21/10/2013 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight: A terrorist

carrying a bomb on a Birmingham bus ` the racist fanatic who's admitted

he had a hatred of anyone who wasn't white.

It is such a pity that he has wasted his whole life for some personal

hatred that he had. We'll be asking what chance our security forces have

against terrorist fanatics working in isolation.

Also tonight, growing concern over two children still missing after

being taken by their father on Friday.

Flying high ` a record number of businesses invest in Birmingham with

the promise of thousands of new jobs.

The moment an assistant referee was hit by a flare at Villa Park ` two

men are under arrest. And we're whipping up a storm this

week with the whole works ` strong winds, heavy rain and showers. But

there's good news too ` I'll tell you all about it later.

Good evening. Tonight, the background to a campaign of racist

terror. This is Pavlo Lapshyn, a fanatic with a hatred of anyone not

white. He's from Ukraine, a country with a strong right wing nationalist

movement. But Lapshyn acted alone when he travelled to Birmingham on

April the 24th. Within five days, he'd murdered this defenceless man

and went on to plant three homemade bombs at mosques. His aim was to

kill and maim worshippers, but the terror attacks ended when Lapshyn

was arrested on the 18th of July. Ben Godfrey has the story of an

extremist described by police as calm, calculated and committed.

Pavlo Lapshyn was a man so filled with hate, he was prepared to kill

those who didn't have white skin. His first victim was a gentle

pensioner, going about his daily tasks. Our father was a lovely kind

man who left prayers for the last time on the 29th of April. He did

not do anything to deserve this, other than being a Moslem. ``

Moslem. 82`year`old Mohammed Saleem lived for his religion and his

family. On April the 29th, Lapshin stabbed him in the back as he left

Green Lane mosque. From the first moment, his relatives were convinced

it was a racist attack ` and they were right. Their frustration with

West Midlands Police was clear. As time has gone on, the more

information we have given them, it has been received... I just feel, it

is a hassle. It was driven by right`wing motivation. At the time I

do not have a criticism of the investigation. I don't think they

could have done more. So why was he here? Lapshyn won a

student placement at this software company in Small Heath. He tried to

fit in and lived in a flat on site. On June 21st, a small homemade

device exploded near Aisha mosque in Walsall. Lapshyn intended to cause

mass casualties, but failed. On 28th June, the Ukrainian's terror theme

continued ` another Friday, Muslims attending prayers. This time, it's

Wolverhampton Central mosque. A device goes off. Fortunately, no

one's hurt. Initial police searches failed to spot a bomb had gone off.

The local community did pull together. Because we were not

certain who the perpetrator was, there was a big sense of relief once

it came out and became apparent that this gentleman is not from the

United Kingdom. A fortnight later, it's now abundantly clear that

police are hunting a terrorist. A large nail bomb explodes outside

Tipton Central mosque. This was Lapshyn's largest bomb. It weighed

600 grams and it was aimed at the female entrants to the mosque. Had

it been detonated by his mobile phone and an hour later, this car

park would have been full and there could have been up to 200

casualties. The nails travelling `` travel up to 70 metres. Windows were

smashed. Lapshyn caught a bus, clutching a bag or a child's lunch

box, carrying unstable devices which could have gone off at any time. He

was eventually caught by ordinary bobbies doing routine checks in

Small Heath. We tracked him painstakingly on CCTV in his flat.

We found further chemicals and things to make bombs. Community

tensions were heightened. Lapshyn was charged with the mosque bombings

and the murder of Mohammed Saleem, on the same day as an English

Defence League rally in Birmingham. You've got a far more right wing

organisation now coming forward and therefore there are going to be more

consequences of that. The community is apprehensive. We're told that

Lapshyn, the son of a college professor, was a lone wolf with no

links to extremist factions and no links to the Midlands. A man so off

the radar, early witness appeals proved fruitless. Lapshyn was the

unknown entity ` the nightmare of the security services.

