Jailed hacker to the stars Anthony Pellicano claims Michael Jackson did 'far worse than molest young boys'

By Donna Mcconnell



Allegation: Anthony Pellicano seen here in 1993, has made a stunning allegation about the late singer Michael Jackson





In his first interview since being jailed on 78 counts of wiretapping in 2008, Hollywood's most notorious private investigator has made an explosive claim concerning the late singer Michael Jackson.



While Jackson who died in 2009 has long been subject to rumours of inappropriate relations with young boys.



Pellicano claimed he dropped Michael Jackson as a client because he 'did something far worse' than molesting young boys.





But now speaking from his jail cell, the Hollywood Investigator boasted 'I was way ahead of my time.'



Pellicano revealed why he allegedly dropped the King of Pop as a client, after being hired to investigate one of the families accusing the singer in the 2003 child molestation case.



He claimed he told Jackson he would only work for him if he wasn't guilty.



'Isaid, "You don't have to worry about cops or lawyers. If I find out anything, I will f*** you over",' he said.



'I quit after I found out some truths.



'He did something far worse to young boys than molest them.'



But the investigator did not elaborate on his sensational claims.



The investigator, who was known for phone-hacking long before the current scandal, has reportedly done work for the likes of Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bill Clinton.



He was jailed for 15 years in 2008 after being found guilty on 78 counts including wiretapping, racketeering and wire fraud from his controversial operation.



Speaking for the first time from behind bars, Pellicano said he was sent away because he refused to rat out his high profile clients - adding that he has some shocking secrets on them.



He told Newsweek he had information on Arnold Schwarzenegger which, had the authorities found, 'he would never have been governor'.



While his case has long since disappeared from the front pages, hacking has been at the forefront of the news agenda with the News Of The World scandal that has tarred Rupert Murdoch, David Cameron, and Scotland Yard.



However, Pellicano claims the British phone-hacking scandal is not such a big deal.



He said: 'I was way ahead of my time,” he says. What’s the big deal about some tabloid hijacking Hugh Grant’s voicemails?



'If Murdoch’s name wasn’t involved, would there be a story? If someone wiretapped Britney Spears, no one would care. The story is, did Murdoch know people were doing this? Did he condone it? I strongly believe he had no idea.'





source:dailymail

16,000 police to retake London: PM recalls Parliament as the police lose control of Britain's streets

By EMILY ALLEN and ROB COOPER



Hackney: Anarchy broke out last night as hooded youths set fire to cars, bins and buildings as police battled to bring them under control



With an 'unprecedented' 16,000 police officers due on the streets of London tonight, answers were today being demanded over the failure of police to bring last night's riots under control.



Just hours after David Cameron warned rioters they would face the 'full force of the law' there were rumours on Twitter that violence was already starting up again.



Pockets of trouble were reportedly breaking out in Bromley, Surrey Quays and Ealing as parts of the capital went into lockdown in anticipation of further violence.





'You will feel the full force of the law': David Cameron issued a stark warning to rioters and looters as he spoke outside Number 10 today





The army of police officers on-duty in London will swell to 16,000 tonight - compared with just 6,000 last night - as reinforcements are drafted in from 26 forces across the country.



Today huge swathes of the capital woke up to the charred debris of burned out buildings and streets littered with waste. David Cameron has recalled Parliament for the day on Thursday as he pledged to bring the situation under control.





Aftermath: Burnt out buildings in Croydon are doused down today after the worst night of rioting so far





Theresa May caused fury today by appearing to rule out using the Army and water cannons to quell any future disorder. Police were last night criticised for being absent when much of the looting and ransacking took place and, when they were present, keeping their distance from rioters.



Plastic bullets could be used if there are further disturbances tonight - for the first time ever during riots, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh said.



Every police cell in the capital was full today, forcing officers to transport suspects outside the city.









Today the riots claimed their first life as a 26-year-old man who was shot as he sat in a car during rioting in Croydon died in hospital.



After cutting short his Tuscany holiday to deal with the worsening public disorder crisis, Mr Cameron said today: 'We will do everything necessary to restore order to Britain's streets and to make them safe for the law-abiding.



