News Thread for all ES related

UPDATE 4.15pm: MADELEINE Pulver has emerged from her horrifying ordeal in good spirits, although she is 'tired and sore' after holding the hoax bomb that was chained to her neck for 10 hours, her father William told the media this afternoon.

Police say a masked man broke into the 18-year-old's Mosman home, on Sydney's lower north shore, and strapped a device to her neck yesterday afternoon.

It sparked a tense, drawn out operation that ended shortly before midnight, when bomb disposal experts safely removed the hoax device after 10 hours.

"From our family's perspective we are clearly extremely eager for our lives to return to normal," Mr Pulver told reporters in Sydney this afternoon.

"We have a daughter on the cusp of doing HSC exams ... our appeal to you is that you request our privacy after this and leave us to get on with our lives."

Mr Pulver, with his wife by his side, thanked everyone involved in the operation, including police, hospital staff and emergency workers.

"You are a wonderful group of people, you were an extraordinary support and comfort to my daughter last night," he said.
In particular, he said his daughter wanted to thank the officers who had stayed with her for many hours "with little regard to their own personal safety".

"They were an incredible comfort during a horrific ordeal."

Mr Pulver said he was proud of 'Maddy' who was coping well.

"She has woken up this morning in pretty good spirits," he said.

"She is a little tired, a little sore from holding this damned device in place for about 10 hours."

The Daily Telegraph reported a note at the scene made no demands for money or action, but said if Madeleine went to the police the bomb would be detonated.

She was also told any attempt to cut wires would also mean it would be detonated.

“The note made no demand in dollar terms or ask for any type of action. While it was articulate and coherent it didn’t seem to have any specific demands,’’ a NSW police officer said.

”It did say don’t go to the cops or I will detonate. Don’t cut the wires or will detonate.’’

A balaclava-clad intruder broke into the Pulver's home and fitted the fake bomb around the teen's neck in a possible extortion bid.

Police revealed they found no explosives on the device as Ms Pulver was released from hospital this morning and back with her parents.

A manhunt is underway for the intruder.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said the device was "a very, very elaborate hoax".

"But it was made and certainly gave the appearance of a legitimate improvised explosive device," he said this morning.

"We had to treat it seriously until we could prove otherwise and that's exactly what we did and that's why it took so long."

The terrifying hoax had disturbing similarities to a recent episode of Hawaii Five-O, according to a top security expert.


Former Victoria Police officer turned private security advisor John Moncrieff said a recent episode of the show involved a similar scenario.

“These shows all have ex-military and police officers giving them advice and telling war stories which get picked up by script writers to make them more realistic, and one of the unforeseen consequences is that they might inspire copycats,” Mr Moncrieff said.

"The Sydney incident is certainly a very serious incident."

Mr Pulver is said to be one of the richest men in Australia.

The family recently moved back to Australia from New York and live in a mansion in the exclusive harbour-side suburb (see map below).

Assistant Commissioner Murdoch said it was only after the bomb was removed from around the teenager's neck that officers determined "there was no explosive found".

He said the device was "very elaborate, very sophisticated" and it took "the best we have in our NSW police force bomb technicians ... it took their best to free the girl and make her safe after 10 hours".

Bomb specialists had been treating it as a collar bomb after getting expert advice from the Australian Federal Police and British military.

Mr Murdoch said detectives are at a loss as to why Madeleine and her family were targeted.

"We haven't made any contact with who's responsible but hopefully that doesn't remain the position too much longer. We want to get our hands on who has done this," he said.

During the ordeal at the family's mansion in Burrawong Ave, Madeleine was fed, given water, kept warm and was in the company of specialist police officers while her parents were kept away.

Mr Murdoch said she was in a "uncomfortable position" during the "unusual incident" and was taken to hospital for checks afterwards.

"From what Madeline told police when they first arrived, that caused us some level of significant concern," Mr Murdoch told Sydney radio station 2GB today.

"She was seated in the house ... she was clearly upset".

Mr Murdoch said a young female officer sat with Madeleine "talking to her and keeping her calm".

"She has disclosed a lot of information to police. That information will now be acted upon," he said.


Madeleine is wheeled into hospital after the ordeal
"The family are at a loss to explain this. You would hardly think someone would go to this much trouble if there wasn't a motive behind it."

He was not aware of "anything like this happening in NSW or this country before".

Police have not had contact with who is responsible but "want to get our hands on them pretty smartly".

The Daily Telegraph understands the extortionist, clad in a balaclava, entered the house shortly after 2pm and took Madeleine hostage.

It is believed he ordered her to a room towards the front of the house and directed her to sit down while he strapped a device around her neck.

Police were called to the mansion by Mr Pulver after a frantic phone call from his daughter just before 2.30pm.

Experts from the NSW Bomb Squad spent several hours examining the device while it remained secured around the terrified teenager's neck.

X-rays were taken to allow a more detailed check before any attempt to defuse it was made.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard joined Madeleine's friends in expressing shock at the teen's ordeal this morning, with Ms Gillard likening the drama to a Hollywood script.

As the drama continued to unfold, Mr Murdoch appeared before media outside the mansion, describing the situation as a "very serious and sensitive matter".

Mr Murdoch said police spoke with a number of agencies, "not internationally, but within Australia, the AFP in particular" but that the AFP were "making inquiries internationally".


Madeleine with millionaire father William Pulver
He said there were four bomb disposal specialists and negotiators in the room and it was getting cold in the house.

"We've got a perimeter in place to protect the scene, to protect other people from being injured," he said.

"We have evacuated nearby residences. It would be foolish to put other people at risk, parents or not."

While he was rigging up the explosive, the man ordered a terrified Madeleine to be limited in what she told police, or else he would remotely detonate the bomb.

It is understood the girl was told she could ring police to alert them to her predicament, but she must not give too much detail about him or their conversation.

The man told Madeleine he would be able to hear her and what she told police, indicating he had planted listening devices within the house. With the bomb secured, he then left.

Mr Murdoch said that the Robbery and Serious Crimes Squad, which also deals with extortion attempts, was called to head the investigation.

"We don't know what we are dealing with ... we are working very hard to find out exactly what it is and, equally, what it isn't," he said.

The teenager did not move from a room at the front of the house during the ordeal last night.

Asked whether the girl could move away from the bomb, Mr Murdoch said: "No, she can't get away from it."


The Pulvers live on one of Sydney's most exclusive streets
Burrawong Ave remained a hive of police activity this morning as detectives continued to scour the mansion.

A neighbour said he was shocked at what had unfolded in the prestigious street. He did not know the Pulver family well as they had only moved in a few years ago, he said.

Forensics officers left the the hospital overnight with evidence bags, possibly containing victim's clothing and other remained outside the home fingerprinting a white Ford station wagon.

Madeleine, who celebrated her birthday last month, is in her final year at the prestigious Wenona School in North Sydney.

Madeleine's parents remained outside a perimeter set up a safe distance away.

Mr Pulver's resume includes holding top positions here and overseas with market research companies including AC Nielsen, and he has been president of the Shore Foundation, the fundraiser organisation of the elite Sydney Church of England Grammar School, of which he is an old boy.

Appen provides linguistics technologies to companies including Microsoft, Google and Nokia.

Chris Vonwiller, whose wife founded the company, told The Australian in 2008: "Appen's technology is virtually used in most of the world's automated telephone call centres as well as in-car navigation systems."

"Our customers are large IT firms and government bodies, including the US Defence Department - Appen is well known in Washington's government agencies."

goldie fish wrote: »

Anyone Considering a career in AGS should read and remember this news item.


http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/gardai-cleared-of-assault-but-face-14k-bill-254569.html