What Adam Curry is reading

VIDEO
  channelonline.tv - News, Weather & Information for the Channel Islands - Haut de la Garenne inquiry report leaked
    Link to Article
    Wed, 12 Sep 2012 04:46
    Video ContentThis box contains video content. In order to view the video you require Flash Player Version 9 or above.
    Download Flash Player here
    Iselin Vale has been looking at a report compiled by Association of Chief Police Officers
    A previously secret report into how Jersey police handled the Haut de la Garenne inquiry has been leaked by Senator Stuart Syvret.The report, compiled two years ago by the Association of Chief Police Officers, includes 27 recommendations as to how the case should be dealt with.
    Much of the report commends the police's handling of the case, including the scientific expertise and overall focus and approach applied.
    But questions were raised about how to deal with victims no longer resident in the island and whether, as a matter of policy, all former residents at the home should be interviewed.
    Questions were also raised about the seeming lack of care workers' files of former employees at Haut de la Garenne.
    The report recognised that both victims and suspects in the inquiry might come under pressure, potentially leading them to flee or even harm themselves. Recommendation 12 suggests a strategy should be set up for dealing with such eventualities.
    The most significant finding in the report related to Chief Officer Graham Power, who was suspended over his handling of the inquiry. The report noted he was not involved in the actual investigation, but had acted in an advisory capacity to the States. Recommendation 13 said it was key that this should continue, and that a safety zone between the investigation and any demands of politicians be maintained.
    Another observation related to senior investigating officer, Lenny Harper. The report noted the fact he was still undertaking his role as Deputy Chief Officer whilst being responsible for the strategic direction of the investigation-making excessive demands on him.
    It was suggested that multi-tasking be avoided and that someone be appointed to free Lenny Harper of the duties of Deputy Chief Officer.
    Lenny Harper came under fierce attack in the aftermath of the investigation, particularly for his media handling of what was thought to be a skull fragment recovered at the site. The fragment was probably a piece of coconut shell.
    The report found his media handling to have been correctly managed. The full report is published below.
    Report of the Association of Chief Police Officers, prepared for the States of Jersey Police in respect of the Historical Child Abuse Investigation.
    March, 2008.
    Operation Rectangle '' Haute de le Garenne, Jersey
    Homicide / Child Abuse Investigation
    1.Initial Report '' this is an initial report by the Association of Chief Police Officers Homicide Working Group's Advice team appointed to mentor and advise Mr. Lenny Harper, the Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Rectangle. This is a strategic report based on the team's findings when they visited Jersey from the 29th February 2008 to 2nd March 2008.
    2. Mentoring '' between the 23rd February 2008 and the 29th February 2008, Andy Baker has mentored and advised Lenny Harper on a needs basis by telephone from the UK. On arrival in Jersey the team visited the crime scene at Haute de la Garenne.
    2.2 The team attended the morning meeting / briefing chaired by Mr Harper. The investigation is focused on searching and exhibit recovery at the former care home. This is the correct approach '' it allows for recovery of exhibits and evidence, corroboration of accounts and allegations being made by witnesses and victims and ensures that public reassurance is addressed as to the integrity of the investigation. The morning management meeting / briefing was open and allowed for all attendees to contribute. Some observations were made resulting in the following recommendations.
    Recommendation 1: That an agenda is prepared for this (and other meetings) and a minute taker records the salient points and any decisions and any actions arising.
    Recommendation 2: That the deputy SIO (Detective Inspector Keith Bray) provides an update of any points of interest that includes '' the MIR, the Outside Enquiry Team, Analysis and Intelligence Cell. In key areas, consideration should be given to inviting colleagues responsible for these areas of the investigation.
    3. The search parameters / crime scene management.
    3.1 The whole scene is well cordoned off and the media corralled in an area away from the entrance to the site. Although some cameramen had gained access to private accommodation and public land overlooking the external excavation areas to the rear of the site. There is good use of the parish police in controlling the cordons. A record is kept of everyone entering and leaving the grounds. High visibility policing is clear and sufficient control rooms, lighting and scene tents are available where required.
    3.2 The Crime Scene Manager (Vicky Coupland) referred to the whole site as the crime scene and focused on the cellar rooms in particular.
    3.3 At the morning meeting / briefing they discussed the incident where reports suggest that human bones were found in 2003 and shown to the pathologist who decided they were in fact animal bones. The builder however has since reported that he felt that some were human bones. The existence of the bones were not immediately brought to the attention of the police back in 2003. That specific allegation is not being investigated at the current time but the information is being used to assist with the areas to be excavated and searched by the team. This is the correct approach as the team must focus on the child abuse allegations and the homicide investigation '' with relation to the partial piece of a child's cranium (skull) and not be diverted into other areas.
    3.4 The team also attended a briefing for the officers undertaking excavation and fingertip search. This was given by Vicky Coupland (the Crime Scene Manager), Julie Roberts (Forensic Anthropologist), Carl Harrison (Archaeologist) and Martin Grimes (Search Expert / Human Remains Dog Handler). This was a thorough briefing that covered requirements, what is to be looked for and what action to be taken if anything was found or any questions raised. This is a good use of scientific expertise and reassures the officers undertaking the dig to be thorough and raise any concerns however apparently irrelevant or small.
    3.5 The Archaeology / Anthropology recovery and identification will take a long time with the current process being undertaken manually. Is it possible to speed this up via another process, e.g. mechanical sifter in a production line basis staffed by police and being supervised by Archaeologist / Anthropologist?Recommendation 3: That the SIO considers a mechanical process for sifting debris.
    4. Forensic and exhibits strategies.
    4.1 The SIO has a Forensic / Exhibit Policy book. This was read and is being completed in the correct fashion. The Crime Scene Manager is packaging any exhibits and recording them at the scene. However, following a visit to the Major Incident Room (MIR), where the team spoke to the disclosure / exhibit officer, it was soon identified that there are in fact three exhibit stores. One at the scene (managed by the Crime Scene Manager), one on police premises off-site (the cage) and one secure store within the MRI. There is also a freezer in the MRI that has a young female's femur retained therein. The exhibit officer is correctly entering exhibit details in the Holmes account. He has not however recorded details of the 16 exhibits held by the Crime Scene Manager at the care home. These have been requested but the Crime Scene Manager wants to submit a full and inclusive statement once the scene examination and exhibit recovery is completed. This should be recorded as policy in the policy book and can be attended to in another manner.
