Scottish Independence: Decision Day For Voters

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Around four million Scottish voters go to the polls today in a referendum that will change Britain forever, whatever the outcome.

A Yes vote at the end of a hard-fought campaign will bring an end to the Union of the United Kingdom that has stood for more than 300 years.

Voters will be asked a simple question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

After the polls close at 10pm tonight, counting of the votes takes place at 32 regional centres all over Scotland and then once each result is in, the numbers will be sent to the main counting centre in Edinburgh.

The earliest declarations, at around 2am on Friday, will include North Lanarkshire, Orkney, East Lothian and Perth and Kinross.

The latest, at 6am, is expected to be Aberdeen. Dundee is expected at 3am and Edinburgh and Glasgow at 5am.

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British Muslims Plea For 'Mercy' For UK Hostage

British Muslim leaders have united to call for the Islamic State extremist group to release the UK hostage Alan Henning.

They have urged the militants to show mercy to the 47-year-old from Salford, and to let him go unharmed.

The father-of-two travelled to Syria with charity workers in December, but was kidnapped and now faces beheading at the hands of the terrorist dubbed 'Jihadi John'.

The intervention came as a friend of Mr Henning, who was on the same aid convoy, made a direct appeal to IS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, to show "compassion and mercy".

New footage shows Mr Henning saying his aid trip is 'all worthwhile'

In the video the man describes travelling "several times" to Syria with Mr Henning.

"On all occasions, we - your Muslim brothers - brought him with us under our care and protection," he says.

"Alan was so moved by the suffering of the Syrian people, in particular the children, that he devoted all his free time in raising money and awareness about their suffering.

"He washed cars to raise money, he collected aid, he talked to everybody he met about crimes committed against the Muslims in Syria."

The unnamed man says Mr Henning is a selfless man, a 'good man'

More than 100 Muslim leaders have signed a statement to IS pleading for Mr Henning's release, and branding them "monsters" for the brutal murder of fellow hostage David Haines.

In a letter published in the Independent newspaper, they said: "We, the undersigned British Muslim Imams, organisations and individuals, wish to express our horror and revulsion at the senseless murder of David Haines and the threat to the life of our fellow British citizen, Alan Henning."

They said those holding Mr Henning hostage must accept that what they are doing is against the Koran and "constitutes the worst condemnable sin".

The Muslim Council of Britain was among the signatories.

Dr Shuja Shafi, the council's Secretary General, said: "Such a man should be celebrated, not incarcerated. Taking such people hostage, and murdering them, are against the principles laid out in the Qur'an and our Prophetic traditions.

"These actions are against the spirit of the Shariah which Henning's captors reportedlyclaim to uphold."

The taxi driver drove an ambulance to deliver aid to Syria's refugees

It comes as new footage shows Mr Henning en route to Syria, saying it is "all worthwhile" to make sure aid gets to where it is needed.

Mr Henning, a taxi driver, was kidnapped within 30 minutes of crossing from Turkey into Syria.

He had volunteered to drive an ambulance full of medical aid as part of a community-funded charity trip organised by volunteers from Bolton and the UK Arab Society.

It is believed he was abducted by IS in Al Dana, a town 38km (24 miles) from Aleppo.

Reports suggest he was separated from Muslim counterparts by masked men.

Friends who travelled with the 47-year-old said they made desperate attempt to get him freed before returning to the UK without him.

The video was addressed to IS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi

The man in the video appeal describes Mr Henning's commitment to raise as much money as he could for refugees of Syria's civil war.

The YouTube appeal was partly coordinated by Cage - a group campaigning against the so-called "war on terror".

Emotionally overwhelmed at the end of the video, the man urges IS leader al Baghdadi to "please, please, please, release Alan."

"He has no affiliation with any political agenda," he says.

"Show him compassion and mercy as he showed compassion and mercy to Muslims of Syria."

Mr Henning appeared at the end of the video released on Saturday in which Mr Haines was beheaded by IS - with a threat that he would be next.

