visa requirements for the top five destinations. Are you thinking of emigrating?

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Malaga and Madrid and Barcelona

AVE high speed train service that will run between Malaga and Madrid and Barcelona. At the beginning of this year the Minister for Development, Magdalena álvarez, announced that the Malaga high speed line would have “the best trains”. Now we can be more precise: the route between Malaga and Madrid will be covered by the S-102 model built by Talgo-Bombardier, more commonly known as “Patos” (Ducks); passengers travelling between the Costa del Sol and Barcelona, on the other hand, will be on the S-103 trains built by Siemens, otherwise known as the “Velaro”.
As from December 23rd the Talgo S-102, capable of reaching speeds of 330 kilometres per hour, will cover the eleven journeys each way between Malaga and Madrid. The journey time will be around two and a half hours and tickets will cost around 70 euros per journey (ten more than the current price). The exact journey time and price will be officially announced at the end of this month.

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Christie’s tells the life story of the Malaga girl turned Indian princess

On offer to the highest bidder will be eight “art deco” pieces, including a diamond and emerald necklace whose estimated value is between 140,000 and 200,000 dollars. The auction house, which will also be selling a grey pearl necklace which belonged to the last queen of France, Marie Antoinette, expects the Maharani’s jewels to fetch more than 400,000 dollars (around 280,000 euros).

Christie’s tells the life story of the Malaga girl turned Indian princess in its publicity for December’s auction. The firm describes the story as so extraordinary “that it could have been written by a novelist”. In fact a number of biographies and novels have already revealed the story of this woman, who is due to be played by Penélope Cruz in the film version of Javier Moro’s novel, “Pasión India”.

Maharani Prem Kaur of Kapurthala’s marriage lasted 18 years, during which time she remained the Maharaja’s favourite. However it all came to a stormy end when, it appears, the princess had an affair with one of her stepsons, Charanjit (the son of the Maharaja and another of his wives).

Any legacy of Anita Delgado’s to have returned to her native Malaga can be found in the Museo de Artes Populares. This includes paintings, photographs and manuscripts. Her jewellery was inherited by the only son she had with the Maharajah, Ajit Singh, who sold them to the current owners.

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60 per cent more Britons now own second homes

The UK’s National Statistics Office issued new figures last week which showed that, compared with five years ago, 60 per cent more Britons now own second homes abroad.In addition, a report from a London firm of analysts says high prices and local corruption is causing Britons to turn away from the Costa del Sol. Richmond Green Marketing presented their findings last Friday at Málaga’s Conference Centre during a session on selling Spanish property in the UK. They called for a marketing campaign to assure potential visitors and purchasers that such problems had to be solved.

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Spanish Northern Rock

Caja de Ahorras del Mediterraneo bank (CAM) has set aside the entire profit of 168 million euros it made from the sale of its share in another property firm, Metrovacesa, putting it into a reserve account instead of banking it as profit. Observers say the move has almost tripled the bank’s reserves and the action has been taken because its directors are anticipating an increase in both business and private loan defaults.
The property developer Llanera, which has 600 employees, declared itself insolvent on Tuesday of last week (see Spain in the UK Press, page 14) leaving six schools and 124 low-cost municipal homes in Valencia unfinished. The Banco de Valencia confirmed that it had granted Llanera 12 million euros of funding and would continue to support the housing project while CAM confirmed it would continue financing another Llanera project in the same region. Like Northern Rock in the UK, Llanera was dependent on the short-term money markets which have had serious problems in recent weeks.

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Campo y Golf de Ronda has announced it will invest over 10 million euros in bringing recycled water to the controversial development.

The treated water will be piped from Ronda’s new water treatment plan to the site at Los Merinos.
During the recent inauguration of the sewage plant, the director of the Andalucía water authority (CMA), Antonio Rodríguez Leal, stated that the treated water could be used for irrigating golf courses. He added that this could solve the municipality’s problem with regard to such developments that had no independent water supplies.
The pipeline from the treatment plant to Los Merinos will run 16 to 20 kilometres, with two or three pumping stations along the way. It will be able to carry around 6,000 cubic metres of treated water a day, which may also be used by other golf courses or urbanisations. The work to lay the pipeline will probably start in the first quarter of next year.