    Recommendation 4: That the three exhibit sites be detailed in the policy book. That the Crime Scene Manager provides a statement that details the exhibits and could include a time line, e.g. ''these are the exhibits recovered at the Haut de la Garenne care home between the 1st January 2008 and the 1st March 2008. The examination of the scene has not been completed and further exhibits will be correctly recorded and submitted at appropriate periods.''
    5. Witness and victim strategies '-- specifically interview and Family Liaison Officers / Family Liaison Coordinators
    5.1 There is good practice identified from the Witness / Victim policy book. These include - an integrity promise form (between the police and the witness); initial research and risk assessment of potential witnesses; and risk assessment of witnesses.
    5.2 The enquiry has vetted all staff to ensure they were not residents at the care home.
    5.3 Currently, the first police officer having contact with any victim is being considered and appointed as their family liaison officer. They may well be untrained in this demanding role. It is understandable why this decision was made but should be reviewed for the following reasons: if the first officer will now often be a contractor from the UK or a police officer on mutual aid and may not be on the enquiry for an extended period; the numbers of victims are growing; many victims will become significant and will be engaged with for a prolonged period through trial; and some victims may subsequently suffer as a result of coming forward, giving a statement or giving evidence (that may be over a prolonged period of time).
    Recommendation 5: That the SIO review this position and seeks advice from his trained Family Liaison Co-ordinator and, through Detective Sergeant Teresa Russell NPIA, seeks advice from Detective Constable Duncan McGarry (NPIA).
    5.5 The use of the NSPCC for both third party recording and ongoing care and referral for counselling is good practice.
    5.6 The SIO has amended the process for evidential capture from the victims. Originally it was by way of Audio / Video interview with a covering statement but was amended to now also be followed with a full written statement. Subject to the Law of Evidence in Jersey. The SIO should review this position and ensure that this is duly recorded in the policy log as presently there is confusion within the team and in the logs. This team provided the deputy SIO with advice papers on such strategies.
    Recommendation 6: That the SlO ensures that his policy for presenting victims' evidence to the courts is recorded in the policy log. Further advice can be obtained from Gary Shaw National Interview Advisor (NPIA) through Teresa Russell.
    5.7 The enquiry team have been contacted by victims from all over the World. Enquiry officers have travelled to Australia and victims now live in the USA. Thailand and other countries. There is no apparent policy for dealing with victims who live off the Island, in the UK or beyond.
    5.8 The Cage exhibit room holds a high volume of care home residents' files. These are taken and added to the Holmes account and exhibited as and when the witness comes forward to police. What is the strategy regarding interviewing all residents (or not)?
    Recommendation 7: The SIO should consider whether all residents will be interviewed (or not)?
    Recommendation 8: The SI0 should consider a policy for dealing with such victims and record it as a matter of policy.
    6. Arrest and prosecution strategies (police perspective only)
    6.1 Policy decision 2 details the investigation threshold of 'serious indictable offences'. This is good practice at an early stage which allows the team to focus on the most serious offences and not be diverted by minor assaults that could have amounted to 'the moderate correction of a child'.
    6.2 One suspect - Wateridge has already been charged with criminal offences of indecent assault based on multiple victims and similar fact evidence. The team do not question this decision but raise a concern if this individual was in fact a more serious offender and is arraigned before all allegations are received.
    Recommendation 9: The SIO should discuss Wateridge with the Prosecuting authority.
    6.3 The SIO has publicly stated that arrests will be made following a full and thorough investigation of any allegation. The arrest strategy must be recorded in the policy files.
    Recommendation 10: The SIO must detail any arrest strategies in the Policy Files.
    6.4 The existence (or not) of care workers files who were employed at the home is unclear. Where are the files of all the care workers at the home?
    Recommendation 11: The SIO should ascertain from the proper authorities, and recover, any records or files of people who worked at the home (following advice from the data protection officer).
    6.5 The excavation and abuse allegations may well take a protracted period of time. The victims and suspects will reflect on the incidents and allegations and both may well come under some pressure and the latter may well flee and hide in countries around the world. The SIO must give some consideration to these possibilities.
    Recommendation 12: The SIO must set strategies for contingencies of victims and suspects harming themselves and the likelihood of suspects fleeing to other countries.
    7. Governance of the Investigation
    Resilience '--
    7.1 Other than from a supervisory and responsibility standpoint Mr Graham Power Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police is not involved in the actual investigation. He is, and has been, responsible for attending to any issues of a political nature or in an advisory capacity to the Chief Minister, Ministers and politicians. It is very important that this continues to protect the investigation and allow for the investigation to be unfettered by any demands.
    Recommendation 13: That the Chief Officer maintains a safety zone between the investigation and any demands of politicians.
    7.2 The SIO (Lenny Harper), Deputy SIO (Keith Bray) and Office Manager (Detective Sergeant Dave Hill) have high demands on them as individuals and their time is spread thinly. To aid them and provide an independent sounding board Andy Baker has offered to continue mentoring the SIO; Anne Harrison has offered to mentor Keith Bray; and John Mooney has offered to mentor Dave Hill.
    Recommendation 14: That key members of investigation team consider the offer of specific mentors from this team.
    7.3 The SIO is responsible for the strategic direction of the investigation. He makes and records the decisions. Quite rightly he is focusing on the scene and the high media demands. However, he is still undertaking his role as deputy chief officer and this is making excessive demands on him. The deputy SIO must take responsibility for the MIR and the inquiry team. He is responsible for ensuring that the SIO is informed of all matters important so he can, in turn, make decisions and direct the investigation. The deputy SIO must also co-ordinate the briefing material for the SIO and the other lead role players as well as keeping the team apprised of developments and that everything is correctly recorded on the Holmes system. The Office Manager is responsible for the management of the Holmes suite. These roles must be adhered to and resilience provided.
    Recommendation 15: That the SIO, deputy SIO and Office Manager are allowed to concentrate on their roles and multi tasking of them is avoided.
    Recommendation 16: That the Chief Officer considers appointing someone to temporarily undertake the duties of deputy chief officer.
    7.4 It is understood that the current deputy SIO, Keith Bray, is to retire in May 2008. Arrangements are in hand to ensure he is replaced by Detective Inspector Allison Fossey. This is good succession planning.