'Let me, first of all, completely condemn the scenes that we have seen on our television screens and people have witnessed in their communities.



'These are sickening scenes - scenes of people looting, vandalising, thieving, robbing, scenes of people attacking police officers and even attacking fire crews as they're trying to put out fires. This is criminality, pure and simple, and it has to be confronted and defeated.





After the storm: Fire crews douse out burnt out buildings on London Road in Croydon this morning following the worst night of rioting





The burnt out shell of Reeves Furniture store in Croydon this morning which was completely destroyed in the huge blaze





Crumpled heap: This Sony distribution centre in Waltham Abbey, north of London was destroyed by violence overnight, and there were reports of looting at the scene before the blaze





Arson attack: Smoke rises from the Sony distribution centre in Enfield as frefighters try to bring the blaze under control. The fire strated last night after it was looted





Scene of devastation: A firefighter sprays water onto Reeves furniture store torched by rioters in Croydon, south London





A smouldering burnt out car is seen in Hackney, east London, following unrest overnight





Carnage: The high street close to Clapham Junction is covered in debris today after hundreds of people went on the rampage last night. The Debenhams store, right, was ransacked and looted





Devastation: Flames shoot more than 100feet into the air in Croydon as a building is torched. The suburb has suffered some of the most serious violence in the capital





Woolwich: A Wetherspoons pub is completely gutted by fire last night as the violence continued





Liverpool: Two vehicles are set alight on Lawrence Road in Toxteth, Liverpool as crowds of youths gather





Camden: The violence spread to Camden and Chalk Farm in north London. Police are seen walking the streets near Camden Lock





Birmingham: Looters raid the Orange Store in New Street this evening in copy-cat riots which have erupted in the city





Hackney: Police officers in riot gear block a road near a burning car on a street in Hackney as youths hurl missiles at officers yesterday





UK RIOTS LONDON : 8 august 2011 Elephant and castle walworth road





source: dailymail

Newly-wed Zara breaks down in tears as she retires beloved horse who helped her to world championship crown

By Louise Eccles


She bit her bottom lip and fought back the tears as she attempted to maintain a certain amount of royal decorum.

But attempts at a stiff upper lip failed miserably when newlywed Zara Philips broke down and cried as she officially retired her beloved horse Toytown.

It was with Toytown, fondly known as ‘Noddy’ or ‘Ginger’, that she was crowned world eventing champion five years ago.

Sorrow: Zara's last parade with Toytown

Triumph: World champions in 2006


Yesterday, the Queen’s granddaughter paraded the horse for the last time, at the final day of this year’s Festival of British Eventing, at Gatcombe Park, in Stroud.

Miss Philips, who married England rugby player Mike Tindall just over a week ago, described Toytown as ‘the complete horse’.

Winning team: Zara Philips cried as she paraded Toytown at the Festival of British Eventing. The pair were crowned world eventing champions in 2006

Firm favourite: Zara has 15 horses including but she described Toytown as ‘the complete horse’


She said: ‘I think it will be quite difficult. It’s the end of an era.

‘He was the horse of a lifetime for me. We grew up together, we went through the levels together, and it all just seemed to go our way.’

‘His movement, his character, it all combined to make the complete horse. And cross-country, he was just a machine.’

She added: ‘I don’t think I am ever going to find another horse quite like him, but hopefully others that will be good enough to go to the same level as he did.’

End of an era: Zara said Toytown was ‘the horse of a lifetime’ but he is now retiring after suffering several injuries


The pair won individual and team gold at the 2005 European Championships, before conquering the world title a year later in Germany.

The horse’s final appearance for Great Britain came in the 2007 Europeans in Italy, where he finished sixth individually and helped secure another team gold.

But at the age of 18, and after suffering several injuries, the chestnut gelding has finally retired from the ring.

Miss Philips, who has kept her maiden name for professional purposes, married Tindall at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh a week last Saturday.

A wild reception followed at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. One guest claimed it had ‘rained champagne’ and the newlyweds did not make it to bed until at least 2pm the next day.

The couple have put honeymoon plans on hold while they concentrate on their sporting careers - but they are clearly making the most of married life.

