Race-hate pair flee to US for political asylum

Two men convicted of publishing race-hate articles on the internet have skipped bail and fled to the United States to claim political asylum, the Yorkshire Post can reveal.

Simon Sheppard and Stephen Whittle were given bail by a judge at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, despite having been found guilty of a series of race-related offences. The pair were due to return to court on Monday while a jury continued deliberating over further charges, but they failed to show up.

Last night Sheppard, 51, and Whittle, 41, were being held by immigration officials at Los Angeles Airport – outside the jurisdiction of the British court system.

It is believed that the pair travelled from the UK to Ireland by ferry before taking a direct flight to Los Angeles. They are likely to have their case considered at an immigration hearing in the US before UK authorities can secure their return.

A spokeswoman for Humberside Police, which led the race-hate investigation, said: "We are led to believe that they are indeed being detained by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INS) at Los Angeles Airport. They are in custody and we are in liaison with the INS to establish that this pair are our two men and, if so, what is likely to happen to them."

Sheppard, of Brook Street, Selby, was found guilty after a seven-week trial of 11 counts of publishing racially inflammatory written material. The jury gave unanimous verdicts on nine of the charges on Friday, and returned with two majority verdicts on Monday while Sheppard was absent.

Whittle, of Avenham Lane, Preston, was convicted of five counts of publishing racially inflammatory written material. Four of the verdicts were reached unanimously on Friday, and the fifth was returned by a majority of 10 to one on Monday after Whittle had absconded.

The jury were unable to reach verdicts on seven further race-related charges which Sheppard faced. A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service said it had yet to decide whether Sheppard should be retried on the seven outstanding charges. It has 14 days to reach a decision.

The case is due to be considered further at a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on July 28.

Yorkshire Post

MP is target of net race hate

A race-hate video attacking Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik has been posted on YouTube. The video on the internet site contains a chilling threat to the Labour MP's safety.

Mr Malik who has reported the video to the police, said there is "no doubt" that the video had been posted by a "hardcore BNP supporter".

The video includes a series of pictures of Mr Malik accompanied by an offensive soundtrack. Towards the end of the 39 second clip, a written message flashes on the screen stating "this scum thinks he can mess with the big boys" and is then followed by a picture of BNP leader Nick Griffin. A second message warning "he better not or he will end up like this" is followed by a photograph of Mr Malik covered in blood.

The picture was taken in 2001 when Mr Malik was hit in the face by a police shield during disturbances in Burnley. Below the clip are a series of racist comments posted by people who have viewed the video, along with calls to "support the BNP".

It is believed the video has been on YouTube three weeks.Mr Malik was alerted to it by his 23-year-old brother.

Shahid Malik told the YEP: "I was disgusted when I saw it. It is quite shocking and it is intimidating. I was resigned to the fact some time ago that there was a very good chance that something not so nice was going to happen.

Denied

"But if you worry about it all the time, you cannot get on with your job. Videos like that are disturbing and they do shock you but they also spur you on."

A BNP spokesman last night denied the party had anything to do with the video.

But Mr Malik said: "I do not think there is any doubt, and it's clear to anyone who looks at the package and other packages posted by the same person, that this man is a hardcore BNP supporter. Unfortunately there are many people like him."

He said he was disappointed that YouTube, which is owned by internet giant Google, had not removed the video.

Yorkshire Evening Post

Race-hate letter link to hoax bridge bomb

Police are linking a hoax bomb found strapped to a bridge by Nazis and race-hate letters sent to schools.

Traffic ground to a halt last month as bomb disposal experts exploded a suspect package on the A27. Detectives found a swastika nearby while a pro-Nazi group is believed to be behind the stunt.

Now it is thought the same culprits are responsible for sending hate letters to faith schools in the area. Police have refused to reveal which schools have been sent the letters on request of the headteachers.

Hampshire police spokesman Neil Miller said: 'I can't say which schools have had letters delivered, but they are all in the Havant area. On the content of the letters, at this time all we can say is that the motive of the content is to provoke racial tension or hatred. It is a very sensitive issue and police investigations are being thoroughly conducted. We will deal with those responsible in a robust manner.'

The A27, near Havant, was brought to a standstill on February 7 after all three lanes were closed in both directions.

A member of the public reported a suspect package on the bridge alongside a 3ft by 2ft cardboard sign with a red swastika on it. Below the Nazi sign was the website address of the far-right extremist American group, the National Socialist Movement.

Police say there is a definite link between the bomb and the letters.

Havant's district commander, Chief Inspector Gary Cooper, said: 'We have had a hate crime reported in the form of letters. Some of the same details left with the hoax bomb also appear on the letters. Some kind of pro-Nazi extremist organisation is behind the letters, which are forming part of the investigation into the fake bomb.'

Investigating officer Detective Constable Rob Lowe, from Waterlooville CID, added: 'We are treating it very seriously. These letters have been getting our full attention.'

The News