    7.5 There are presently thirteen staff on the inquiry team but arrangements are in hand for an additional twelve detectives to be attached from the UK. The investigation was declared a critical incident and a Cat A+ by the SIO - decision number 8. He also decided not to hold a Gold Strategy group or complete a Community Impact Assessment (CIA). The reasons for the lack of a CIA are shown with regard to his concerns of possible suspects in public offices. A CIA can be wholly internal to the police and one should be considered. To assist such an Independent Advisory Group could be convened for this specific investigation / enquiry. This team are more than content to assist with this proposal.
    Recommendation 17: That the Chief Officer and SIO consider a Community Impact Assessment and convene an Independent Advisory Group. The IAG should not include former residents at this home, could include advisors from the NSPCC or community groups. The IAG could advise on the CIA.
    Media Strategy
    8.1 There is a media policy file and press cuttings are collated and retained.
    8.2 In viewing the media cuttings, there is clear evidence of witnesses providing accounts of what occurred in the home and there exists wide media speculation (even some of the graphics of the cellar area are incorrect). The SIO has, wherever possible, refuted wide suggestions and, at appropriate times, refused to confirm sensitive information to minimise sensationalism.
    8.2 The investigation has three media officers to provide resilience and cover. This meets the demand and can be reviewed as and when that demand changes. The media managers must ensure they: pre-brief the media as to their expectations at any conference '-- what will happen, how questions are to be asked (introducing themselves by name and organisation), how many questions or period of time allowed for questions (NB; this is partly covered in the media policy file) and make comprehensive notes of what is said and by whom to the media.
    8.3 During the briefing that this team attended on the 1st March 2008 possible interference with witnesses was raised and discussed in some detail. The advice team felt that a hard stance should be taken on this specific issue to reassure any victims and potential witnesses that they will be protected and that the law will prevail. The SIO was advised accordingly. It is worthy of note that at his first opportunity provided at the first media interview and subsequent briefings on the 1st March that the police position on any interference was strongly outlined. The media have reported this position and the IAG could be invited to for a view in any future situations.
    8.4 The SIO has retained an open mind with regard to the piece of skull that was recovered. He acknowledges that it could be quite dated not be from a murder. He is treating the case as a homicide investigation until he can prove otherwise. The piece of a child's skull was found in suspicious circumstances and the SIO was correct to state to the media that this was a homicide investigation but that the human remains may be found to be not subject of any violent act. Forensic test to identify the piece of bone may take another four weeks (carbon dating and subsequent DNA). The circumstances as to its provenance may then be clearer. He still, however, leads an investigation into a number of allegations with regard to children going missing, a history of recovered and discarded human bones and an extremely complex historical child abuse investigation. Until the contrary is proved, the SIO is dealing with allegations of homicide, serious sexual assaults and prolonged periods of child abuse within a care home.
    8.5 Internal media to keep all staff up-to-date is important. The media officers should put together an internal media process and ensure it is kept current.
    Recommendation 18: The media officers should put together an internal media process and ensure it is kept current.
    9. The HOLMES Suite and Account
    General Comments
    9.1 The team visited the Major Incident Room (MIR) on 1 March 2008. The MIR was effectively closed over the weekend.
    9.2 They met Detective Inspector Keith Bray (the deputy SIO); Detective Sergeant Dave Hill (the Office Manager); Bob de La Cour (Disclosure / Exhibit officer); Tony Williams (Analyst); and Lynn Lang (Intelligence Officer).
    9.3 Sergeant Hill has been given the responsibility of the Office Manager, Receiver and Action Manager within the MIR. He is also responsible for supervision of some of the outside enquiry team. Sergeant Hill showed enthusiasm, dedication and is obviously keen and willing to learn given the duties he has taken on.
    9.4 The basic MIR organisation is Devon and Cornwall based with D&C officers assisting in staffing the MIR. They also gave Sgt Hill 'on the job' training (believed to be three days for a two week course) to perform the roles he is now undertaking within the MIR.
    9.5 The incident was created from a combination of smaller enquiries involving the care home at Haute de la Garenne. The incident has been given the Operational name 'Operation Rectangle - Jersey Historic Child Abuse'. States of Jersey Police do not have their own HOLMES 2 system and therefore are linked back to Devon and Cornwall's server.
    9.6 The staff within the MIR, in addition to Sgt H, consists of a Document Reader, 2 Indexers, a Disclosure / Exhibits officer and a typist. The staff is a mix of D&C staff, States of Jersey personnel and agency staff.
    9.7 The SIO's policy file has not been entered onto the HOLMES account to date. The Indexers Policy File is based on a generic D&C Indexers Policy File with inserts for the specific Incident. The initial enquiry required a fairly large Back Record Conversation (BRC) to allow all of the Documentation to be viewable and searchable on HOLMES. It is anticipated this was carried out on recommendation by experienced D&C staff and although laborious assists in pump-priming the incident.
    9.8 The initial view of the incident statistics shows the main ones as:' 740 Nominals;' 599 Actions; and' A total number of 1342 Documents including 888 Other Documents (mostly from the BRC).
    9.9 It is apparent, from the Documents awaiting processing that additional staff are required to assist a decent volume of flow for the incident documentation.
    9.10 Currently the flow for the volume of documentation appears to be bottle-necked at:a) - the Receivers 'in tray: andb) - the Management of Actions. i.e. what is relevant to current Lines of Enquiry.
    9.11 As an example, at the time of viewing the Action Queue Manager (AQM) there are 222 Actions For Allocation and approximately 200 Allocated to the fairly small enquiry team. It also shows only 1 'For Referrer and 18 Referred'. Managing Actions is ultimately the responsibility of the SIO. However given the complexity of the Incident overall it is suggested that the Deputy SIO could be delegated this responsibility in conjunction with a dedicated Action Manager (see below) to alleviate this task and thus provide a means of prioritising the Actions to the Lines of Enquiry identified.
    9.12 It was also noted that some 100+ Messages await processing in the in tray of the Receiver, together with Returned Actions that also contain additional documentation. This will generate another batch of Actions that will require rigorous management by the Deputy SIO and Action Manager.
    9.13 The SIO is aware of a requirement to provide additional resources and has set this process in motion via letters to address this situation. To date these relate to twelve outside inquiry officers and four more indexers. However, more staff are required in the roles of Receiver, Action Allocator and Typists.