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Missing Alice Gross: Police Search For Man

Police investigating the disappearance of teenager Alice Gross are searching for a man who has been missing for nearly two weeks.

Detectives are appealing for the public's help to find Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns, who was last seen at his home in Ealing on September 3.

The 41-year-old lives with his partner and child and is known to travel to work along a similar route to the one Alice took on the day she disappeared.

Mr Zalkalns was reported missing on September 5 after he failed to turn up to meet a friend so they could cycle to work together.

Police described Mr Zalkalns as white, 5ft 10ins tall, with a stocky build and dark brown hair which he usually wears in a ponytail.

Alice was last spotted on CCTV by the Grand Union Canal

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "It is completely out of character for Arnis to go missing.

"His family is very worried about him. I am asking for anyone who has seen him, or knows where he is to get in touch."

"I would stress that based on what we know now there is no evidence to suggest that Arnis and Alice knew each other.

"At this stage, we simply want to speak to him, as he may well have important information that can help our search for Alice."

It comes after police released a 25-year-old man who was being held on suspicion of murder, but has been told he faces no further action.

A 51-year-old man who was held on September 7 by officers working to establish what happened to the 14-year-old was released the following day.

Despite repeated public appeals, investigators have had no confirmed sightings of Alice since 4.26pm on August 28, when she was last seen on CCTV by the Grand Union Canal in west London.

Scotland Yard's Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers said Alice's family had been left "devastated" by her disappearance.

Alice left her family home in Hanwell at around 1pm on August 28

Her parents, Jose Gross and Rosalind Hodgkiss, and sister Nina have previously recorded appeals urging her to come home.

Det Insp Chalmers said police have no evidence that the anorexic teen was being bullied but hope finding her white iPhone 4S with a distinctive cracked case might help officers with a breakdown of her recent communications.

The smartphone last connected to the network just after 5pm on the day she disappeared.

He said Alice had been going through a "difficult time" but there had been no family argument before she vanished.

Det Insp Chalmers made a public appeal on the BBC's Crimewatch programme on Tuesday night, using CCTV images to show Alice's last known movements between 1pm when she left her Hanwell home and 4.26pm when she walked along Trumpers Way towards Hanwell.

Alice is white, 5ft 2ins tall, of very slim build and has shoulder-length, light brown hair.

She was last seen wearing dark blue jeans and a dark green lacy cardigan and carrying a dark rucksack.

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Two Dead In Helicopter Crash Off Flamborough

Two men have died after a helicopter crashed into the sea near a lighthouse at Flamborough, East Yorkshire.

The RAF and the local air ambulance, as well as lifeboats from Flamborough and Bridlington, were called to the scene just after noon on Tuesday.

The bodies were recovered shortly after 5pm, said a Humberside Police spokesman.

The helicopter was a private charter and had taken off from an airfield near Edinburgh.

Golfers at the Flamborough Head club saw the aircraft disappear from view

It was due to refuel at Humberside Airport around the time it crashed and then head on to a destination near Retford, Nottinghamshire.

Ron Marwood, chairman of the local golf club, which fringes the cliffs, described the helicopter as probably having just two to four seats.

He told Sky News he had heard a change in engine noise and then it "just disappeared".

"It was flying along quite happily. The engine noise seemed to change - that was the first I sort of took notice of it," said Mr Marwood.

"It appeared to be coming in, as if to try and get in close to the cliff and maybe land on the cliff, because it's all cornfields and that.

"But it disappeared below the level of the cliff."

Ron Marwood said the helicopter disappeared below the cliff

Visibility was around three to four miles and emergency services arrived within minutes, Mr Marwood said.

It is believed the helicopter was a JetRanger type.

A team from the Government's Air Accidents Investigation Branch is now investigating.

Members of the public are being warned to stay away from the crash site due to dangerous cliff edges and aviation fuel in the water.

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Eight 'Slaves' Rescued In Caravan Site Raid

Four people have been arrested after eight "slaves" were rescued during a raid on a caravan site in Bedfordshire.

