Friday 22/12/2000 NEW MDB TASKFORCE LEADER Cmdr. Paul Brass – Task Force Photo: Tim deLong Commander Paul Brass, 53, has been appointed leader of a newly created task force which has the single purpose of bringing the Millennium Dome Bomber to justice. Commander Brass has extensive policing experience ranging from the control of civil disorder during the riots of the 1980s to successfully combatting both drug trafficking and violent crime in the Nineties.    In a press briefing, he said that his investigation would be successful but he offered no guarantees that the results would come quickly. Commander Brass is believed to be an expert in data analysis and the forms of Nodal Zone Tracking used extensively by the FBI in the United States and the BND in Germany. His first results are expected to come from re-sifting the existing information on the MDB. filed by Jarvic Klute [j.klute@md.news.uk]

Saturday 23/12/2000 Dome-Tastic Xmas Windfall Lucrio Sospettoso Photo: Tim deLong It probably seems like small change to the billionnaire owner of the Millennium Dome and its surroundings but Signor Sospettoso is heading for a £200M return on his £43M investment.    Greenwich council has granted the Dome's operators planning permission for 1,200 homes on this prime site beside the Thames. The plans for a high-tech business park are still on-going but the overall site plan has been broadened to include high-density housing and "executive accommodation".    The Government, or what passes for one in these days of no overall majority, is redirecting any accusations of double-dealing at the previous administration. Ousted party leader Angus McBlair was not available for comment last night. His former cronies also seemed to be uncontactable. Maybe they found a party to go to. filed by Luca Varn-Haight [lvh@md.news.uk]

Thursday 28/12/2000 GUSVION XMAS EXTRAVAGANZA "The World's Biggest Xmas Party", that's how Gusvion Holdings are describing their Christmas Day/Boxing Day extravaganza at the Millennium Dome. And the Dome was officially full for most of both days.    It looks like the ungrateful British public would rather go there to have a good time than to be preached at by exhibits commissioned by politicians. Thumbs down to spin-doctored rebranding of Britain. Thumbs up to a string of top entertainers.    How come the politicians couldn't work that out? Perhaps they were just too busy giving away the taxpayer's money to their cronies to be bothered with the fine detail of making the Dome work. filed by Dana Howmaj [d.howmaj@md.news.uk]

Saturday 30/12/2000 DOME LEAK ACCIDENT! Interim PM Henry Tudor Photo: Oliver Strange Agency Henry Tudor's interrim administration may deny all connection with the previous regime at all opportunities - but it seems to be just as porous as Angus McBlair's. The latest leak is an assurance that the present prime minister has no plans to launch an inquiry into what went wrong with the Millennium Dome plan. And how did the leak get out? Someone pushed the wrong button on a fax machine! Believe that and you'll believe anything.    And as far as no inquiry is concerned - does anyone really believe that the legal profession with give up on such a golden opportunity to drive its collective fist into the taxpayer's pocket? Or that the National Audit Office will be allowed to turn a blind eye on such a juicy scandal? filed by Luca Varn-Haight [lvh@md.news.uk]

Monday 01/01/2001 Still A Year Short The second of a promised series of twice-a-year protests went off more or less without incident in Millennium Park yesterday. The 20th Century Appreciation Society held a day-long vigil within sight of the Millennium Dome, pursuing what many see as the lost cause of restoring a missing year to the 20th Century.    The day-long vigil was an action replay of the one held on the Sunday nearest to the Prime Minister's birthday last July. As earlier in the year, a strong police presence first thing in the morning dwindled to just a token trio by eleven o'clock.    The police spokesman had nothing to say on the size of the deployment but the lurking presence of TCAS members with video cameras revived memories of the police inspired, near riot in the Prime Minister's constituency last new year when 19 people were arrested last year, eight of whom required hospital treatment.    Just four people were brought to court in May last year and all were acquitted in short order. Damages suits against the police are still pending and a number of police officers still face disciplinary charges.    Embarrassment in store During the press briefing at the end of the day-long vigil, the society's president, Dane Jay, insisted that the demonstrations would continue until Prime Minister Angus McBlair acknowledges that the 20th Century ended on December 31st 2000 rather than at the end of 1999.    He added, significantly, that the society is planning further incidental events aimed at reminding the Prime Minister how much his 'ignorant attitude' is embarrasing the British public. So it looks like Mr. McBlair is in for an uncomfortable time in this genuine opening year of the third millennium. filed by Insider [In-113@mdb.news.uk]