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hotline for anyone in Spain who suffers from domestic violence.

The line, reached by dialling 016, can be used by victims or concerned friends and family members. Not only will the national help-line operate in Spanish and other official state languages but also in English and French.

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SPANISH OFFICIALS

have launched a hotline for anyone in Spain who suffers from domestic violence.
domestic violence hotline to operate in English

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Mayor watches Marbella home demolitions

Mayor watches Marbella home demolitions Ángeles Muñoz, last Wednesday visited a site in Las Chapas where six beachfront homes were in the process of being demolished.

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Connick Jr heads south for Málaga’s 22nd jazz fest

Connick Junior is headed for Málaga. The 40 year old “crooner” will be in the city next month as part of its 22nd International Jazz Festival.

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Poem by Hasan Ali Tokuqin

Love brings sadness all the time
Sex brings self esteem and joy
and longevity to life.
Love is morbid and stressful
Sex is humorus, kinky and easy going.

Sex is something up-beat
Love is plummeting down
Love is larger than life
Sex is life itself.
Sex is like saving money
Love is like spending money.
Love is a game of hide […]

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private club for tolerant couples with interest in groupsex and partner exchange

private club for couples, where only members as well as invited and registered guests, have access. The age of our guests must be over 18 years.
private club for tolerant couples with interest in groupsex and partner exchange. Beginners are sincerely welcome.
Whether you want to enjoy an erotic evening with party disposition, or you want to experience something different or simply to meet other sympathetic couples to spend a lovely evening in a warm, comfortable and elegant atmosphere…
…Everything is possible!
Villa in Marbella is the perfect place for anyone seeking a combination of peace and refined luxury. Nestling amoungst nearly 3000m2 of tropical garden and Palm Trees, this place in the sun invites one stroll, swing, stay and relax for a while.
The villa has 5 beautyful bedrooms. We put a great deal of care in making each room spacial with love to details, so it provides the luxury and comfort expected from a dream holiday.
Our cook presents a unique culinary experience: Span. Gastronomic cuisine and typical mediterranean food, served with a large variety of cava (Spanish Sparkling Wine) in Southern Spain.
In a private ambience, we want to sweeten up your leisure time: Everything is allowed, but nothing is a must!

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Three Britons have been arrested on the Costa del Sol

Three Britons have been arrested on the Costa del Sol for allegedly defrauding European tourists by offering them mortgages and investment plans which in reality did not exist.The man considered to be the head of the group, named by police with the initials J.M.D. was arrested at Málaga airport as he was trying to leave the country with his wife M.D, who has also been arrested.

It’s thought the couple belonged to a group based in Estepona which had been offering ‘attractive conditions’ to investors since 2000 for mortages. The conditions however meant high initial payments. A third person, with the initials M.H. was also arrested in Estepona as part of the operation.

The name used by the group was The Mortgage Group Iberia, a company registered in the Dominican Republic and promised a 98% success rate to find mortgages in 30 days. They used a company called Midas Foundation which supposedly supplied the credit, but never actually made the credit firm, despite charging an initial 650 € for costs and between 1% and 2% of the mortgage in charges, monies which were never returned to the victims.

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Cautionary Tale

CLC called last year. I had won another holiday. Yes I had won in the past, attended the presentation and walked out with my award certificate, but due to work commitments found it difficult to select 3 alternative preferred dates and despite having sent the admin cost on one previos occasion I had not yet benefited from the prize. This time CLc were convincing, they offered a 3yr trial and I gladly paid £3500 for 7 weeks 5* accommodation ( including one free week with hire car thrown in), in the Canries or on the Cost del Sol and a weeks holday at their head office near Fuengerola.