The alleged victims - seven men aged between 20 and 46, and a 17-year-old boy - were found at the Greenacres site near Leighton Buzzard.

Police say some had been held there for "many years".

They are said to be in a "poor state of physical health".

Some are receiving medical and psychological treatment at an undisclosed location, but others refused to engage with police.

Four residents of the Gipsy Lane site, two men and two women, were arrested under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

Some 65 officers, including a helicopter, firearms and dog unit, took part in the dawn raid on Sunday.

Police previously raided the site in 2011. Pic: File

Chief Inspector Tania Coulson said: "The men we found at the plot were in a poor state of physical health and the conditions they were living in were cramped and filthy.

"We believe that some of the victims had been living and working there in a state of virtual slavery, some for just a few days/weeks and others for many years.

"The offences being investigated are extremely serious.

"We understand that some people may have information about what has been happening, but have been too scared to come forward and report it.

"People who do want to talk to us about this matter should contact us on 101, or Crimestoppers, which is both anonymous and independent from the police. You do not have to give your name, but if you do we will keep it secret."

The raid followed a lengthy investigation into reports that a number of people were being held as "modern slaves".

Two other men were arrested - one for obstructing a police officer and another for breach of the peace.

In 2011, 24 "slaves" were found at the site after a police raid. Four people were later convicted.

The latest operation comes amid a campaign by the Home Office to raise awareness of "modern slavery".

Those who suspect cases of modern slavery or feel they may be a victim can call a national helpline on 0800 0121 700.

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Backpacker Hunted Over Thailand Double Murder

FCO Advice For Thailand Tourists

Updated: 10:39am UK, Monday 15 September 2014

The latest Foreign Office advice for tourists in Thailand warns of the danger of robberies and sex assaults in areas popular with backpackers.

Here is the FCO's advice on crime in the country, which draws around 800,000 British visitors each year.

Eleven British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since January 2009.

Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan.

These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan.

In January 2013 a British national was killed in a shooting incident while at a beach party in Haad Rin.

Violent assaults and robberies have been reported in Chaweng, Koh Samui.

Attacks have also occurred in other tourist districts in Thailand including in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Krabi. Take care, especially at night.

There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women, especially in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province.

Tourists have also been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms.

In some cases their drinks were drugged. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, particularly in Koh Samui, Pattaya and at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you drink, know your limit.

Drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. Some British nationals have suffered severe psychiatric problems because of drug use, resulting in some suicides.

Be aware of the possibility of credit card fraud. Don't lose sight of your card during transactions.

There have been incidents of ATM skimming in Thailand. Where possible use an ATM within a bank and always protect your PIN.

Be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Taking items from one shop's area to another may be treated as suspected theft.

Be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers. Foreigners have had items snatched by thieves on motorbikes when walking along busy streets or travelling in open transport like tuk tuks.

If you travel by bus, make sure cash and valuables you have are kept securely. There have been incidents where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.

Gem scams are common. There have been reports of visitors buying gems for inflated prices from seemingly respectable establishments then later finding out the stones are worth a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

You should report any incidents of crime to the Thai police before leaving the country.

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Radicalisation Threat To All: Victim's Brother

The brother of murdered hostage David Haines has said radicalisation poses a threat to "the wholesale safety of every person in the world".

The British aid worker was beheaded by the Islamic State militant group in a video released on Saturday in which a jihadist also threatened another UK hostage with death.

Mr Haines' brother Michael said Britons fleeing to Syria and Iraq to join fundamentalists should face harsh penalties when they return to the UK.

He said: "We agree with the Government that ISIL (IS) is extremely dangerous and poses a threat to every nation, every religion, every politics and every person."

Mr Haines said "radicalisation remains the biggest threat to the wholesale safety of every person in the world" and "we are seeing more and more" of it "in every walk of life".

David Haines was killed by Islamic State

He also said radicalisation was "not a race, religion, or political issue" but was a "human issue", adding the Muslim faith was not to blame for IS.

Mr Haines said his family also agreed with the Government that Britons travelling to fight with IS "need to face the consequences of their actions when they return to the UK".