    9.14 The MIR staff and Enquiry team also take calls from the freephone helpline, often from Victims / Witnesses that will generate additional work. They may also become the designated FLO as they could be the first contact officer. This is a very important aspect of the enquiry but does not assist the efficiency of the MIR flow.
    9.15 Currently the MIR sits beside the enquiry team and also acts as the centre for calls as a result of the freephone appeal for Victims and Witnesses. On visiting the MIR Sgt H who performs the combined roles of OM, Receiver, Action Manager, took at least 6 calls from members of the public, some of whom were clearly distressed. Whilst he dealt with the calls in a very sympathetic and expert manner, it obviously detracts from his core duties of running the MIR.
    Initial Recommendations In Relation to the MIR
    Recommendation 19: That other accommodation is found for the enquiry team and that the MIR is extended to the current room used by the enquiry team. This may allow the Document Reader / OM / Deputy SIO to use the current MIR for work that requires a quieter environment. States of Jersey Police recognised this from the upsurge in calls over recent days and are in the process of addressing this matter.
    Recommendation 20: That the call centre phones are located elsewhere and have a ''relevant'' number of dedicated call-takers with appropriate skills. This call centre can be staffed during office hours and have a suitable answering message for other times. This will fluctuate depending on the media coverage etc, but best practice is to enhance numbers initially as it's then easier to stand people down. This call centre should include child abuse trained officers.
    Recommendation 21: Through Mutual Aid a dedicated experienced Receiver and a dedicated experienced Action Manager are found for the MIR. (These roles may, at some time in the future, be able to be combined when the incident volumes settle down). Additional typing staff should also be identified and posted to the MIR.
    Recommendation 22: The Deputy SIO should review the Actions queues on behalf of the SIO to focus the MIR to the relevant lines of enquiry. The Deputy SIO should undertake this review with a dedicated Action Manager over the course of a day or two, this would allow the number to be dramatically reduced to relevant Actions with the remainder being put to ''For Referral'' or ''referred''. It should be noted that they would still be searchable in those queues should they become relevant as the enquiry continues. This would assist to ''clear the ground'' from under their feet to allow a clearer focus on what Actions are relevant.
    Recommendation 23: That there should be assurance that all of the good work being done for the enquiry at the various locations and countries is captured via relevant documentation associated to the incident Actions. For example the work by the search dog; the work by the Archaeological digs etc. One option may be to feed synopses of work being done by experts into the MIR via the coordinating SOCO which should be controlled via Actions. Such documents could be ''living documents'' on a daily basis to be typed up. This would form a good source of intelligence / update information for the SIO rather than having to rely on minutiae detail from each and every area.
    9.16 There are potential issues of multi case elements, e g. separate charges and prosecutions. Within the MIR everything is contained on the one incident that could generate a number of separate prosecutions. The work required around issues such as Disclosure and how it is separated will become very important. If there is no plan towards how to separate the individual files this may cause problems and additional work at a later date.
    9.17 There will inevitably be 'cross-overs' of Nominals who will be abused, abusers and witnesses. This will add to the complexities of separating out the different Investigations.
    It is suggested that an SIO (Andy Tattrshall GMP) with previous experience of such abuse cases together with a Disclosure expert (Ian Lloyd or Graham Marshall, West Midlands Police) are Invited through Teresa Russell to apprise and advise the best way to do this that will comply with Disclosure advice, best practice and regulations.
    Recommendation 24: That all policy files are recorded on the Holmes account so staff are able to access them.
    10. Analysis strategy / procedures.
    10.1 There is a dedicated intelligence cell with a robust procedure to ensure that information is protected but still recorded on the Holmes account.
    10.2 The analyst has utilised 12 to good effect in producing timelines of residents at the care home, linkage charts of victims, suspects etc. He has the capacity to make more rapid progress but is impeded due to speed with which information is being typed into the system and the lack of confirmed staff / suspect information.
    10.3 The enquiry will benefit from some of his work being displayed in both the MIR and the enquiry team's office.
    11. Any other relevant strategy that needs to be considered.
    11.1 It is understood that there is one victim from the home who may be wanted for child abuse offences within the London area. The investigation team should consider this issue in any risk assessment conducted on the victims as well as the suspects.
    Recommendation 25: The SIO should consider this issue in any risk assessment conducted on the victims as well as the suspects.
    11.2 There is a lack of trained staff within the MIR, e.g. Sgt Hill and the Analyst limited to on the job training received (not HOLMES trained). Consideration should be given to investing in both a full HOLMES system for States of Jersey Police and the requisite training for staff.
    Recommendation 26: Consideration should be given to investing in both a full HOLMES system for States of Jersey Police and the requisite training for staff.
    Recommendation 27: That the States of Jersey Police consider all the recommendations and take appropriate action. It is suggested that this team returns to Jersey in four weeks time to review progress of the recommendations, revisit the enquiry and make further recommendations as appropriate.
    Currently displaying the top 15 commentsView all 29 comments
    Posted By: Darren, Grouville on 13-Mar-2010"Recommendation 16: That the Chief Officer considers appointing someone to temporarily undertake the duties of deputy chief officer."Ironic isn't it, and if they had only David Warcup in earlier it would of saved this Island Millions!
    Posted By: Greg - Guernsey on 13-Mar-2010I recall allegations in one of the papers that Lenny Harper was going to London for extravagant meals with journalists paid for by the people of Jersey? Was this true in the end or will it appear in the final report?
    Posted By: Matt on 13-Mar-2010Michael, hand on heart, do you think Lenny harper nad Graham Power dealt with this professionally? Power claims to have been told to deal with the political side yet he said not so long ago that he was having political interference! Laurel and Hardy the pair of em! How Deputy Bob Hill can claim this report means that Graham Power effectively had permission to do nothing over HdlG is just one copper looking after another in my mind. But lets see what Home Affairs says about it all in the summing up and I bet HdlG is only a piece of the jigsaw.
    Posted By: Michael on 13-Mar-2010Quote MattThere have been write ups about this case on the Net on outside blogs that have highlighted the way people jump onto such cases in a somewhat uneducated way, I take it that includes you as well Matt
    Posted By: rico on 13-Mar-2010They should of called this "The Operation Harper and Eddie the Sniffer Dog Show".