Tuesday 02/01/2001 MDB MIGHTILY IMPRESSED In an authenticated statement to the media, the Millennium Dome Bomber announced that he or she was "mightily impressed" by the quality of the Millennium Eve laser display at the Millennium Dome. The Dome was packed to capacity with an audience which included Her Majesty the Queen, and it was surrounded by a considerable crowd, which seemed to enjoy the secondary lighting effects on the fabric of the Dome as seen from the outside.    As promised, the MDB confirmed that this was his/her last press statement and in future, he/she will be concentrating on enjoying life in the UK now that the third millennium really has arrived. Future trips to the Dome are also on the cards. There were queues for most of the main attractions in the Dome yesterday and today, and the very high level of pre-Christmas interest is showing no signs of levelling off.    A spokesman for Scotland Yard confirmed that the investigation into the bombing of the Millennium Dome in December, 1999, is on-going and expected to lead to the arrest of the MDB and his/her team of helpers in the near future. filed by Insider [In-114@mdb.news.uk]

Thursday 04/01/2001 Dome Facilitator's Donations Sir Tom Todhunter Photo: Tim deLong A Labour Party spokesperson has admitted that Sir Tom Todhunter, the 'facilitator' for the syndicate which bought the Dome, has made a donation of £35,000 to the party in the post-Christmas period. The spokesperson added that the donation is just one instalment of a sum pledged in the autum of 1997, long before construction began on the Dome.    The Opposition parties have announced an intention to ask pointed questions about the donations in parliament. They are likely to receive short shrift from the ruling party, however. The Tudor Coalition seems to be holding together nicely at the moment and the prospect of a spring election seems to be receding. Even so, Labour are desperate to refill their coffers and cash from almost any source is welcome; even from a 1980s asset-ripper who has strong links to the Conservative Party but even stronger ones to the Dome's former administrators.    Senior backbenchers are still very concerned that the party might be sleazed by accusations of dodgy doings, but most appear ready to put their consciences on hold for the moment. Survival outweighs having a clean reputation at the moment for Real Labour. filed by Joe Deblat [j.deblat@md.news.uk]

Saturday 13/01/2001 SECOND BOMBING FOILED Cmdr. Paul Brass - Task Force Photo: Tim deLong Armed police made dawn raids in South London, Kent and Sussex on Thursday morning to round up the Millennium Dome Bomber and his gang. Nine people are in custody and a police spokesman confirmed that large quantities of explosives, electronic equipment and documents have been recovered.    In a brief press conference held late last night, Commander Paul Brass, leader of the hunt for the MDB, announced that a second 'Gunpowder Plot' against the Millennium Dome has been foiled. If successful, the MDB would have demolished the entire Dome this time.    There are unconfirmed reports that the demolition job was planned to coincide with Prime Minister pro-tem Henry Tudor's briefing session with industry leaders in the Dome's conference facility at the end of the month. The inquiry is on-going. report by Ferret [f.02@mdb.news.uk]

Tuesday 16/01/2001 MDB – "I'm Free!" In an authenticated statement released yesterday, the Millennium Dome Bomber announced that he/she is still at liberty and the police raids at the end of last week were not directed at him/her or his/her associates.    The paper on which the statement was printed had been sprayed with the unique combination of fluorescent marker chemicals chosen by the MDB.    The MDB added, "I have been abroad for the last few days and I was amazed to hear that I had been arrested when I got back on Monday morning. I have no idea who the police have caught but it certainly is not me!"    A police spokesman said last night: "There is a popular misconception that the Millennium Dome bombing was perpetrated by a single individual. On the contrary, a whole team of people was involved. We do not claim that our arrest operation last Thursday and a second operation on Sunday netted the whole of the team. Even so, most of those who bombed the Millennium Dome are now in custody. This statement was clearly issued by a previously undetected member of the team, who has access to the combination of fluorescent agents used to mark MDB communications."    Twelve people made court appearances in closed sessions on Monday morning. All have been charged with explosives-related offences and all were remanded in custody. Solicitors acting for five of the prisoners have released statements categorically denying that their clients were involved in the attack on the Millennium Dome just before what the MDB calls "McBlair's Bogus Millennium Change".    The other seven prisoners are believed to be refusing to answer police questions or make a statement of any sort. Reports suggest that they remained silent in the magistrates' court and refused to acknowledge its authority. The investigation continues. filed by Insider [In-114@mdb.news.uk]