The accommodation at Fengerola was excellent. On our second day we were met for breakfast and underwent a gruelling 7 hour presenmtation by the end of which we had upgraded from or trial holiday to life time membership at a cost of £20,000.

As part of the upgrade I CLC took into account the money already paid, they also offered an oppertunity to buy a repossesion at a discount over the ordinary cost, and we were pursuaded, that the price will only increase, it made good economic sense and once it was paid for we would be quids in.

Having verbally commited to signing up we were told of the annual management and membership fee which for our gold status and 1501 points amounted to approx £800 due in one lump sum each January. After two sleepless nights, which spoiled the entire weeks holiday, reading the small print and the literature provided, I eventually concluded that the the purchase was virtually worthless.

We usually take a two week and a one week holiday each year and have two children that are both in school. On checking the paoints required ourselves we could not manage the same number of holidays each year without borrowing points from the forthcomming year.

The annual charges which come at possibly the most inconvienient time of the year are inflexible and failure to maintain them could result in a breach of contract and you would loose everything you had paid for.

Having paid £20,000, for the 1501 points per annum whow could a £149.00 pa membership fee be justified, on top of which RCI membership costs a further £50 pa plus a charge if you select one of their destinations.

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One in five holidaymakers who claimed on their travel insurance policy last year fraudulently boosted their application

One in five holidaymakers who claimed on their travel insurance policy last year fraudulently boosted their application, according to research from the insurer Direct Line.

One in five holidaymakers who claimed on their travel insurance policy last year fraudulently boosted their application, according to research from the insurer Direct Line.

A lost or smashed camera was the most common false claim made, followed by jewellery, clothing and iPods. More than 10 per cent of the fraud was committed by holidaymakers knowingly inflating a genuine claim, often by as much as £100, Direct Line reported.

While receipts showing proof of purchase are usually requested by insurance companies when a claim is made, many policyholders get round this by pretending to have lost the relevant paperwork.

Figures from the Association of British Insurers show that fraudulent claims cost insurers at least £50m a year. This expense is usually borne by the consumer, in the form of an increase in premiums.

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victims of an alleged property fraud that has rocked the town of Marbella on the Costa del Sol

A short drive from the centre of the glitzy resort of Marbella on the edge of a banana plantation with views over the Mediterranean, the newly built beach front apartment seemed too good an opportunity to miss for Jack and Yvonne Burditt.

The Devonshire couple were looking to invest their life savings on a home to spend their retirement in so they handed over more than €250,000 (£170,000) and moved in right away.

Three years later they are still there but instead of enjoying sunsets from their terrace they are keeping a watchful eye out for the bulldozers they fear will come to demolish their home.

The Burditts are among the many victims of an alleged property fraud that has rocked the town of Marbella on the Costa del Sol and landed more than 50 people including the mayor, councillors, developers, estate agents and lawyers in prison, pending trial for fraud, embezzlement and other charges.


In April the Madrid government took the unprecedented step of dismissing the entire town council after an investigation, dubbed Operation Malaya, claimed that it was embroiled in a network of bribes and corruption, siphoning cash from the huge construction boom of Spain's southern coast.

It is alleged that under the chief of urban planning, Juan Antonio Roca, the town hall accepted bribes for, among other things, granting building permits on land not designated for construction.

It is thought that about 30,000 of the 80,000 Marbella properties built in the past decade have been constructed illegally, and at least 4,500 of these face court decisions on whether they should be demolished or legalised.

Those in most danger of being flattened are buildings constructed too close to the sea or on public parkland such as the Burditts' home at Banana Beach.

''It came as such a shock to us to hear that our building is on what is essentially green belt land and shouldn't be here," said Mrs Burditt, 83, who was assured by a local lawyer that everything was above board when she and her husband made the purchase.

''Our block was listed on the local news as one of those likely to be demolished but we have heard nothing official. It's torture not knowing what is going to happen."