    Posted By: Matt on 12-Mar-2010Totally agree with you Stephen but what amazes many people is that there have been so many people meddling in this case who most certainly were never victims of HDLG themselves, i.e. the blog owners. This has also been used as a political stick at the beginning and has now ended up as a reason for people to call the whole of the Government down to the justice system corrupt despite having no concrete evidence to back up such claims. The behaviour of the police with the media most definitely damaged the case and the even worse behaviour of a senator has ruined many peoples wishes for fair justice. But that's what child abuse does as a subject. There have been write ups about this case on the Net on outside blogs that have highlighted the way people jump onto such cases in a somewhat uneducated way, and this makes HDLG un-unique. The other problem with this whole charade is that it is over 20 years old and some people seem to think convictions can just happen upon their say-so. Another illusion the certain soon to be ex-senator and foolish copper had fed them all.
    Posted By: Stephen on 12-Mar-2010A very interesting report. Lets face some facts here - children in Jersey's care system have been abused. Whether children in Jersey's care system were murdered is debatable. The bottom line though is this - any care system in any jurisdiction anywhere in the world is supposed to be a safe haven for vulnerable, damaged children from all walks of life. To manipulate them into abuse, no matter what shape or form the abuse manifests itself is totally unacceptable and the perpetrators of heinous crimes towards children need to be brought to justice, no matter where they are on the social ladder.
    Posted By: Richard, St Peter on 12-Mar-2010Lets look at the facts at the end.Starting with ACPO, they are not a supervisory body but they just guide their members accordingly so they will take no responsibility for miss information and under these circumstances they, like the rest of Jersey, did not know the full facts at the time concerning the so called child remains find. If Harper and Power is trying to make out that they ran the operation then that is just passing the buck and its as simple as that.Now lets move forward to the end. No body found; no missing person reported; no restraints but bed springs; bones turning out to be animal and even if human dating back to the 16th century; lime pits present all over Jersey since WWII, no blood found on the so called bath; cellars being dissmissed as voids; allegations that Harper was not even qualified to take on such a case information on findings held back from the public, politicons and journalists; the sniffer dog used not even registered for use in the UK, so called remains possibly coming from a neolithic grave and used for land fill. Now can people seriously argue now that this was a good job!
    Posted By: Jeremy on 12-Mar-2010This is scary looking back and it cost this Island so much money and then ended up unearthing nothing. Jersey should of got experienced Police Officers like Mick Gradwell in from the beginning. Lessons need to be learnt, we need a police authority and we also need to question the behaviour of police in front of the media to stop a similar debacle ever happening again. Operation Coconut would be a better description ADJ and to suggest this report clears Power is just wishful thinking.
    Posted By: ADJ in St Mary on 12-Mar-2010Operation Rectangle ? Don't they mean Operation Going Around in Circles? No missing person wasn't it yet people still believed the worse even a year afterwards? These Blogs are very sad, very sad indeed.
    Posted By: Rob - UK on 12-Mar-2010"Much of the report commends the police's handling of the case, including the scientific expertise and overall focus and approach applied." Well you have to laugh now when you recall the News of the World article on a torture chamer and the skull finding, or was it a piece of ancient wood? I am glad Channel Online has published this because it proves the ACPO didn't know what it was talking about as much as the leading police officer of this case who, I recall to be on the TV every night right from the start. We have family in Jersey and they were shocked about this at the time but it all ended up being a joke. Jersey will have to move on from this and put it all behind them and a public enquiry into the total miss handling of this case is probably more essential now after reading this report.
    Posted By: Craig - St Lawrence on 11-Mar-2010What were the lime pits used for?Where did the teeth (with roots) come from?Where did the charred bones come from?Why did the coconut change shape, size and colourQuestions Questions eh!!
    Posted By: Matt on 11-Mar-2010James that is spot on. If ACPO advised Graham Power to deal with the political side then why has he complained about political interference? This ACPO Report is going to end up blowing up in their faces.
    Posted By: Frank, St Helier on 11-Mar-2010Not all this again and when we thought we had serious news items to worry about like £64 Million black holes and recession.Just out of curiosity though, what was the recommendation if Oxford forensics say they think a piece of nut shell the size of a 50p pre-dates the enquiry and is not even human, did ACPO advise the Deputy Chief of Police to not tell the press?
    Posted By: Paul, St Aubin on 11-Mar-2010I just did a google search on the David Rose Article and have read it and I fully recommend people read the whole article to get a balance here. It does raise extremely serious questions about the handling of the whole of the historic child abuse enquiry by Lenny Harper and it presses even more reason for a public enquiry which I am sure the Syvret contingent will not object to.Currently displaying the top 15 commentsView all 29 comments
  Zawahiri confirms death of Al-Qaeda deputy
    Link to Article
    Source: bertb news feed
    Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:46
    AFP - Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has released a video coinciding with the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, confirming for the first time the death of his deputy, US monitors said.
    The 42-minute video is Zawahiri's first release in three months, and confirms that Abu Yahya al-Libi was killed in a drone strike in Pakistan's Waziristan tribal area on June 4, according to SITE and IntelCenter.
    Libi was considered Al-Qaeda's global propaganda mastermind and his death dealt the biggest blow to the group since the killing of Osama bin Laden by US special forces in May 2011.
    "With the martyrdom of Sheikh Abu Yahya, may Allah have mercy on him, people will flock even more to his writings and call, Allah willing," Zawahiri says in Arabic, according to a SITE translation.
    The video was posted on jihadist forums on Monday, the US monitors said, and the translated text does not directly address the 9/11 anniversary.
    Zawahiri does single out US President Barack Obama for being a "liar" who was elected to "trick" Muslims around the world, but who nevertheless is "being defeated in Afghanistan".
    He also mentions Warren Weinstein, an elderly US aid worker kidnapped in Pakistan by Al-Qaeda just over a year ago, vowing to keep him in captivity until US-led forces release Qaeda followers held in Afghanistan.
    Entitled "The Lion of Knowledge and Jihad: Martyrdom of al-Sheikh Abu Yahya al-Libi", the video is Zawahiri's 13th statement in 2012. His videos are often released in Urdu and Pashto.
    A jihadist theologian who rose to prominence in 2005 when he escaped US custody in Afghanistan, Libi became a major motivational figure for Al-Qaeda followers.
    A video featuring him was released by Al-Qaeda a week after his death.
