Basu: Scotland Yard’s new anti-terror boss
: Neil Basu, reputed for his work in counter-terrorism, including during terror attacks in London in 2017, has been appointed the new head of counter-terrorism operations of Scotland Yard, it was announced on Monday.
Basu will be responsible for leading counter-terrorism policing across the United Kingdom, heading Scotland Yard’s Specialist Operations when the current head, Mark Rowley, retires later this month. Holding the rank of an assistant commissioner, Basu is currently the Senior National Coordinator for counter-terrorism policing and Rowley’s deputy, a position he has held since October 2016. Commissioner Cressida Dick said: “I am delighted that Neil is joining our senior team. He takes on a job of enormous importance and responsibility leading counter terrorism policing nationally and in London and is a worthy successor to Mark Rowley.
“Neil has the skills, experience and character we need. He has already undertaken some of the toughest jobs in policing, not least in the last year as senior national coordinator countering terrorism and has proven how good his judgment and resilience is. He is a leader of courage, compassion and integrity and I know he will do a great job.”
Basu said: “It is a privilege to be asked to join the management board of the Met and to lead for CT policing at such a point in our history.
“It is a challenge and a duty that I accept with humility and a sense of great purpose.” HTC
LONDON
An aid convoy has begun to enter the besieged, rebel-held Syrian enclave of eastern Ghouta, two weeks into a renewed regime offensive that has killed more than 700 civilians.
The convoy of 46 trucks, sent by the International Committee for the Red Cross, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the United Nations, started to cross a final Syrian army checkpoint at al-Wafideen on Monday morning, a witness told Reuters.
The aid delivery – the first in weeks – will offer a brief respite for some of the 400,000 residents of the enclave near the capital, Damascus, who have endured two weeks of intense violence despite a UN security council resolution last week demanding a ceasefire and the delivery of aid. The carnage has continued despite a daily five-hour truce ordered by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
The UN’s office for humanitarian affairs and the World Food Programme said Monday’s convoy to the town of Douma consisted of 46 truckloads of health and nutrition supplies, along with food for 27,500 people .
Doctors on the ground said 712 people had been killed and more than 5,600 wounded since 19 February.
The airstrikes and artillery bombardment have been coupled with a ground offensive by the regime of Bashar al-Assad and his allied Shia militias, whose advances are aimed at splitting eastern Ghouta in half and cutting off rebel fighters. GNS
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