He will be sentenced later this week. With us now is Imran Arwan,

senior lecturer in criminology at Birmingham City University. Good

evening to you. It's not the first lone wolf case ` how common are

they? There are a number of cases similar to this. Timothy McVeigh,

for example. David Copeland, in Britain, in 1999 add a string of

bomb plots. And the Boston bomber. Indeed, the two brothers from Russia

but were very much Long Wolf extremists. It is so random. It must

be well nigh impossible on the police to keep an eye on these

people? Of course. It is an extremely enormous task the police

have to deal with. It is much more difficult for them in terms of

trying to review and try to ascertain who is doing what, because

many of these people will use, for example, the internet, to try to

gather material. It is a difficult job for law enforcement agencies.

The murder of Mohammed Saleem was never really associated with terror,

was it? No. That is an important point. When it initially happened it

was discussed as a hate crime. I think for many people, including

myself as a criminologist, it was clear that it had the traits of an

act of terrorism. Perhaps it should have been much more clear that the

police were dealing with an act of terrorism as opposed to a hate

crime. How does anybody become so radicalised? Looking at the evidence

from this person, this individual, he said he targeted Mohammed Saleem

because he was not white, in effect. I think there is a more deeply

embedded hate and racial tension within individuals like this. They

get a limited, isolated, and they self radicalised. They use the

internet. They find bomb`making materials and it is an extremely

complex web of the suite. `` deceit. Coming up later in the programme,

fewer firefighters, fewer fire engines ` a warning that lives could

be lost if five million pounds is cut from a fire service's budget.

Police have released CCTV pictures of the man they believe is holding

two young children. Two and a half year old Na'llah Khan and her

ten`month`old brother Sulailman Khan were taken from a hotel in Stoke on

Trent by their father, Saleem Tahir. Liz Copper's outside the hotel for

us this evening. Liz, what's the latest on the police investigation?

Well, it was here that the police investigation began on Friday night.

It began when the children's father escaped with them down a fire

escape. We heard today how it was very likely it was planned. Police

have released pictures as the search intensifies. CCTV pictures showing

the father and grandmother who, just hours earlier, had snatched two

young children from their mother. Na'llah Khan, who's two and her ten

month`old brother, Sulailman, were taken by their father, Saleem Tahir,

on Friday afternoon. The children were taken from a room at this hotel

in Hanley. The manager has described how, on the previous day, Saleem

Tahir's mother, Denise Smith`Sellers had checked into the hotel. During

the time that she was here that even, her son visited on numerous

occasions. He went up to her room, where it would appear he used that

opportunity to check out the Hotel, the various entrances and exits. The

children were seen here in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham at around

eight o'clock on Friday evening. Meanwhile, back in Hanley, the alarm

had been raised by their distraught mother. Clearly distressed. Somewhat

hysterical. They were trying with some difficulty to explain what had

happened because of their state of mind at that point. Police are

hoping these pictures will prompt witnesses to come forward and that

these two young children will be found safe and well.

This is an investigation that now involves several police force areas.

In addition to the pictures that have been released tonight, there

are also CCTV pictures taken from the security system at the hotel. I

understand they are of good quality. Police are interviewing witnesses

and they are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Thank you.

The hospital regulator, Monitor, has asked for an extra 40 days to sort

out the plan for the future of Stafford Hospital. The final report

into the hospital was due to be given to the Government tomorrow.

But Monitor's requested more time to work on finances. It believes this

won't slow down the final decision on the hospital which is due to be

agreed by the end of the year. The company which owns Alton Towers

and Warwick Castle, is to float on the London stock market. Merlin

Entertainments is believed to be worth around ?3 billion and is

Europe's leading visitor attraction operator. The company says the

public offer of shares will enable it to pay down debt and plan for

developments. More than 40 companies have chosen

to invest in Birmingham in just the last year. That's the highest figure

recorded in the last two decades. Deutsche Bank alone is bringing up

to a thousand jobs, choosing the second city over London. And, as

Peter Plisner has been finding out, other companies are doing the same.