  Jeremy Scahill Takes Down MSNBC Panel On Obama Foreign Policy
    Link to Article
    Source: Dprogram.net
    Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:35
    September 11th, 2012
    Tags: beinart, department of defense, general electric, jeremy scahill, msnbc, obama foreign policy, panel, weapon contractorThis entry was posted on Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 at 3:15 amand is filed under Education/Mind Control, Fascism, Film/Video, NWO, Politics/Corrupt.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
  16-Year-Old Questioned by FBI Over You Tube Video
    Link to Article
    Source: Dprogram.net
    Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:49
    Special Agents visit boy's home to ask about school project
    (PaulWatson) '' In another shocking example of how the federal government is repositioning itself as a secret police force to target political dissidents, a 16-year-old boy was questioned by FBI agents over a You Tube video he created for a school project which highlighted how America was slipping into a police state.
    The video clip above, which promotes the presidential campaign of Congressman Ron Paul, was put together by Justin Hallman as part of a project for his American Government class. The video helped earn Hallman an A+ pass and his teacher enthused about how impressed he was with Hallman's efforts.
    The video touches on a number of issues, including the National Defense Authorization Act, evidence suggesting the Republican caucus in Maine was fixed to disenfranchise Ron Paul, the hacktivist group Anonymous, military drills taking place in American cities, as well as eviscerations of the right to free speech.
    About a month later, Hallman was shocked to receive a knock on the door of his family's home from two FBI agents, including Special Agent Matthew Bowman. Hallman provided us with images of Bowman's FBI card which he left at the property when Hallman decided not to answer the door.
    When Hallman's mother called the number on the card she was told by Bowman, ''We need to talk to your son.''
    The two FBI agents returned to the house and began to talk to Hallman about his interests and hobbies, a tactic Hallman saw as the FBI agents attempting to gain his trust.
    The FBI agents then attempted to recruit Hallman to spy on Anonymous. ''They wanted me to be an informant, to possibly put my life in danger, to help them arrest and gain intel on occupy protesters and hackers,'' he writes.
    The agents then began to question Hallman about his support for Ron Paul's presidential campaign as well as a conversation he had conducted with his teacher about the Illuminati secret society.
    ''They also asked me why I had talked to my teacher about the Illuminati,'' writes Hallman. ''I told them it was just harmless talk about the 1776 Illuminati that formed from the enlightenment era. I said my teacher said they are/were terrorists and not to talk about them (this caused the FBI agents to look puzzled and they changed the subject very fast to Anonymous). In the end they finally left for an ''important meeting.''
    The fact that the FBI men knew about Hallman's conversation with his teacher clearly suggests that it was the teacher or another official at the school who reported Hallman to the FBI in the first place.
    Hallman concluded his email by expressing concern the incident could hamper his future career prospects.
    ''So that's my story, a teen from the suburbs who was questioned by the FBI about a harmless free speech protected video I made for school. My record forever scarred with the truth that the FBI questioned me. When getting a job they will see that, when getting a passport they will see that, when going to college they will see that,'' he writes.
    This case represents merely the latest example of Americans being questioned, harassed and intimidated by different branches of the federal government over their political beliefs.
    Last month former Marine Brandon Raub was kidnapped by authorities and held in a psychiatric ward for political posts made on Facebook, just one of thousands of similar ongoing cases. Gun owners are also having their firearms confiscated having been declared ''mentally defective'' due to their political beliefs.
    Source: Infowars
    Related posts:
    Dramatic Video: 71-year-old Taken To The Ground For Questioning Paul RyanYou Tube Now Banning Videos Critical of Global Warming AlarmismYou Tube Threatens To Terminate Account Over Criticism of Copyright PolicyCNN Ratings Plummet 80% Year Over YearStudent Who Recorded Teacher Yelling at Him for Criticizing President Obama Speaks OutEarth Hour Hijacks You Tube to Brainwash PublicAmerican Airlines Disallows Boarding of 16-year-old with Down Syndrome87-year-old woman scares off burglars with 9 mm gun
  Dutch Princess Maxima takes part in charity swim
    Link to Article
    Source: euronews
    Tue, 11 Sep 2012 03:28
    Princess Maxima of the Netherlands has taken part in the Amsterdam City swim to raise money for people with Motor Neurone Disease.
    She completed the two-kilometre course in just under one hour.
    It was a family affair, with her three daughters Amalia, 8, Alexia, 7, and Ariane, 5, watching the Dutch princess's efforts and giving her a kiss when she finished.
    More about:Other sports, Royal familiesCopyright (C) 2012 euronews
    JavaScript is required in order to view this article's accompanying video
  VIDEO: How a New York photo project became a web sensation
    Link to Article
    Source: BBC News - Technology
    Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:54
    Brandon Stanton is usually the one taking the photos but now many of the strangers he meets on the street want a picture of him.
    The creator of the Humans of New York website has also had teenage girls breaking down in tears when they meet him. "The last week it happened three or four times," he says.
    Stanton's website - a gallery of thousands portraits he's taken of New Yorkers - has been two years in the making. But in recent months it has become an internet sensation.
    Since June he has added 150,000 Facebook fans and tens of thousands of Tumblr subscribers.
    "With so many people competing for attention - everybody has a digital camera, everybody has a Tumblr account - you got to be willing to do a lion share of the work before anybody notices you."
    He talked to the BBC about why he started his photography project and how he is dealing with his newfound fame.
    Produced for the BBC by Jon Groat.
  Navy SEAL Mark Bissonnette Should be Prosecuted (But Won't Be): ''No Easy Day'' & the ''60 Minutes'' Interview
    Link to Article
    Source: Debbie Schlussel
    Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:46
    By Debbie Schlussel
    Did you see last night's CBS News ''60 Minutes'' interview with former Navy SEAL Mark Bissonnette (some sources say his real name is Matt Bisonnette) a/k/a ''Mark Owen''? If you missed it, I've posted the video below. The author of ''No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden'' says he is one of two SEALs who shot Osama Bin Laden in last year's raid on the crappiest-looking ''mansion'' ever''the Bin Laden compound in Abottabad, Pakistan. The interview was timed to coincide with the release of the book.
    Yes, the interview was interesting and riveting. Yes, it was cool to see and hear what the raid was like, the planning that went into it, and how it went down. And it answered a gawker-like curiosity: who the SEAL that shot Bin Laden was, what he looks like, and what his mannerisms are? But America does not need to learn this information. And a Navy SEAL disclosing it is no different than a U.S. soldier releasing thousands of classified documents via Wikileaks. Different motives, but the same illicit behavior. It's a national security risk. And a huge violation of what Mark Bissonnette agreed to do when he signed the agreement every Navy SEAL must sign, agreeing to keep details of his missions confidential.
