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Jail terms imposed on Uighurs for syringe attacks
www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009 ... 24_pf.html

CLIFFORD COONAN in Beijing

Mon, Sep 14, 2009

SENTENCES OF between seven and 15 years in prison have been imposed on three Uighurs for a series of syringe attacks that caused widespread panic and civil unrest in western China’s restive Xinjiang region.

Tens of thousands of Han Chinese took to the streets earlier this month to protest that the government was not doing enough to protect their safety.

More than 500 people in Urumqi have reported being attacked, although state media said only about 100 showed evidence of being pricked with needles.

The assaults have ratcheted up tensions in Urumqi almost two months after riots in July left dead and highlighted rifts between the Uighurs, a mostly Muslim, Turkic-speaking ethnic group that is the largest in Xinjiang at 45 per cent of the population, and the Han Chinese, the majority group in China that holds nearly all the important positions of power in Xinjiang.

None of the reported victims of the needle attacks has suffered from illness, poisoning or other any after-effect. Officials and state media have blamed the rioting and attacks on separatists trying to destroy ethnic unity.

In one of Of the sentences handed down, Yilipan Yilihamu (19) was jailed for 15 years for what the Xinhua news agency reported was “attacking with hyped toxic substances”, after he injected a hypodermic needle into a woman’s buttock at a roadside fruit stall on August 28th.

In a separate trial in the same court, Muhutaerjiang Turdi (34) and Aimannisha Guli (22) were given 10 and seven years respectively for robbing a taxi driver with a syringe on August 29th.

Many Uighurs say they are the victims of decades of Chinese oppression and unwanted immigration of millions of ethnic Han. However, the Chinese say they are bringing prosperity and stability to the resources-rich province.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, hundreds of journalists, parliamentarians and residents marched to protest the alleged police beatings of three reporters covering recent unrest in Xinjiang, and demanded a government investigation.
 
China needle attacks 'not toxic'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8254278.stm

Protesters and police in central Urumqi - 3 September 2009
Thousands protested in Urumqi over the needle attacks

No dangerous chemicals have found in blood samples from the victims of recent needle attacks in China's Xinjiang region, state media have said.

Rumours had been rife that the needles contained radioactive substances, poison or even HIV.

Blood samples from 250 reported victims were examined in a Beijing lab, said state-run Xinhua news agency.

The syringe attacks began in August, a month after riots between ethnic Uighur and Han Chinese left about 200 dead.

Three people have received jail sentences over the needle attacks.

The wave of attacks has raised tension in the region, amid long-standing animosity between the Uighur and Han communities.

Security fears

A total of 531 people reported being attacked with hypodermic needles, with 171 showing "obvious syringe marks", according to Xinjiang officials.

The head of disease control at China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences said no traces of radioactive substances, toxic chemicals, HIV or other poisonous or viral substances were found in the samples they checked, Xinhua reported.

Thousands of angry residents of Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital, protested earlier this month, demanding better security over the needle attacks and swifter legal action after July's riots.

At least five people were killed in unrest around these latest protests.

The Chinese government has been struggling to restore calm in Xinjiang since the July riots, the worst ethnic unrest in the country for decades.

A number of people have been arrested and charged over the violence, but no one has been tried yet.

Three Uighurs were sentenced on Saturday to jail terms ranging from seven to 15 years for syringe stabbings or threats to use needles in robberies.
 
Needle panic in Birmingham, with picture of suspect.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...hypodermic-needles-in-birmingham-8942575.html

Agonising wait for women after series of attacks with hypodermic needles in Birmingham

Image of suspect

Police have released an image of the suspect after a 30-year-old woman was stabbed in the thigh in Broad Street, central Birmingham

The Independent. Rob Williams. 15 November 2013


Detectives in Birmingham have told of the "agonising wait" faced by young women stabbed with hypodermic needles in a series of attacks in the city.

Police have released an image of a suspect after a 30-year-old woman was stabbed in the thigh in Broad Street, central Birmingham, at 03:00 GMT on 3 November.

Detectives believe the attack could be linked to two similar incidents in the same area of the city earlier this year, but have said the motive was "unclear."

In the latest incident a woman was stabbed in the thigh and reported feeling a sharp pain, which was later confirmed to be a puncture wound.

On June 23 a 20-year-old woman was stabbed twice in the thigh and buttock while on a night-out and on October 6 a similar attack took place on a 28-year-old woman. Police said they had received five similiar reports in total over the last year-and-a-half.

Detective Inspector Julie Woods said: "Although the women have not been left with any obvious physical injuries they have had to endure an agonising wait to check that they have not suffered any long-lasting health effects.

"Due to the nature of the offences, victims have not realised they have been injured until hours or days later, which has resulted in limited lines of inquiry.

"But we now have a particularly clear image of a man we want to identify in connection with the attacks and I would appeal for him, or anyone who knows who he may be, to come forward."

"These are strange offences and the motive at this stage is unclear, which is why it's so important for us to identify the person in this CCTV image as soon as possible."

Birmingham Police said they had increased patrols in the Broad Street area and the wider city and urged anyone who notices anything unusual to contact police.