Yesterday they put on a very public display of affection at Gatcombe as they watched the show from the main arena. Miss Philips was photographed rubbing her husband’s shaved head and wrapping her arms around him, before kissing him on the lips and cheek.

Toytown was spotted as a seven-year-old by Zara’s father, Captain Mark Phillips. He was purchased a few years later for Zara and they quickly struck up a relationship.


source:dailymail

'We are so proud of our Maddy': Father speaks of daughter's terrifying ordeal as it's revealed intruder left note saying 'I'll detonate collar bomb if

-Emotional parents thank police who stayed with daughter throughout nail-biting ten hours
-'She's in good spirits but tired and sore,' they said
-Police confirm it was a 'serious extortion attempt'
-Balaclava-clad intruder broke in and chained device to Madeleine's neck
-Victim 'had note pinned on saying she would be blown up if police called'
-Shaken parents waited outside house before reunion with daughter
-Family lives in mansion in exclusive suburb
-Bomb officers investigating other 'items' in house
-Father is one of Australia's wealthiest men, William Pulver, CEO of software company Appen Butler Hill
-Family recently moved back from U.S

By Daily Mail Reporter


Ordeal: Madeleine Pulver was said to be 'in good spirits' after her terrifying ten hours

The tearful father of the teenage girl chained to a 'bomb' for ten nail-biting hours spoke today of his pride in his daughter as police revealed that the device was a hoax.

Police said the 'collar bomb' strapped to Madeleine Pulver's neck contained no explosives but confirmed that there was a note making demands and said they were treating the case as attempted extortion.

Today Miss Pulver's father fought back tears as he spoke of his 18-year-old daughter's ordeal at the family home in an exclusive Sydney suburb.

With his wife Belinda beside him, he told a press conference: 'We as parents are extraordinarily proud of Maddy.

'I think she has woken up this morning in pretty good spirits. She's a little tired, a little sore, from holding this damned device in place for about 10 hours.'

He thanked police and friends who rallied around and said the family were hoping to move on with their lives.

Mr Pulver, believed to be one of the richest men in Australia, said of his daughter: 'She is now, as we are, eager for her to get on with her life. I sincerely ask you to respect our privacy going forward.'

The lead detective in the case has praised a female PC who stayed with a terrified Miss Pulver during the early stages of the ordeal, even though it was not known at the time that the device was not a bomb.

Detective Sergeant Luke Moore said: 'One of the first responding female police officers who attended and first spoke to Madeleine put herself in a potentially life-threatening situation.

'To stay and to comfort Madeleine in those early, traumatic stages, I can only praise that police officer's selflessness. It is a great example.'

Miss Pulver told police a man wearing a balaclava broke into the family home in Mosman, a wealthy Sydney suburb, yesterday afternoon.and confronted her while she was in the kitchen.

She said the man forced her to stay still while he fitted the device to her neck, and then fled.

When police arrived, they found her alone in the house with the device tethered to her by a chain.

It was reported the man had pinned a note to her chest warning the family not to contact police 'or I'll detonate'.

He had told allegedly told her there was a microphone to her so he could hear what she said and he could trigger the device remotely.

The 'bomb' appeared to be so elaborate that experts had no idea whether it would explode as they attempted to detach it during a tense ten-hour operation in which Miss Pulver's parents waited outside and nearby homes were evacuated.

Today Detective Superintendent Moore said he was now leading a 'very serious and complex investigation' and that a letter attached to a 'small briefcase' device made 'certain demands'.

He would not reveal the contents of the note, but said: 'We are treating this as an attempted extortion, a very serious attempted extortion.

'That letter gives us certain lines of inquiry we are trying to follow.'

New South Wales Police assistant commissioner Mark Murdoch said the operation was: 'A very, very elaborate hoax as it turned out.

'But it was made and certainly gave the appearance of a legitimate improvised explosive device.

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

After finally being reunited with her parents Madeleine Pulver was rushed to hospital where doctors could examine her

The intruder sneaked into the family's luxurious home and chained the device to the terrified schoolgirl's throat


The drama began when Miss Pulver's family contacted police saying their daughter had been attacked and there was a strange device attached to her.