    For those on the right who want to make this about a SEAL exposing frauds told by Barack Obama, that's ridiculous. This isn't about Obama or ''getting'' him politically. Obama will be gone in four months or four years. But the damage of what Mark Bissonnette did will last far longer and is more important than politics: government officials breaching top secret clearances and classified restrictions that are there for a reason. And for that Bissonnette should be prosecuted, but he won't be. He won't be prosecuted because . . . good luck finding a jury who will convict and send to prison the man that killed the mastermind of the largest massacre of Americans on U.S. soil (or anywhere else).
    Bissonnette claimed in last night's interview that he didn't release any confidential information or breach any restrictions regarding the disclosure of sources and methods. But I'm not so sure. And he can't be either. The Pentagon says there is classified information in the book, and Pentagon officials would know this far better than Bissonnette, who is trained to do his job, not to know which details are a secret and which aren't. That's for the military brass to decipher, not him.
    Bissonnette seems like a cool guy, the kind you'd want to have a beer with. He's definitely a hero for what he did and for doing it well. But disclosing it to the public is not heroic at all. It's shameless publicity-seeking, and sets a dangerous precedent for those who come after him and not just in the Navy SEALs, but in the Green Berets, Special Forces, etc. The men who go into these professions know they are supposed to remain nameless, faceless, and silent. Sadly, in recent years, the Navy SEALs have become a league of publicity hounds, from the anti-Semitic, cheesy ''Act of Valor'' movie (read my review) to Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, who modestly calls himself the best there is''''the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history''in the title of his own book. You don't see this kind of braggadocio from the Army Special Forces and other similar outfits in the U.S. Armed Forces. And that's because they know the deal. You don't get to talk. We simply cannot operate with everyone in these positions of secrecy blabbing to the world. And if you do speak publicly, particularly in a book, you have to run it through the Pentagon to review it first. Bissonnette didn't do this. He broke the rules and should pay the price, but he won't.
    My friend, FBI Special Agent Robert Wright, was involved in several high-level HAMAS terrorist investigations in the U.S. (some of them with strong ties to Al-Qaeda), including ''Operation Vulgar Betrayal.'' Bob spoke out on ABC News after 9/11 because the Bush Administration was doing nothing to remove Specially Designated Terrorists from HAMAS from America's streets. He said more people would die if he did not do something to push the Bush Administration into action. And he was right. But the FBI went after him for speaking out on ABC News. And he wrote two books on the matter, but he did the right thing. He submitted them to the FBI for review, and the FBI won't allow him to release them. He filed suit and continues to be embroiled in the fight to get these books published. It's unfair to him and the many federal officials doing important work in the fight against Islamic terrorism that they must wait forever and go through the process, while Bissonnette just does what he wants, despite agreeing to do otherwise when he took the job.
    While I was riveted by his interview last night, perhaps I'm out of line for saying so, but other than entertainment, I got only three things out of the interview: 1) that Bissonnette is kinda chubby''which was surprising because Navy SEALs are supposed to be physical specimens of superhuman strength and endurance (but they spent four hours disguising him, so that might explain it, although he doesn't look too different from purported photos of himself floating around the net); 2) that Bissonnette while rumored, according to FOX News''which outed him, to live in Alaska, has to be from Boston or somewhere in New England with his use of the adjective ''wicked'' when he called the CIA agent, ''wicked smart''''a Boston colloquialism; and 3) that the CIA agent who planned the whole thing is named Jennifer or ''Jen'' (apparently, her parents got the ''Jennifer'' memo of the late '60s and '70s). Hmmm . . . if we are to believe that there was actually a CIA agent named Jen who planned the whole thing''and that it's not a propaganda story designed to prop up and recruit women to the CIA or make Al-Qaeda mad that a woman helped take its leader down, if I were an Al-Qaeda spy I'd be looking for a CIA agent named Jen to target for a hit (assuming that is her real first name and not a pseudonym).
    Other than those three useless (except to the enemy) items and sheer entertainment value, there was no reason for the interview and no reason for the book. We really didn't need to know any of this or what is in the book, whatever it is (I haven't read it, but the Pentagon brass have, and they're angry). America would have missed nothing had Mark Bissonnette chosen to stay silent. In fact, we'd be better off seeing the dead Bin Laden photos, which Barack Obama still won't let us see out of concern over angering his Muslim friends, rather than hear Bissonnette's story, which adds nothing to our knowledge base beyond superficial entertainment and adds everything to aiding and abetting the enemy in knowing our operational tactics and procedures.
    And, finally, there is the issue of both FOX News and CBS News' Scott Pelley, the uber-arrogant, exuberantly officious anchor of the nightly newscast no one watches, who did last night's interview with Bissonnette. Pelley repeatedly called Bissonnette by his now-useless alias, ''Mark Owen.'' That's silly because he was outed weeks ago, and everyone now knows who he is. Genie's out of the bottle, dude. For Scott Pelley to act like he's some high-brow journalist for sticking to the pseudonym is beyond absurd. And don't forget that it was FOX News Channel a/k/a ''PAWNN'' (the Prince Al-Waleed News Network) that outed Bissonnette, giving his real name and telling us he lives in Alaska. I'm sure someone will tell me that if PAWNN didn't do it, another network would have. Riiight. Puh-leeze. If CNN or MSNBC or ABC or CBS had outed Bissonnette, conservatives would be pouncing all over them for the obvious reasons: it's not patriotic, and it's harmful to national security. But since FOX News is the faux-conservative network, all is forgiven by the hypocrites on the right.
    FOX News' lame excuse for outing him is that he ''had no reasonable expectation of privacy,'' something we'd hear out of the mouths of Al-Jazeera terrorist sympathizers and mainstream American media outlet Marxists in the New York Times or at ABC News. How 'bout patriotic Americans' ''reasonable expectation'' that FOX News actually cares about America's national security and this man's safety? More important, what about the reasonable expectation of safety and anonymity of the fellow SEALs on the mission, who did not write books? Any terrorist that finds this guy could torture him or find some other way of learning the names and identities of the others.