Friday, 19/01/2001 POLICE SHOW BOMB PLOT GEAR Cmdr. Brass - "Solid evidence" Photo: Tim deLong The police have released three of the people arrested in connection with the plot to destroy the Millennium Dome. A spokesman for the team hunting the Millennium Dome Bomber admitted that five of the remaining nine people still in custody have solid alibis for the bombing of the Dome on the evening of Xmas Day, 1999.    "Even so," he added, "the police team led by Commander Paul Brass has equally solid evidence linking these people to the second plot to blow up the Dome."    Yesterday evening, the police put on show a selection of the explosives and triggering devices recovered in their raids of last week. Experts commented that the electronic equipment appears to be all 'off-the-shelf' items made in the United States or Russia and that it is nothing like the custom-made devices created by the Millennium Dome Bomber. filed by Jarvic Klute [j.klute@md.news.uk]

Tuesday, 23/01/2001 "Not me!" says MDB The Millennium Dome Bomber sent out a press release to all news agencies yesterday "to let the public know what's going on". In his statement, he said that he had provided evidence to the police to prove conclusively that the people being held in custody in connection with the foiled bomb plot against the Dome are just copy-cats.    "I have proved beyond any doubt that I was not involved in this conspiracy," he said. "But, in the interests of justice," he added, "I do not intend to release more specific information for public consumption."    A police spokesman confirmed that a further communication from the MDB was received on Saturday of last week and that checks of its authenticity are still on-going. report by Ferret [f.03@mdb.news.uk]

Thursday, 25/01/2001 SOSPETTOSO LINKED TO DOME 9 A misdirected fax message has uncovered a link between the Millennium Dome Nine and Lucrio Sospettoso, the man behind the purchase of the Dome. Two members of the group arrested for the second bomb plot were in regular communication with one of Signor Sospettoso's aides during the last three months of the previous year.    A spokesman for the Italian billionaire insisted that his organization does not deal with criminals and that any contacts with the arrested men had to be entirely innocent. filed by Jarvic Klute [j.klute@md.news.uk]

Saturday, 27/01/2001 SUPER BOWL AT SUPER DOME If London seems to be full of people with American accents, it's all down to the latest brainwave by the new operators of the Millennium Dome. Thanks to satellite links with TV companies in the United States, the hardy souls who buy tickets for the Dome on Sunday will be able to enjoy the full Super Bowl Experience.    Everything will be on offer starting with the big build-up in pre-game shows, the match itself, the presentation of the trophy to the eventual victors and the post-game shows. It promises to be a long and exhausting day - but hey, you have to be tough to be a fan of the Vikings or the Raiders.    American football fans from all over the UK and Europe are converging on Greenwich for what is certain to be the biggest Super Bowl party outside the United States. In fact, the Dome's operators are confident that it will be the biggest ever. The enthusiastic response to this venture suggests that it could well be added to the Dome's growing list of annual events. filed by Dana Howmaj [d.howmaj@md.news.uk]

Monday, 29/01/2001 AMNESTY FOR MDB? London is buzzing with rumours about the second bomb plot. There is even talk of an amnesty for the Millennium Dome Bomber so that he can give a full account of what he did in December, 1999, to let the police separate distracting material from the second bomb plot.    A police spokeswoman issued a vigorous denial that there is any official support for an amnesty for the MDB. She added, "The hunt for this reckless individual continues and it will be pursued until those responsible for bombing the Dome have been brought before the courts." filed by Jarvic Klute [j.klute@md.news.uk]

Thursday, 01/02/2001 Sospettoso Knows Capt. James? Lucrio Sospettoso - "Photos" Photo: Tim deLong An anonymous source released what are alleged to be compromising photographs of Lucrio Sospettoso last night. If genuine, the pictures show Signor Sospettoso with 'Captain James', a Gulf War veteran who is said to have fought as a mercenary on all of the sides in the Balkans War at one time or another.    Captain James is alleged to have access to a wide range of military equipment, including explosives of the type discovered when the police foiled the recent plot to blow up the Millennium Dome.    Sources in the security services, MI5 and MI6, refused to acknowledge having any files on the mysterious Captain James. Under the US Freedom of Information legislation, however, MD News has obtained a copy of British Ministry of Defence records concerning a Captain James lookalike. The officer did, indeed, serve in the Persian Gulf in the 1990s, but the name on the records is Lieutenant James Xavier Calvertin.    All attempts to track Lt. Calvertin and his family in UK records have failed. MD News is left wondering why someone took so much trouble to distribute the photographs to the world's news media - apparently trying to smear Signor Sopettoso - and what is going on. filed by Jarvic Klute [j.klute@md.news.uk]

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