Miss Pulver's father, William, is believed to be one of the wealthiest men in Australia. He is the former CEO of internet market research company Nielsen NetRatings, based in Manhattan.

The family recently moved back to Australia from Old Greenwich, Connecticut, when he became CEO of software company Appen Butler Hill, which specialises in linguistic solutions. Miss Pulver's mother, Belinda, 51, has a successful landscaping company.

The exclusive suburb of Mosman where the family live is home to multi-millionaires, sports stars, stockbrokers and bankers.

After the phone call, bomb technicians, negotiators and detectives rushed to the scene.

Nearby homes were evacuated, streets were closed and medical and fire crews waited nearby.

Emotional: Madeleine's parents Bill and Belinda Pulver spoke of their pride in their daughter after she was freed from the device

Cordoned off: Police stand outside the family's home in Mosman, Sydney, the day after the bomb ordeal

[captin]

Police bomb disposal experts sought advice from British military authorities as they delicately worked to free Miss Pulver, who is said to have been ‘absolutely petrified’ during the ordeal.

Throughout the ordeal Mr Murdoch kept the outside world informed. After several hours he said that four police officers, including two bomb specialists, were with Miss Pulver but he could not estimate how long the drama would continue.

'We are continuing to work very very hard under difficult circumstances and we are working very hard to ensure the welfare of the family.

'This operation is serious, it is delicate and we will have to take as long as it takes to ensure this young lady's safety.'

Later he said: 'We are still treating the suspicious package as live. I can't confirm whether it is strapped to the woman involved but she is still in the vicinity of the device.'

Asked if she could move away from the device, Mr Murdoch said: 'No, she can't get away from it.'

Tight knit: Madeleine Pulver, seen with her father Bill was examined by police and bomb experts while her parents had to wait for her rescue outside

Tense: Police and bomb officers stood outside the mansion in, Mosman, Sydney where the 18-year-old girl had a bomb strapped to her collar

Nail-biting: Police officers, wearing protective equipment, had to spend hours trying to work out what the device was and how to free the terrified teenager

Holding their breath: While experts tried to free Madeleine, her parents waited outside and comforted each other


As the hours passed and tension rose, he admitted that device was proving to be 'a tough nut to crack', and said police had to 'hasten slowly' in a delicate situation like this.

Immediately after the device was removed, Mr Murdoch said bomb squad officers still did not know how dangerous it was.

He said that neither he nor the bomb squad officers had seen anything like it and he admitted it would be ‘some time’ before it could be dismantled, not only for safety reasons, but to look for clues as to who had put it together.

He said the teenager was ‘doing well’ after being freed and was reunited with her parents, who had been kept out of the house by police during the ordeal for their own safety.

Delicate: Police cordoned off the street as the terrified girl's parents were forced to wait outside

Emergency: Bomb officers spent ten hours trying to work out how they could diffuse the device


Miss Pulver was taken to a hospital for an examination.

‘She’s good – she’s been kept in a very uncomfortable position,’ Mr Murdoch said. ‘She has been and will be uncomfortable for a little while to come.’

Police were also reported to be scouring other 'items' inside the house while they moved Miss Pulver to the front part of the building.

There were some suggestions that the drama mirrored a scene from the horror movie Saw and an episode of the CSI crime show.

Madeleine Pulver underwent a terrifying ten-hour ordeal while explosives expert detached the device which had been chained to her neck by a masked intruder


Mr Murdoch said police had found ‘some items’ in the house that were being examined and he confirmed that among the detectives involved in the drama were men from the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad who deal with extortion.

‘We are working hard to find out exactly what it is and equally importantly what it isn’t,’ said Mr Murdoch.

The young woman, he said, was ‘going pretty well’ and had specialist police with her.

Darkness: Temporary lights were used to conduct the operation while inside the multi-million pound property bomb officers tried to calm the girl

Battle: Police continued their efforts to free the teenager from the 'ransom' bomb as night fell on Burrawong Avenue in Mosman, Sydney

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she was shocked when she heard about the case.

'When I looked at it this morning, the first thing I said was "it's like a Hollywood script - the kind of thing you would see at the cinema or on TV'," she told Fairfax Radio.

'You would never expect it to happen in real life in Australia.'