That sentiment is shared by scores of other British investors left in limbo as to the fate of their properties. Christopher Winter, a music producer from Rangeworthy, near Bristol, and his wife have £40,000 invested in a rural property in the hills above Marbella that they had hoped to rent out as a holiday home before reselling at a profit.

''We paid the deposit in March 2003 and were due to take possession last spring but before we paid the final £100,000 we found out that the land was not designated for this type of building and it was therefore illegal," he said.

''The decision we have to make now is do we pay the rest and possibly throw good money after bad in the hope that the building is approved or do we pull out, lose the £40,000 and hope for compensation?"

It is not only foreign purchasers who are suffering. Thousands of locals have also been affected. Antonio Banderas, the Spanish actor, made headlines when it emerged that one of his properties could also face demolition for not having the proper authorisation.

Gwilym Rhys-Jones, an adviser and investigator at the Costa del Sol Action Group, which helps expatriates in the region to fight fraud, estimates that it could cost almost £4.5 billion to compensate those caught up in the swindle. ''That's the minimum figure officials say it will cost them to indemnify innocent parties caught up in Marbella's building scandal," he said.

''It's a nightmare for everyone involved as there is no way the council can afford that.

''As we now know, the town's coffers have been drained by all the embezzlement and Marbella has been left poor."

The true extent of the scandal is not yet known but is thought to run into billions. Initial raids as part of the ongoing Operation Malaya seized large amounts of hidden cash along with 200 fighting bulls, 103 thoroughbred horses, 275 works of art, a helicopter and four Porsches.

According to one local lawyer it was only a matter of time before such things were discovered.

"Of course everyone knew to some extent what was going on but there was so much corruption on all levels that it was impossible to fight it," said Rafael Berdaguer Abogados, a property law expert.

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timeshare owners

The fraud operators typically telephone timeshare owners telling them that there is a buyer for their weeks who is willing to pay a high price. Many owners are taken in by the scam and agree to sell, at which point they are asked to pay a fee of 1,500 euros to cover the costs of the transaction. Once the money is paid over, the fraudsters are never heard of again and the company closes down and moves on.
The National Police estimate that more than 12 million euros have been lost to the largely British scammers since 2001. From the start of the operation, police have eliminated an astonishing 207 illegal companies carrying out frauds on the Costa del Sol. In one such company, Sr Titos said they found 25 girls making calls to timeshare owners in Great Britain.

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search of fantastic weather, a full range of unusual activities and the unrivaled nightlife to be found in the popular resorts and major cities.

Andalucia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain and it is unsurprising that so many people come here to have fun. Andalucia is growing in popularity as a destination for Stag and Hen parties/weekends. A mere two and a half hours budget flight from the UK, future brides and grooms flock here with their friends in search of fantastic weather, a full range of unusual activities and the unrivaled nightlife to be found in the popular resorts and major cities.

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Richard Monteith, 50, from Whitley Bay, is to plead guilty to murder.

Richard Monteith, 50, from Whitley Bay, is to plead guilty to murder.

Spanish police have charged Monteith and his wife Anne-Marie, with the murder of 63-year-old Diana Dyson, from Sheffield.

But according to Stephen Jakobi, a director of Fair Trials Abroad, Monteith has confessed to the contract killing of Mrs Dyson in the Spanish resort of Torremolinos in March 2002.


Richard Monteith is being held in Spain

Mr Jakobi said Monteith told his Spanish lawyer he had been offered up to £30,000 to carry out the killing.

He said the charity would still act for Monteith's 48-year-old wife as long as she maintained her innocence.

Mr Jakobi said: "Some admissions have been made. The Spanish lawyer said that developments in DNA testing had led to a confession.

"She said what he said was that it was a contract killing and that he was offered a large sum of money to do it."

Mr Jakobi confirmed the amount in question was between 25,000 and 50,000 euros (£16,600 - £33,200).

Tests had shown the DNA of hair found under the victim's fingernails was Mr Monteith's.

'Serious crime'

He is now expected to plead guilty at the forthcoming trial, expected to take place in "a month or two".