His report contains some flashing images Flying high above Birmingham

` it's a modern city that appears to be taking off and pulling more

investment and companies away from London.

Flying high above Birmingham, the modern city that appears to be

taking off. It is pulling more companies away from London. Deutsche

Bank is the latest ` it's now setting up what will be one of

Europe's largest trading floors to deal in stocks and shares. The

bank's investing millions of pounds in a new HQ at Birmingham's Brindley

Place. Once this building's complete next year, the bank will recruit up

to a thousand new staff. We have looked at a number of cities in the

UK. Growth in Birmingham was organic in the beginning. We felt it worked

very well. It is proven it works. We are going on the same trajectory.

Developments like Brindley Place have helped to put Birmingham on the

global map. This development have hoped it to range `` raise its game,

making it a more attractive location for companies wanting to relocate

and potential investors. And that's meant rising levels of interest in

the city. In 2010, there were just 19 foreign investment projects in

the city. A year later, it was up to 27. But last year, it rose even

further with 41 separate projects. And one of them heralded the arrival

of the online clothing retailer, ASOS. It's related it's IT

department to the city and it's already expanding. The technical and

creative side of Birmingham is fantastic. We have recruited some

strong individuals. We are really strong `` pleased with the quality

of people in Birmingham. Success has partly come through better marketing

of the city, with promotional videos portraying a young, modern and

fashionable live and work. I think it is a huge vote of confidence in

the city generally. But it is a reminder that these are fragile

economic times and people are making choices not just for today, but for

tomorrow. With investment in the city at a record high, that

ultimately means more new jobs and more job security for those already

working here. It is approaching 70 minutes to

seven. `` 17. This is our top story tonight: A terrorist carrying a bomb

on a bus ` the racist fanatic who's admitted he had a hatred of anyone

who wasn't white. Shefali will be along shortly with your detailed

weather forecast. Also in tonight's programme,

combating cancer ` why a pilot project in Staffordshire could point

the way forward. And after a match official found

himself in the firing line at Villa Park, what can be done to kick out

the hooligans? The Fire Brigades Union in Hereford

and Worcester says cuts of ?4.7 million over the next three years

could cost lives. The proposals have also angered five local MPs `

they've written a joint letter to the fire authority chairman. Joanne

Writtle has been looking at the cuts in more detail, and she joins us now

from Droitwich Fire Station. Just how much concern is this causing,

Joanne? Well, the unions, for example, say these cuts would have a

devastating effect. MPs say these cuts are unacceptable. They want the

fire authority to reconsider. The chief fire officer says the

proposals are in their early stages, and there is a big public

consultation on the way. Tackling fires and emergencies in

Hereford and Worcester day in, day out, but now fighting against nearly

?5 million of proposed cuts. And a consideration of losing 120 full and

part`time firefighters, closing four stations and losing up to ten fire

engines. Unions are worried. After these cuts have gone through, people

will die in the future would not have died before. Another concern is

that the chief senior managers are happy with these cuts. In public

they are saying that, but in private they know we will struggle. They

will be less resilience in the service. In 2007, 35 fire engines

were sent out during the floods. If the cuts go through, it would leave

less than 35 to cope in a similar situation. No fire station acts as

an island. With West Midlands just up the road, we are in and out of

West Midlands every single day. The amount of fire engines we have here

are not just the ones we would use. MPs across Hereford and Worcester

have urged the fire authority to rethink the plans. The two counties

get a lot less than some other parts of the country. We hope the fire

authority will look once again as rupture and Warwickshire and CF

there are not some areas of efficiency that they could find by

working together. The MP 's suggestion about back`office staff,

we have already taken ?2 million out of back`office staff. We are looking

at all sorts of issues to make sure we can do the best we can with

funding. I have two spent every pound wisely. Members of the public

have set up an online petition against the budget cuts. It public

consultation will go on until January.