At that time the teenager's parents had not been able to speak to their daughter, said Mr Murdoch, but he did not say why. There was speculation at the time that a phone call might trigger an explosion.

The suburb of Mosman, where the famous Taronga Park Zoo is located, is on the northern shores of Sydney Harbour. Huge homes line the leafy streets and luxury yachts are moored in harbour inlets.

Miss Pulver is a student at the exclusive North Sydney private school Wenona.

The family had a share in an historic 946 hectare grazing property, which was sold two months ago for just under $3.7 million, and they own a Central Coast beachhouse.

Last year, Mr Pulver's hi-tech information technology business, Appen, joined forces with the Butler Hill Group.

At the time of the multi-million-dollar merger, Mr Pulver, chief executive of the new company, Appen Butler Hill, said the two companies could provide linguistic and voice-recognition services in more than 120 languages for clients including software companies and security organisations, as well as global government agencies.

Customers include Microsoft, IBM, Fujitsu, Toshiba and Telstra.


source: dailymail

Bride has something old sorted as she weds in 127-year-old dress worn by her great-great-grandmother

By Daily Mail Reporter


Something old, something borrowed: Allison Shellito wore her great-great grandmother's dress for her wedding day - and it was still in almost perfect condition 127 years after it was first worn


On Allison Rinaldi’s wedding day she didn’t have to think twice about what her 'something old’ would be.

For even before her husband popped the question she knew when she said I do she would be wearing a wedding dress that had been in her family for 127 years.

Bought in 1884 for her great-great-grandmother’s wedding day, it has since been worn by her grandmother, aunt and mother too.

'I always knew I wanted to wear the dress,' 23-year-old Alison said.

'I even tried it on when I was a little girl.


'Not only did I think it was beautiful but I loved the sense of history which came along with it too and I am such a family kind of girl it meant a lot for me to carry on the tradition.

'My mum and grandma would always talk about what an amazing wedding days they had had while wearing it, so I thought it would bring me luck if I did too.

'And I was right as our wedding day was perfect and wearing the dress made it even more special.'

It was on June 11th this year when graphic designer Allison married graduate student Chris Rinaldi in St Louis, wearing the same dress as three generations of her women in her family had worn before her.

And there to prepare her as she squeezed into her historic dress was mum Mimi, 55, who had worn the very same dress 29 years before on the 5th June 1982.

Keep it in the family: Jean and John Shellito, who married in 1941 with Jean wearing the wedding dress that belonged to John's grandmother, Nellie, who wore the dress in 1884 for her own wedding


'It was so emotional helping Allison get into the dress, but utterly wonderful too as it made me recall my own special day,' says Mimi.

'Like me Allison was getting married on the university campus where she had met her husband, which is exactly what I did when I married her dad Jack.

'And I can safely say Allison’s day was just as wonderful as mine was.

'She had a few more guests than I did, but both weddings were full of joy and laughter.

'Allison looked amazing in that dress and it will be a day we all remember for a very long time.

'I just hope the dress brings Allison as much joy, love and happiness as it gave every other woman who wore it before us, as each of us went on to have long and happy marriages.'

The dress, of tone-on-tone ecru silk brocade patterned with flowers, was made in 1884.

Allison's paternal great-great-grandmother, Nellie Campbell, first wore it when she married A.G. Shellito in 1884 in Iowa.

Memories: Allison's mother Mimii also wore the dress on her wedding day in 1982 when she married Jack. 'It looked as stunning on Allison as it had so many years before when I wore it,' she said


But unlike Allison and Mimi, Nellie’s wedding was much smaller and held in the family home in Iowa.

Allison said: 'It always surprised me to find out Nellie had chosen such a grand dress for a wedding at her home.

'We don’t know much about the day apart from that it was on December 30th 1884 and no more than around 12 people attended.

'But she really must have felt like a princess to have worn such a dress in her own front room.'

The dress then skipped a generation, until Jean Lawman married Nellie's grandson, John Shellito in Iowa on December 26th 1941.

Jean was too frail to attend grand-daughter Allison’s wedding this year and sadly passed away two weeks after the ceremony, but Allison tells of Jean’s joy when she found out she was also going to wear the dress.