But Mr Jakobi said he was worried about the possibility of Mrs Monteith receiving a fair hearing.

He added: "The concern is that there is no money to pay for the legal defence of Mrs Monteith, who still declares her innocence and whose husband still declares her innocence.

"The Spanish legal system is useless for serious crime. Only the young and inexperienced take legal aid cases. The rates are so rotten that serious lawyers don't do it.

"On a murder charge, particularly one where her husband has pleaded guilty, you need a good lawyer."

The couple have been held in prison in Malaga since being charged after Mrs Dyson's body was found in her apartment in Torremolinos on 10 March, 2002.

Detectives believed she was dead for four or five days before she was found.

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Human Rights organisations in Egypt have stated that it is likely that the men will receive a minimum sentence of 25 years hard labour.

Majid Nawz, Ian Nesbitt and Rezha Pankhust, all British citizens are facing a military court on 20th October 2002.
Human Rights organisations in Egypt have stated that it is likely that the men will receive a minimum sentence of 25 years hard labour.
Majid Nawaz was on a compulsory year abroad as part of his degree programme. He was sent to Egypt as a SOAS student and enrolled at a course at Alexandria university. Therefore it is his right to have access to support by both SOAS and his host institution in Egypt.

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enduring 20 nights on the cold concrete floor of one of South Africa’s most notorious prisons.

Derek Bond, 72, an unassuming wine enthusiast from Bristol, walked free from Durban Central Police Station after enduring 20 nights on the cold concrete floor of one of South Africa’s most notorious prisons.

The story behind Mr Bond’s arrest for international fraud and subsequent release following a misguided FBI investigation would not look out of place in a Hollywood film script.

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Prague Piss Up Tours

20 March 2007
Ewan said:
"The whole stag experience was fantastic and everyone had a great time and they all appreciated the time Peter put into the weekend and all his help and advice"

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Countries with a hardline stance on drugs

Death penalty
Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Heavy prison sentences
Cyprus: zero tolerance policy towards drugs and possession will usually lead to a hefty fine or even life imprisonment
Greece: possession of even small quantities of drugs can lead to lengthy and even life imprisonment
South East Asia: sentences of 40 to 50 years are not uncommon
Harsh sentences
India: 10 years for smoking cannabis
Italy: Up to 20 years imprisonment
Jamaica: Drug offences result in mandatory prison sentences and large fines. Possession of even small quantities can lead to imprisonment
Morocco: Maximum of 10 years imprisonment plus a fine.
Spain: Sentences for carrying can be up to 12 years
Tunisia: Possession of even a small amount of drugs could cost you a term in prison, while more serious charges may even result in 20 years imprisonment plus a fine
Turkey: Up to 20 years imprisonment
Venezuela: Drug carriers face minimum 10-year prison sentences in harsh conditions

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Many countries outside the UK refuse to grant bail before trial and often detain people in solitary confinement

Being caught by UK customs with a small amount of class C drugs, for personal use only, may just get you a financial penalty rather than a court case, however you will get a customs record, and if caught again you will get a criminal prosecution. If someone you are travelling with is caught with drugs, you are likely to be searched and questioned too. If you are caught with drugs on you as well, no matter how small the amount, you will both get the same legal penalties.
You will still get a criminal record in the UK if caught with drugs abroad, which may effect future employment. This may also mean that you are refused a visa for the some countries including the USA.
If you've been caught with drugs abroad, you're unlikely to ever be allowed to visit the country again.
If you get injured or ill as a result of drugs, your holiday insurance may be invalidated and your tour operator can refuse to fly you home.

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Brits have been arrested for purchasing souvenirs that were, or looked like, antiques

Brits have been arrested for purchasing souvenirs that were, or looked like, antiques and which local customs authorities believed were national treasures. This is especially true in Turkey, Egypt and Mexico

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arrested for possessing prescription drugs

A number of travellers have been arrested for possessing prescription drugs, particularly tranquilizers and amphetamines, that they purchased legally in certain Asian countries and then brought to some countries in the Middle East where they are illegal.