Superintendent Danny Long said: "We have increased the number of officers on patrol in Broad Street and around the city centre, particularly since the attack earlier this month, and are working closely with street wardens, street pastors, licensees, door staff and clubbers themselves to keep people safe."

"Birmingham remains one of the safest cities in the UK in which to enjoy a night out but if anyone sees any suspicious activity, I would encourage them to report it to police immediately."

Anyone who recognises the suspect can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Edit: Three needle panic threads merged. P_M
 
It's funny, isn't it? I read about stuff like this on Snopes or the FTMB, and it all seems faintly ludicrous. Then, it gets reported in the city where I live and I start to believe that there may be something in it. More from the mean streets of Birmingham on the BBC website this week:
Birmingham needle attacks: Police examine six more cases

Police investigating five needle attacks on women in Birmingham have had reports of six further incidents which could be linked to the same suspect.

Officers said the six fresh reports date back six months.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-25013559
 
Reminds me of the poisoned candy myths - but given that there seems to be no doubt that this is happening, clearly a case of ostension. (Although I have no doubt that the issue will be exacerbated by drama addicts and chancers looking for compo.)

Incidentally did anyone ever explain how you get a razor blade all the way inside an apple without cutting your fingers off? I think not.
 
More on the Australian strawberries.

An Australian woman accused of contaminating strawberries with needles allegedly did so out of spite.

Australian police arrested My Ut Trinh, 50, a supervisor at a strawberry farm in Caboolture, Queensland, on Sunday. She appeared before Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday and was charged with seven counts of contamination of goods. Trinh could face a maximum of 10 years behind bars, if found guilty. Magistrate Christine Roy told the court that Trinh was “motivated by some spite or revenge,” the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. “She has embarked on a course over several months of putting a metal object into fruit,” Roy said.

Although Trinh will remain in custody until her next hearing on Nov. 22, the police investigation into the incident is far from over.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entr...cid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__111218
 
Be interesting to see what comes of this. I hope the police release details of the toxological reports.

A man has been arrested as police investigate three reports of women being injected with needles in the last two weeks.

One 19-year-old woman said she was targeted as she left Stealth nightclub in Nottingham on 12 October. Ellie Simpson said her sister, who does not want to be named, felt a "pinch on the back of her arm" before blacking out and being taken to hospital. At least one other venue is also involved in the investigation.

Nottinghamshire Police said a local male had since been bailed but the force did not say which incident the arrest was in relation to.
Detectives are looking at toxicological reports and CCTV footage, it added.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-58951716
 
Still no reports on toxicology results.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has asked police forces for an update following a number of cases of women reporting being spiked by needles in nightclubs.

Police chiefs have also been tasked by the Commons Home Affairs Committee to urgently assess the scale of the problem around the country. One student, who believes she was injected in a Nottingham club, said she felt "vulnerable" and "violated". Labour said the reports were "vile" and "terrifying", and called for action. Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds urged Ms Patel to "deliver action without delay" and ensure "those responsible… face the full force of the law".

More than 100,000 people have signed a petition calling for compulsory searches at nightclubs after a number of reported spikings by needle.

Groups from more than 30 universities around the UK have joined an online campaign calling for the boycott of nightclubs.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58983853
 
One student, who believes she was injected in a Nottingham club, said she felt "vulnerable" and "violated"
So this person doesn't know whether she was injected or not!? But she still felt 'vulnerable' and 'violated', even though she might not have been, hmm sounds odd to me. Did she feel vulnerable and violated before she 'believes' she may have been injected? There is a simple way of checking whether you have been injected or not, that is a puncture mark at the injection site.
 
So this person doesn't know whether she was injected or not!? But she still felt 'vulnerable' and 'violated', even though she might not have been, hmm sounds odd to me. Did she feel vulnerable and violated before she 'believes' she may have been injected? There is a simple way of checking whether you have been injected or not, that is a puncture mark at the injection site.
If you, and I do mean you here, thought there was a chance you'd been injected with something unknown against your will you'd feel vulnerable and violated too.
 
If you, and I do mean you here, thought there was a chance you'd been injected with something unknown against your will you'd feel vulnerable and violated too.
Yeah, I know it would worry the hell out of me.
 
If you, and I do mean you here, thought there was a chance you'd been injected with something unknown against your will you'd feel vulnerable and violated too.

Spiking of drinks certainly takes place, apparently on a wide scale. But there have been needle panics before, some of them imaginary, as itemised on this page. If widescale needle attacks are taking place right now then at in at least some cases there should be toxicology reports to back this up. So far such evidence appears to be absent.

It would certainly be traumatic to believe that you'd been stuck with a needle but if there is no sign of a pinprick then it's likely that a needle attack hadn't taken place. There is at least a possibility that mass hysteria is developing around needle attacks once again.
 
If you, and I do mean you here, thought there was a chance you'd been injected with something unknown against your will you'd feel vulnerable and violated too.
That's why I asked if she felt like that before she thought she was spiked, also did she report this to the police and seek urgent medical help? which I, myself, personally would definately do.
 