'Grandma had a long life and passed away in her sleep when she was 91, just days after my wedding, ' she said.

'And I know she wished she could have been strong enough to make it to the wedding as she was so excited to see the dress again.

Happy times: Allison's aunt Barbara wore the dress on her wedding day too. 'She loved seeing the dress in all its glory again, said Allison


'Chris and I made sure we told her all about it though before she passed and she was over the moon to hear how it had also made me as happy as it had made her on grandma’s big day.

'I asked her how she had come to wear it she told me before she died: 'It was beautiful, it was offered and it fit!

'She actually tried it on the night Pearl Harbour struck and then my granddad had to enlist, so they were married a few weeks later.

'Like me they also got married in a church and then after had a small reception at a hotel. '

Next to wear the dress was Allison’s mum Mimi Balazs Shellito when she got married in 1982 to Jack, now 58.

Mimi said: 'I loved the way the dress caught the light, it was just made of the most exquisite material I had ever seen.

'And that’s why it lasted and I am glad to say it looked just as stunning on Allison as it had so many years before when I had worn it.

'The dress just glowed and so did my daughter.'

Barbara Shellito of Boston also wore it, when she wed Jean's son Paul on July 12th 1975 in Wichita, Kansas.

Allison said: 'My Aunt Barbara was there on my wedding day and I know like my mum, it brought back so many happy memories of her wedding day when she married Uncle Paul.

'She loved seeing the dress in all its glory again.'

Considering its age the dress is in pristine condition thanks to it being lovingly stored in linen sheets for the past 127 years.

So much so Allison tells how she made barely any alterations to the dress on her big day.

The only thing she had to do was go on a diet so she could fit in it.

he said: 'The dress is just stunning and I would have loved it even if my mum and all my other relatives had not worn it.

'To me its vintage look is so modern and it just has this sheen which glows.

'And it is so different from all the usual strapless gowns girls today always seem to wear.

'My mum had some patching done to it before her wedding, but apart from that it was in perfect shape, it was just so well made and so carefully looked after.

'The only issue that at my age my mum was smaller than me so I knew it was going to be a tight fit to get in it.

'But before my wedding I dieted like mad and thankfully it fit me like a glove.

'The only thing I did differently was that I wore a bustle under mine.'

Allison could not have been happier with the results and neither could her doting new husband.

'Chris was a bit jealous that everyone had seen the dress before him, but he understood how important it was to me, ' tells Allison.

'And when I saw the look on his face as I walked down the aisle I knew I had made the right decision.

'He loved it and thought it was beautiful.

'He was so nervous though it took him a little while to register what I was even wearing, but once he did he absolutely loved it.

‘It was a magical day.'

Allison hopes if she has a little girl the tradition will continue and to ensure the dress continues to stay in immaculate condition she changed into a different dress for her reception.

'I would love nothing more than if I have a daughter she will want to wear the dress, ' said Allison.

'It's just got such sentimental value now for all of us.

'With that in mind I wanted to make sure I did not spill anything on it or tear it at the reception.

'And so I changed into a short 1960s cocktail dress.

'Amazingly after all these years nobody had split or torn the dress and I certainly did not want to be the first.

'Thankfully I managed to not get a single mark on it and now it is back wrapped in the linen cloth and in storage, safely put away until the next girl in our family hopefully wants to wear it.'


source:dailymail

Heiress, 18, safe after ten-hour battle to remove collar bomb 'balaclava-clad intruder locked around her neck'

-Balaclava-clad intruder 'broke in and attached device to Madeleine Pulver'
-No explosives had been found in the device
-Shaken parents waited outside house before reunion with daughter
-Family is one of Sydney's wealthiest with mansion in exclusive street
-Bomb officers investigating other 'items' in house
-Father one of Sydney's most wealthy men, William Pulver, CEO of an internet share dealing company, called Nielsen Net Ratings
-Family has recently moved back from New York

By Richard Shears


An Australian schoolgirl spent ten terrifying hours with a ‘collar bomb’ strapped to her neck while police tried to defuse it yesterday.

Madeleine Pulver’s ordeal began when a hooded raider broke into her wealthy family’s home and attached the explosive device.