The chief fire officer, Mark Yates, told me earlier that he is quite

pleased there is some political pressure going on. He feels they get

a raw deal. That is because, per head of population here, they get

?14 per head of central government grants. That compares nationally to

an average of ?20 per head. With that in mind, MPs have written to

Eric Pickles basically asking for a better ground. The unions say this

is too little, too late and this should have been done a long time

ago. This public consultation will carry on until January. In February,

the fire authority will decide what to do.

Health now, and how about this for an advertisement? "Wanted: Someone

to run a billion pounds worth of contracts over ten years. The job:

To provide seamless cancer and end`of`life care to over a million

people in Staffordshire. The aim: Changing the way the NHS works and

preventing patients getting lost in the system. Here's Michele Paduano.

Marie Clubb is trying to sell her home and her piano. Without her

husband, Angus, it's empty. Angus had an aggressive form of throat

cancer. And although Marie, from Newcastle Under Lyme, can't fault

his treatment, his death was far from peaceful. It is frightening,

absolutely frightening. And that is the memory of God. I've got nothing

else. I can't remember the good times we have had along the way. We

have laughed, we have cried during his treatment. I cannot recall any

of it. The only thing I see are the last few hours of him struggling for

life. And that is what I need to see changed. Today at Stoke City's

Britannia Stadium, the local NHS outlined to Marie and others an

ambitious plan for a contract to coordinate all cancer care across

Staffordshire for ten years. This is significant. This has national

applicability. If we can make it work here, that is an opportunity

for others to follow nationally. And it allows us to transform services

at a time when money is tight. The audience was shown this ` how many

people a breast cancer patient comes into contact with. Macmillan Cancer

Support will fund a coordinated approach and has chosen

Staffordshire If it works, more people will live better with cancer

` and the families of those who don't will witness a more dignified

and peaceful death. It is partly chemistry and partly circumstance.

And our desire to find a new way of working with partner organisations,

because we don't believe we can continue, the country can't

continue, to manage the health service the way it is. A bit like

Stoke City, there is a feeling that cancer services could be doing

better. We don't know if a cancer survivor can be brought into... If

it works, more people will live better with cancer. The families of

those who do not, will witness a more dignified and peaceful death.

And, tonight, Inside Out West Midlands features the story of

13`year`old Tom Williams, who's been helping his mum Susan deal with

cancer. Onto sport now, and first, a

seriously troubling incident at Villa Park. Former Premier League

referee Vic Callow has recommended a two`year ban from football for the

fans involved in a flare throwing incident at Villa Park yesterday.

The smoke flare was thrown from the Tottenham Hotspur supporters and

struck assistant referee David Bryan. Two men arrested at

yesterday's game were released on police bail this morning.

No smoke without fire? Not always. The smoke billowing around Villa

Park yesterday came from a flare. It had been thrown from the Tottenham

Hotspur supporters and struck assistant referee David Bryan on the

back of the net. He was clearly shocked but continued to run the

line. Former Premier League referee Vic Callow said the incident would

have been alarming, as assistant referees have their back to the

crowd and have no warning of problems.