He went on: "My first reaction could be one of hatred but my brother's life wasn't about hatred, it was about love."

David Haines was seized as he worked with the aid agency ACTED in Syria in March 2013.

Michael Haines said his brother could not wait to go to the country: "He was really excited. Very enthusiastic.

"He was going across to look at the logistics and planning, how best to put ACTED's operation into a safe operation. He was very happy to go."

Michael Haines earlier paid tribute to his brother, from Perth in Scotland, saying the father-of-two was "just another bloke" and "a good brother".

He said in a statement issued through the Foreign Office: "His joy and anticipation for the work he went to do in Syria is for myself and family the most important element of this whole sad affair.

"He was and is loved by all his family and will be missed terribly."

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PM: We Will 'Hunt Down' David Haines' Killers

David Cameron has vowed that Britain will "hunt down" those responsible for the murder of British aid worker David Haines and bring them to justice.

Speaking from Downing Street after chairing a meeting of Cobra, Mr Cameron described Islamic State extremists as "monsters" who are part of a "fanatical organisation".

"We will hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice, no matter how long it takes," Mr Cameron said.

"David Haines was an aid worker. He went into harm's way, not to harm people but to help his fellow human beings in the hour of their direst need, from the Balkans to the Middle East.

"David Haines was a British hero. The fact that an aid worker was taken, held and brutally murdered at the hand of Islamic State sums up what this organisation stands for.

A man wearing black addresses David Cameron in the video

"They boast of their brutality. They claim to do this in the name of Islam. That is nonsense - Islam is a religion of peace."

Earlier in the day Mr Cameron held emergency talks with senior representatives of the military, the security services, the Foreign Office and the Home Office.

He returned to Downing Street shortly after midnight when IS released a video which showed Mr Haines' death.

Government sources say the death will not change Britain's policy and Parliament will not be recalled.

But Mr Cameron said Britain's security depends upon taking action against the extremists.

Mr Haines has been described as a 'British hero' (Pic: Lance Baldwin)

"It must strengthen our resolve. We must recognise that it will take time to eradicate a threat like this. It will require, as I have described, action at home and abroad," he said.

"This is not something we can do on our own. We have to work with the rest of the world.

"Ultimately, our security as a nation, the way we go about our everyday lives in this free and tolerant society that is Britain, has always depended on our readiness to act against those who stand for hatred and who stand for destruction."

Mr Haines was taken hostage in Syria last year

The footage of Mr Haines' death shows a knife-wielding militant who speaks with a British accent.

The clip also includes a threat to kill a second hostage, later named as Alan Henning, who was a volunteer on an aid convoy.

In the video, Mr Haines looks into the camera and makes a statement, holding Mr Cameron responsible for his own "execution".

In the statement, which appears to have been made under duress, he said: "You entered voluntarily into a coalition with the United States against the Islamic State just as your predecessor Tony Blair did, following a trend against our British prime ministers who can't find the courage to say 'no' to the Americans.

"Unfortunately it is we the British public that in the end will pay the price for our Parliament's selfish decisions."

Mr Cameron returned to Downing Street for crisis talks

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "All the signs are that the video is genuine. We have no reason to believe it is not."

The aid agency that Mr Haines was working for when he was taken hostage in 2013 said it was "appalled and horrified" by the killing.

"ACTED strongly condemns with the utmost of force these crimes. In this tragic moment, our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones," the agency said.

The killing comes just weeks after American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded by Islamic State (IS). Those deaths were also filmed, and the videos were released on the internet.

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PM Condemns 'Murder' Of British Aid Worker

British Prime David Cameron has condemned the beheading of British aid worker David Haines by Islamic State, describing it as an "act of pure evil".

A video put out by the militant organisation shows 44-year-old father of two Mr Haines being murdered.

In a statement put out by Downing Street tonight, Mr Cameron says: "This is a despicable and appalling murder of an innocent aid worker. It is an act of pure evil.

"My heart goes out to the family of David Haines who have shown extraordinary courage and fortitude throughout this ordeal.