Others have been arrested for purchasing prescription drugs abroad in quantities that local authorities suspected were for commercial use.

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victimization of motorists has been refined to an art

In many places frequented by tourists, including areas of southern Europe, victimization of motorists has been refined to an art. Where it is a problem, British embassies are aware of it and consular officers try to work with local authorities to warn the public about the dangers.

Carjackers and thieves operate at petrol stations, car parks, in city traffic and along the highway. Be suspicious of anyone who hails you or tries to get your attention when you are in or near your car. In some urban areas, thieves don't waste time on ploys, they simply smash car windows at traffic lights, grab your valuables or your car and get away.

In cities around the world, "defensive driving" has come to mean more than avoiding auto accidents; it means keeping an eye out for potentially criminal pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders.

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India, Thailand and Australia also appear in the top ten countries where Briton’s required consular assistance

The Czech Republic features as one of the countries where most consular assistance is required with a disproportionate number of lost passports, arrests and hospitalisations. This is likely to be due to the massive influx of hen and stag parties to Prague.

India, Thailand and Australia also appear in the top ten countries where Briton’s required consular assistance - perhaps suggesting although Brits are getting more adventurous with their travels they are not doing enough preparation before they go. The high figures in India might well be a result of many British Asians visiting family members and forgoing usual travel preparations such as vaccinations or travel insurance.

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Fair Trials Abroad may be called on to help with the actual investigation of a crime

Fair Trials Abroad may be called on to help with the actual investigation of a crime, in some cases even gathering evidence and statements.

"When you suffer a miscarriage of justice and you have been arrested for something you did not do, you will have a sense of rage, as will your relatives, and that may transcend you being reasonable," Mr Jakobi said.

"Quite obviously your first reaction will be to wonder where the Foreign Office is and ask why they are not securing your release. That is when we have to work together."

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Henry Stableford has been freed.

The Italian authorities exceeded the 30 day limit to present necessary papers from Morroco as these had not been forthcoming.

However, the effort will continue as the arrest warrants are still active. We will be building a campaign and amending this website to reflect this over the coming days.

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SECOND INNOCENT BRITISH MAN ARRESTED ABROAD ON GROUNDLESS CHARGES FACES EXTRADITION TO MOROCCO

Another innocent British man has been arrested abroad in connection with the delivery of a boat to Morocco in 1997. Henry Stableford, a member of the ill-fated UK crew of Duanas has just been arrested in Fano Italy, on an international arrest warrant and now faces extradition to Morocco.

Almost one year ago crewmember John Packwood was released from a Moroccan prison after His Majesty the King of Morocco granted his freedom before his trial on the basis that there was no case to answer. A second innocent crewmember is now confronted by the same nightmare ordeal.

Unbelievably, Byranston educated Henry Stableford 31, a keen sailor who was a 21 year old deck hand on the Duanas at the time, now faces extradition to Morocco on the same groundless charges. He was working in Fano, on the Adriatic coast, as a subcontracted boat builder for Wally Yachts. He is currently in Pesaro prison.

The Duanas was formerly HMS Cygnet, a Royal Navy patrol vessel once commanded by Tim Lawrence, the Princess Royal’s husband, and sold by HMG through a broker to the new owners. Like Mr Packwood, Henry responded to the advertisement to deliver the boat from Southampton in 1997. Upon arrival in Agadir, and after the boat being thoroughly searched and cleared by Moroccan customs, the hapless UK crew returned home.

Two months later and unbeknown to the crew and sellers of the boat, the Duanas was used by a Columbian drug cartel with a Columbian crew to smuggle cocaine. They were caught off the Moroccan coast. No suggestion was ever made or evidence tendered to suggest the UK crew or the sellers of the boat knew that the owner was part of a cartel, or that they had any nexus whatsoever to the drugs later seized from the vessel. The UK crews’ only crime therefore, was that of answering an advert on a reputable crew agency website (Crewseekers) to deliver a boat from A to B.