The attacker was reported to have left a ransom note for her father – the millionaire boss of an international software company – threatening to set off the bomb if money wasn’t paid.

However, police last night declined to say whether the device had been part of an extortion attempt.

They said they and the family had no ideas as to a motive and also revealed Miss Pulver had had ‘previous contact’ with the raider.

It was reported the man also warned the 18-year-old against calling police by saying he had attached a microphone to her so he could hear what she said.

He was also said to have told her he could detonate the device remotely.

Despite the warning, Miss Pulver called police who then embarked on a delicate ten-hour operation to remove the bomb.

The device was so elaborate that experts had no idea whether it would explode as they attempted to detach it.

Miss Pulver was said to have been ‘absolutely petrified’ during the ordeal.

Police bomb disposal experts, who had sought advice from British military authorities as they delicately worked to free Madeleine Pulver from the explosive package that had been attached to her, finally freed her from her terrifying ordeal - into the arms of her relieved mother and father.

The 18-year-old girl had been startled by the balaclava-clad intruder who left the device attached to her - as well as leaving, it is believed, a ransom note for her wealthy parents.

Her father, William, is the CEO of an internet share dealing company, called Nielsen Net Ratings and is said to be one of the richest men in Australia.

Her mother, Belinda, 51, has a succesful landscaping company. The family has recently moved back from New York.

Today's drama was played out in the exclusive Sydney suburb of Mosman - home of multi-millionaires, sports figures, stockbrokers and bankers.

After finally being reunited with her parents Madeleine Pulver was rushed to hospital where doctors could examine the teenager

The intruder sneaked into the family's luxurious home and is understood to have strapped a 'device and a note' to the terrified schoolgirl's throat


Police assistant commissioner Mark Murdoch refused to comment on claims that a ransom note was left with the device. ‘The family are at a loss to explain this,’ he said. ‘You would hardly think that someone would go to this much trouble if there wasn’t a motive behind it.

‘We want to get our hands on who’s done this.’ Even after the device was removed, Mr Murdoch said bomb squad officers still did not know how dangerous it was.

But he indicated that it was not a fake bomb. ‘It was examined right away for explosives and the delicate action we have taken in regard to it shows how serious the situation was.’

Neither he nor the bomb squad officers had seen anything like it and he admitted it would be ‘some time’ before it could be dismantled, not only for safety reasons, but to look for clues as to who had put it together.

During the efforts to free Miss Pulver, Mr Murdoch said no one claiming to have left the device contacted police.

He said the teenager was ‘doing well’ after being freed and was reunited with her parents, who had been kept out of the house by police during the ordeal for their own safety. Miss Pulver was taken to a hospital for an examination.

‘She’s good – she’s been kept in a very uncomfortable position,’ Mr Murdoch said. ‘She has been and will be uncomfortable for a little while to come.’

Mr Murdoch admitted last night in the minutes after the girl was released from the device that bomb squad officers still did not know how dangerous it was.

But he indicated that it was not a fake device. 'It was examined right away for explosives and the delicate action we have taken in regard to it shows how serious the situation was,' he said.

Tight knit: Madeleine Pulver, seen with her father Bill was examined by police and bomb experts while her parents had to wait for her rescue outside


Mr Murdoch said neither he nor the trained bomb squad officers had seen a device like it before

'It is a very elaborate device and remains so. Our bomb technicians are one of the best in the world and it has taken them more than 10 hours to remove it.'

The tension that had been on Mr Murdoch's face throughout the afternoon and evening in Australia fell away last night when he announced at midnight that 'minutes ago we have secured the release of the young lady and she is safe and sound. She has been reunited with her parents.'

The privately-schooled girl, who had moved back to Australia with her family from New York, was due to be examined by doctors overnight.

'She's in good hands, with mum and dad,' Mr Murdoch told a press conference today.
'They're the most important people for her to be with right now.

'The family has endured something no one needs to endure and, as a parent, something I could never contemplate.'

Tense: Police and bomb officers stood outside the mansion in, Mosman, Sydney where the 18-year-old girl had a bomb strapped to her collar

Nail-biting: Police officers, wearing protective equipment, had to spend hours trying to work out what the device was and how to free the terrified teenager

Holding their breath: While experts tried to free Madeleine, her parents waited outside and comforted each other


Police were scouring other 'items' inside the house while they moved Miss Pulver to the front part of the building.