"We will do everything in our power to hunt down these murderers and ensure they face justice, however long it takes."

Mr Haines brother Mike said his sibling was "just another bloke" who "helped whoever needed help" until he was murdered "in cold blood".

David Cameron returned to Downing Street with his head bowed

Mr Haines was thought have been held captive by militant group Islamic State after being kidnapped from a Syrian refugee camp close to the border with Turkey last year.

Mr Cameron has returned to Downing Street and will chair a Cobra meeting today, officials confirmed.

The release of the video came hours after Mr Haines family urged his captors to contact them.

In the video, the victim looks into the camera makes a statement, holding Mr Cameron responsible for his own "execution"

In the statement, which may have been made under duress, he said: "You entered voluntarily into a coalition with the United States against the Islamic State just as your predecessor Tony Blair did, following a trend against our British prime ministers who can't find the courage to say 'no' to the Americans.

"Unfortunately it is we the British public that in the end will pay the price for our Parliament's selfish decisions."

The killing comes just weeks after two American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were also seen being beheaded by Islamic State (IS), in similarly filmed videos.

Behind Mr Haines, stood a man in black, who appeared to speak with an English accent.

David Haines worked as an aid worker

After Mr Haines finished, the man said : "This British man has to the pay the price for your promise, Cameron, to arm the peshmerga against the Islamic State.

"Your evil alliance with America which continues to strike the Muslims of Iraq and most recently bombed the Haditha Dam will only accelerate your destruction."

"If you, Cameron, persist in fighting the Islamic State then you like your master Obama will have the blood of your people on your hands."

Another man who Sky News is not naming, said to be British, then appears at the end of the video and is threatened with being killed.

The Foreign Office said Mr Haines' family wished to be left alone.

US President Barack Obama has put out a statement saying: "Our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Haines and to the people of the United Kingdom.

"The United States stands shoulder to shoulder tonight with our close friend and ally in grief and resolve."

The murders have prompted a number of commentators to call for swift and firm action. Former head of the Army Lord Dannatt said the UK should respond by playing its role in the assault against IS promised by US president Barack Obama.

"What we absolutely need to do is not be cowed in any way by yet another foul murder of a hostage," he said.

More follows...

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Brother: David 'Helped Whoever Needed Help'

David Haines' brother has paid tribute to the aid worker, describing him as "just another bloke" who "helped whoever needed help".

Mike Haines released a statement through the Foreign Office in which he describes his brother's life and work and also says how much he will be "terribly" missed.

The statement says: "My name is Mike Haines, I am brother to David Haines, who was recently murdered in cold blood.

"David was like so very many of us, just another bloke.

"Born in 1970 to parents who loved us both, our childhood was centred around our family.

"Holidays in caravans and tents, days away as a family which we remember fondly. David and I were brought up to know right from wrong, although we might not with the innocence of youth have always chosen right.

"David was a good brother, there when I needed him and absent when I didn't. I hope that he felt the same way about me.

"He was, in the right mood, the life and soul of the party and on other times the most stubborn irritating pain in the ass. He would probably say the same about me.

Mr Haines served with the UN in the Balkans

"After leaving school he worked with the Royal Mail before joining the RAF as an aircraft engineer.

"He married his childhood sweetheart Louise and in the due process of time had a wee lass Bethany. He was - and no doubt wherever he is - exceptionally proud of Bethany.

"David served with the UN in the Balkans, helping people in real need. There are many accolades from people in that region that David helped. He helped whoever needed help, regardless of race, creed or religion.

"During this time David began to decide that humanitarian work was the field he wanted to work in.

"David left the RAF and was employed by Scotrail. As with every job, David entered into it with enthusiasm. David met and married his second wife Dragana and they have a four-year-old daughter Athea.

"David was most alive and enthusiastic in his humanitarian roles. His joy and anticipation for the work he went to do in Syria is for myself and family the most important element of this whole sad affair.

"He was and is loved by all his family and will be missed terribly."

The statement ended with the Foreign Office saying that the family have asked for privacy.

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