Not acceptable. For the safety of the officials primarily. But also,

it causes trouble. You think a ban is likely? I think so. Perhaps two

years or something. Ban them from football. That will make people

realise they will suffer if they do this. And it wasn't the only

incident this weekend. Hull City supporters celebrated their

equaliser at Everton with a flare on Saturday. The Football Association

have released a statement which says they're investigating the matter,

which they described as unacceptable. They're awaiting the

officials report and will speak to both clubs. The flare incident

overshadowed another fine performance from Spurs and England

winger Andros Townsend. His opening goal was the cue for the flare being

thrown. Christian Benteke returned for Villa as a substitute, but

headed over. And Tottenham completed a 2`0 victory when Roberto Soldado

struck in the second half. In fact, none of the Midlands three Premier

League sides managed to score at the weekend. Stoke City and West

Bromwich Albion drew 0`0, although referee Howard Webb missed giving a

penalty ` Charlie Adam stepping on Josef's Mulumbu's foot. And Stephane

Sessegnon showed later that maybe a penalty was the only way our sides

would score this weekend. Last week, we brought you news of

the BBC's plans for the upcoming centenary of World War One. We

featured the diary of Private Benjamin Gordon Williams from

Birmingham, whose ultimate fate was a mystery to historians. Well, I'm

delighted to say it's a mystery no longer, thanks to one of our

viewers. Here's Bob Hockenhull. At his home near Sutton Coldfield,

88`year`old Caleb Williams fondly remembers a father who saw action in

World War One. He recognised extracts from his dad's wartime

diaries featured in a Midlands Today report last week. It was a sort of

deep down shock that there was Father's name being mentioned, and

he died in 1965. Private Benjamin Gordon Williams' diaries are kept at

the University of Birmingham's Cadbury research library. To have a

relative get in touch with you to give you more material, different

details, is really exciting. Caleb says his father was attached to the

YMCA during the War. He served as a Field Liaison Officer in the

Dardanelles, supplying food and shelter to the allies. The onslaught

` an attempt to open up a new front to Germany through Turkey saw heavy

casualties. It was a complete disaster. That is why we don't hear

much about the Dardanelles campaign in history. Caleb's mother, Dora,

was also sent to the Dardanelles to nurse casualties. The pair had met

at a picnic on the Lickey Hills near Birmingham in 1910. But it would be

1923 before they would marry as both took years to recover from malaria

contracted in Turkey. They've finished the war physically in a

dreadful state. They went on to live long and fulfilling lives, now

fondly remembered by their only son. Isn't that remarkable? What an

utterly dismal day it has been. The rain has already taken its toll on

some parts of the region. Namely the south`west, where the environment

agency has issued a flood alert for some heavy rain and also some

possibility of flooding, which is something you have to be prepared

for. But I think the Met office is probably going to issue a weather

warning for more heavy rain this week. There is plenty of it around.

It is basically going to be a wet and windy this week. Also mile for

this time the year. `` mild. If we look at the pressure chart for the

next couple of days, we can see where this rain is coming from. It

is pushing up from the south`west. Some torrential downpours and even

some thunder. There will also be some lightning. The isobars packed

together indicating where the struggle winds hour. We have got the

rain easing for a time before we get heavy downpours appearing in the

West. The west of the region will bear the brunt of this. As it moves

eastwards, it will ease slightly. All in all it would be a wet night.

Temperatures down to 14 or 15. A minimum of 13. Slightly lower than

today's values. A wet and windy night ahead. And a wet spell of

weather through the morning tomorrow. Heavy rain will be cutting

across central parts. On either side of that it should be fairly OK. It

will be a fairly wet morning and a dryer afternoon. A lot of sunshine

developing through the latter part of the day. This will send

temperatures up to 16 or 17 Celsius. Windy from a southerly direction.

More heavy rain from the south tomorrow night. The heaviest of the

bursts will be around the South West. Those will develop later and

spread north. To end the night tomorrow night, it is going to be

much drier. Temperatures dropping to 13 Celsius. Heavy showers on

Wednesday and Thursday. Tonight's headlines from the BBC:

French and Chinese companies win the contract to build Britain's newest

nuclear power station ` the first in a generation.

The young blonde girl discovered in a Roma community in Greece ` a

couple appear in court accused of abducting her.

The moment a right wing terrorist carried a bomb onto a bus in

Birmingham ` he's admitted a hatred of people who aren't white.

That was the Midlands Today. I'll be back at ten o'clock with more on the

background to those bombing attacks on mosques in the Midlands. Have a

great evening. Goodbye.