    Back to Pelley, who did last night's interview. he's is a crappy ''reporter'' who creates propaganda, as he did when he ''interviewed'' Hezbollah spy/former CIA/FBI agent, Nada Nadim Al-Aouar DelaDurataye Valley Prouty, in which he repeatedly lied to the viewers on her behalf in a phony sob story of ''patriotism.'' Pelley does us no favors here in his interview with Bissonnette, in which he repeatedly feigns amazement, regarding Bissonnette's claim that some Navy SEALs caught an hour of sleep on the helicopter to the Bin Laden kill or that, after the mission was over, Bissonnette went to Taco Bell for a meal. Not sure why any of these stories are surprising. Was he expecting Bissonnette to tell him that, after the mission, he no longer had the human need for food and calories? He's a human like everyone else.
    And like too many other humans, in our fame-obsessed Facebook/Twitter/YouTube era, Mark Bissonnette couldn't completely pledge himself to patriotism and American national security by shutting the bleep up.
    I agree with General James Vaught, a retired officer who oversaw the Army's elite Delta forces. He criticized the SEALs' involvement in ''Act of Valor'' and takes the same view of Bissonnette.
    ''Get the hell out of the media . . . We don't ever want to get to the point where our sensitive tactics, techniques and procedures are open for everybody to take a look at so the next time we come in on a target we are exposed.''
    On Friday, Gen. Vaught criticized Mr. Bissonnette for circumventing the traditional military vetting process and seeking to elevate himself.
    ''They are trying to appoint themselves as unique heroes, when they're no damn thing. I had guys that worked for me that make them look like children,'' he said.
    ''I think it's a stupid act and a very grand disservice to the other members of the SEAL community,'' Gen. Vaught said.
    Mark (or Matt) Bissonnette's thirteen combat deployments and successful SEAL Team Six Bin Laden mission are heroic and valorous. His public discussion of the Bin Laden mission is neither.
  The Zombie That Ate Rand Paul's Brain
    Link to Article
    Source: Dave Winer's linkblog feed
    Sun, 09 Sep 2012 23:14
    Aha. It seems that I was giving Rand Paul more credit than he deserved. Think Progress has the video, and it's clear that Paul was completely shocked at the notion that government employment had fallen under Obama, rather than soaring.
    How did that happen? Almost surely it's a case of a zombie lie that has gone unchallenged in the hermetic world of movement conservatism, so that people like Paul know, just know, something that ain't so. I wrote about this way back: the usual suspects seized on the Census bulge in employment as evidence of a big-government surge; and because nobody in that business ever admits having been wrong, this became a ''fact'' that people like Rand Paul believe. He wouldn't have made this mistake if he ever read or listened to an analysis from nonpartisan sources, but he evidently doesn't.
Last Story
  State Department stooge Sean Smith's Eve Online moniker was "Vile Rat"!! LOL!http://t.co/5MsDeSsm
    Link to Article
    Source: @adamcurry - Twitter Search
    Thu, 13 Sep 2012 02:58
    Today, the U.S. is recoiling from the tragic news that Sean Smith, a State Department official, was one of four individuals killed in a rocket attack in Libya. The U.S. ambassador to Libya was also among those who died.Smith, a foreign service information management officer, had a sphere of influence that extended far beyond the realm of real-world diplomacy: He was also a respected and hugely influential figure in the world of online gaming.
    For much of the past decade, Smith was an avid player of Eve Online, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). The game has more than 400,000 players, who take on roles as warriors, strategists and even diplomats in a science-fiction setting.
    Alex Gianturco, aka "The Mittani," one of Smith's Eve Online colleagues, has written a moving tribute to his fallen friend, who went by the online moniker "Vile Rat."
    Smith was online chatting with Gianturco shortly before he was killed in Benghazi. The two men, who had known each other for more than six years, had met several times in person and considered themselves close friends both online and in the real world.
    "Many were injured in these pointless, reprehensible acts, and one of my closest friends was killed as a result," Gianturco wrote.
    Gianturco posted excerpts from his final chat with Smith, including this chilling message:
    (12:54:09 PM) vile_rat: assuming we don't die tonight. We saw one of our 'police' that guard the compound taking pictures
    Gianturco writes that Smith's dark humor was nothing new; he had been stationed in other potentially dire situations before.
    "The last time he did something like this, he was in Baghdad in 2007 or 2008," Gianturco wrote. "He would be on jabber [an instant messaging service], then say something like 'incoming' and vanish for a while as the Kayatushas came down from Sadr City."
    Unfortunately, this time was much different.
    "He was on jabber when it happened," Gianturco writes. "In Baghdad the same kind of thing happened - incoming sirens, he'd vanish, we'd freak out and he'd come back ok after a bit. This time he said ... 'GUNFIRE' and then disconnected and never returned.
    "Then the major media began reporting on the consulate and embassy attacks in Libya and Egypt, and I freaked out and then it turned out that it was my friend of six years who helped build this alliance into what it is today since, the very beginning, starting out as one of my agents and growing to become the single most influential diplomat in the history of Eve, or perhaps of any online game," Gianturco writes.
    For those unfamiliar with the world of MMORPG, Gianturco explains that Smith's real-world skills as a State Department official translated to the online game he loved.
    The website Eurogamer has posted an interview with Ned Coker of CCP, makers of Eve Online:
    "I can tell you that CCP and its employees are overwhelmingly saddened by the news of Sean Smith's passing, as we are when we learn of any player who is tragically lost," Coker said. "Many of us interacted with him professionally and personally and, honestly, it feels like our words are lost adrift--amongst such a tremendous, soul-affirming outpouring from the EVE community. The CSM, of which he is an alumni, will be posting a guest dev blog in his honor."
    Smith served as an official diplomat in Eve Online, serving on the Council of Stellar Management, Eve Online's player-elected board.
    "If you play this stupid game, you may not realize it, but you play in a galaxy created in large part by Vile Rat's talent as a diplomat. No one focused as relentlessly on using diplomacy as a strategic tool as VR," Gianturco wrote.
    "You may have been a friend or an enemy or a pawn in a greater game, but he touched every aspect of EVE in ways that 99% of the population will never understand.
    "It seems kind of trivial to praise a husband, father, and overall badass for his skills in an Internet spaceship game but that's how most of us know him, so there you go," Gianturco wrote.
    Interestingly, Smith was also a respected debate and discussions moderator on the Something Awful site. Readers there have also been posting testimonials in his honor.