There were some suggestions that the drama mirrored a scene from the horror movie Saw and an episode of the CSI crime show.

Police have not given any official details about the intruder, but officers confirmed that a stranger wearing a balaclava had entered the house and left a 'package' with her.

Assessing how dangerous it is, Mr Murdoch said the operation 'demands a high level of skill and must be meticulous'.

The high drama, which has stunned residents living in the leafy suburb where the value of many of the homes run into millions of dollars, began when the girl, who was home alone when the man entered, phoned police at about 2.30pm.

Delicate: Police cordoned off the street as the terrified girl's parents looked on. It is understood the wealthy family was being held to ransom

Emergency: Bomb officers spent ten hours trying to work out how they could diffuse the explosive device which had a note attached to it

Such was the concern about the package that police have cordoned off the house and closed a number of nearby streets. Some houses nearby have also been evacuated.

Assistant Commissioner Murdoch said at the time: 'We are still treating the suspicious package as live.

'I can't confirm whether it is strapped to the woman involved but she is still in the vicinity of the device.'

Asked if she could move away from the device, Mr Murdoch said: 'No, she can't get away from it.'

He said police had to 'hasten slowly' in a delicate situation like this.

Assistant Commissioner Murdoch emerged from the large house at 8.40pm Australian time to confirm that the young woman was still inside, in a front room, and the volatility of the device had still not been determined.

‘The young lady remains in the house with the device and specialist police are trying to verify what we are dealing with,' he said.

‘Until we know what we are dealing with we will treat it with the utmost seriousness.
‘There are good operational reasons for us to continue playing our cards close to our chest.’

Mr Murdoch said police had found ‘some items’ in the house that were being examined and he confirmed that among the detectives involved in the drama were men from the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad who deal with extortion.

‘We are working hard to find out exactly what it is and equally importantly what it isn’t,’ said Mr Murdoch.

The young woman, he said, was ‘going pretty well’ and had specialist police with her.

Darkness: Temporary lights were used to conduct the operation while inside the multi-million pound property bomb officers tried to calm the girl

Battle: Police continued their efforts to free the teenager from the 'ransom' bomb as night fell on Burrawong Avenue in Mosman, Sydney

‘We need to be very careful about what we say and do…we have to have it resolved as quickly as possible for the sake of the young lady and her family.’

Mr Murdoch said later - some 10 hours after the intruder is believed to have entered the house - that the device was proving to be 'a tough nut to crack'.

Four police officers, including two bomb specialists, were with the girl but Mr Murdoch said he could not estimate how long the drama would continue for.

'We are continuing to work very very hard under difficult circumstances and we are working very hard to ensure the welfare of the family.

'This operation is serious, it is delicate and we will have to take as long as it takes to ensure this young lady's safety.'

At that time the teenager's parents have not been able to speak to their daughter, said Mr Murdoch, but he did not say why. There was speculation that a phone call might trigger an explosion if, in fact, explosives are involved in the drama.

The suburb of Mosman, where the famous Taronga Park Zoo is located, is on the northern shores of Sydney harbour. Huge homes line the leafy streets and the luxury yachts of the rich and powerful are moored in harbour inlets.

Madeleine is a student at the exclusive North Sydney private school Wenona, where her classmates are children of the super rich.

The family had a share in an historic 946ha grazing property, which sold two months ago for just under $3.7 million, and they own a ritzy Central Coast beachhouse.

Last year, Mr Pulver's hi-tech information technology business, Appen, joined forces with the Butler Hill Group.

At the time of the multi-million-dollar merger, Mr Pulver, chief executive of the new company, Appen Butler Hill, said the two companies could provide linguistic and voice-recognition services in more than 120 languages for clients including software companies, security organisations, as well as global government agencies.

Customers include Microsoft, IBM, Fujitsu, Toshiba and Telstra.

The neighbourhood's nearby shopping area, known as Mosman village, is the home of numerous boutiques selling high-priced designer labels.


source: dailymail