Over seven years later in October 2004, totally unaware that a Moroccan court had issued an international arrest warrant for the UK crew, John Packwood went on holiday to Spain. Thereupon he was arrested and spent over a year fighting extradition from a Madrid prison (a process that took no notice of evidence and was merely procedural). Inevitably, he was extradited to Morocco.

The injustice of John’s case attracted the support of many celebrities and well known public figures, including George Clooney, Hugh Grant, Mark Knofler, Andrew Turner MP and numerous MEPS, who campaigned for his release with his lawyers. The proof of innocence and groundswell of support led to the welcomed intervention of the King of Morocco, before Mr Packwood’s trial, who granted his freedom based on there being no case to answer. Thankfully, after a nightmare ordeal, Mr Packwood was back home for Christmas 2005 with his family.

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Human rights is a very flexible concept... It depends how hypocritical you want to be on a particular day

A former CIA official has confirmed suspicions that dozens of terror suspects have been flown to jails in Middle Eastern countries where torture is routinely practised, and without reference to courts of law.
Michael Scheuer, who once headed the hunt for Osama Bin Laden and left the CIA last November after a 22-year career, said the practice, known as "extraordinary rendition", was seen by the US as a key tactic in its war on terror.

"The bottom line is getting anyone off the streets who is involved in acts of terrorism is a worthwhile activity," he told the BBC's File On 4 programme.


Mike Scheuer,
former CIA agent
Mr Scheuer said the operation was authorised at the highest levels of the CIA and the White House and was approved by their lawyers.


"The practice of capturing people and taking them to second or third countries arose because the Executive assigned the job of dismantling terrorist cells to the CIA.

"When the agency came back and said 'Where do you want to take them?' the message was 'That's your job'."

He added: "The idea that this is a rogue operation that someone has dreamt up is just absurd. I personally have no problem with doing any operation as long as it's justified legal by my superiors."

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2,421 British nationals detained overseas

As at 30 September 2006, British consular officials were aware of 2,421 British nationals detained overseas. We provide consular assistance to any British national, regardless of country of residence. Additionally collecting data on nation of residence would not be possible because laws covering permanent residence

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Seven British nationals were arrested in the early hours of this morning, between 2am and 4am, outside a nightclub near the stadium after being involv

The supporters were detained following a fracas outside a nightclub in the capital city of Skopje, the Foreign Office said.
All have since been released without charge following the incident near the Skopje City Stadium and will be free to watch the tie against Rabotnicki.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Seven British nationals were arrested in the early hours of this morning, between 2am and 4am, outside a nightclub near the stadium after being involved in a fight.
"All seven were taken to the local police station, questioned and released without charge."

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Sanctions were made by US and EU but made no difference for more than a decade.

Throughout the past 15 years or so, UN sent representatives to solve national reconciliation in Myanmar. But all the efforts these representatives made were in vain since the Burmese dictator is not willing to move a step towards national reconciliation. Sanctions were made by US and EU but made no difference for more than a decade.

The number of political prisoners is around 1400 and still increasing rapidly these days. National leader Daw Aung San Su Kyi was under house arrest since 2003. Some of elected representatives of 1990 election were in jail or exile. They restrict all the activities of NLD party and keep arresting party members. And, according to confirmed news, five monks died after yesterday's clashes.

So, what will be next after this UN Security Council meeting? We, the people of Burma, need direct actions from UN. A possibility could be deploying UN peace keeping troops and help establishing interim government.

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Rangoon Burma

Both the Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian are carrying disturbing photos and stories about what’s happening in Burma. The military are rounding up Buddhist monks in trucks and taking them away so they can’t come to the city to protest. They killed a Japanese photographer who was capturing the unrest on film, and apparently went searching for more foreign journalists in a nearby city hotel. The Australian reports that 11 people at least have been killed and that this tactic of letting people protest for a few days and then cracking down is to enable to military junta to identify those who are protesting.

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