Spiking of drinks certainly takes place, apparently on a wide scale. But there have been needle panics before, some of them imaginary, as itemised on this page. If widescale needle attacks are taking place right now then at in at least some cases there should be toxicology reports to back this up. So far such evidence appears to be absent.

It would certainly be traumatic to believe that you'd been stuck with a needle but if there is no sign of a pinprick then it's likely that a needle attack hadn't taken place. There is at least a possibility that mass hysteria is developing around needle attacks once again.

Police investigating 12 cases in Nottingham and one in Exeter. While some cases of pinpricks have been reported it is strange that no toxicology reports confirming the attacks have been released.

Nottinghamshire Police investigate 12 reports of needle spiking​

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-58990136

 
Police investigating 12 cases in Nottingham and one in Exeter. While some cases of pinpricks have been reported it is strange that no toxicology reports confirming the attacks have been released.

Nottinghamshire Police investigate 12 reports of needle spiking​

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-58990136

There were 2 young women on the BBC breakfast news this morning talking about being 'spiked', one I believe was the woman quoted in the original article, who spent 10 days in hospital. Like you said there was no mention of bloods being taken and toxicology reports done, the other said it was 2 days before she was well enough to report it and by then it would be too late as any drug would be out of her system, which is not the case, drugs remain in your system and can be detected with urine samples 48 - 72 hours after administration. As far as I am aware, the only evidence of these 'spikings' is anecdotal. Also there is the matter of what the 'perpetrators' intent was in 'spiking' these girls, it has been reported that the intent 'must be' sexual, yet no victim has come forward with an accusation of sexual assault after an alleged 'spiking'.
 
It was reported in the Mail on Sunday that it is unlikely anyone was spiked, by injection and were more likely they had their drink spiked.

"Experts claim women who say they are victims of 'nightclub needle attacks' may really have had their drinks spiked because it is 'highly improbable' attackers have the knowledge to drug someone using a syringe​

Professor Atholl Johnston, President of the Clinical Contract Research Association and pharmacologist and toxicologist at St George’s University London, said: ‘I know of no drug that could be randomly injected into a person that would work instantly.’

John Slaughter, senior forensic toxicologist at ASI Bioanalytics, said it was unlikely that a needle would be in the skin for ‘long enough to have such a pharmacological effect’."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ghtclub-needle-attacks-highly-improbable.html
 
...Also there is the matter of what the 'perpetrators' intent was in 'spiking' these girls, it has been reported that the intent 'must be' sexual, yet no victim has come forward with an accusation of sexual assault after an alleged 'spiking'.

I don't think the intent necessarily has to be sexual - I suspect there are people out there who simply get off on the sense of power involved in removing function from another individual. There are also cases of spiking being used to undermine the reputation of bars and restaurants etc. (In fact, my old boss was spiked while out for a meal in central London some years ago. He has asthma - which may have exacerbated the issue - and actually ended up hospitalised, and although tests proved the presence of some nastiness or other, the police could not go much further than telling him that they believed the attack was part of a war between rival restaurants.)

Also, I believe that the spiking individuals for sexual purposes tends to take place in more intimate spaces - where an individual has been invited back to someone's home, house parties, hotels, etc. And you can see - from a purely practical standpoint - why that is likely to be the case.
 
Bearing in mind the amount of training that had to be undergone in order for the Covid vaccine to be appropriately administered, I would wonder how many men (it is always alleged to be men) would have the necessary technical knowledge to actually get any form of date rape drug into the bloodstream of someone? Some drugs are intra muscular, some intra venous and you can't just poke someone in the skin with a needle - the plunger needs to depress and a significant amount of drug to actually enter the body before there would be any kind of effect which would produce the desired result (unconsciousness).

I wonder if this is a manefestation of the fear of young women out, often for the first time away at University, surrounded by unfamiliar men, and giving rise to a form of mass hysteria. I remember only too well how vulnerable you can feel, and after the lockdown period a fair few women may not have been out and socialising for a considerable while.
 
I don't think the intent necessarily has to be sexual - I suspect there are people out there who simply get off on the sense of power involved in removing function from another individual. There are also cases of spiking being used to undermine the reputation of bars and restaurants etc. (In fact, my old boss was spiked while out for a meal in central London some years ago. He has asthma - which may have exacerbated the issue - and actually ended up hospitalised, and although tests proved the presence of some nastiness or other, the police could not go much further than telling him that they believed the attack was part of a war between rival restaurants.)
Eh?…how did this happen? I can’t imagine the chef at the restaurant he was eating in would do it so did someone else get to it on the way from kitchen to table?
 
Eh?…how did this happen? I can’t imagine the chef at the restaurant he was eating in would do it so did someone else get to it on the way from kitchen to table?

Presumably something like that. Possibly waiting or other service staff, maybe even other customers (although on the face of it, the latter option would seem more difficult).

It's worth remembering that the UK restaurant business is worth billions, that individual city centre restaurants can have huge turnovers, and that competition - especially in those major city centres - can be very fierce. Historically restaurants have also been used as money laundering fronts by organised crime groups (better than bars apparently - because of the nature of individual transactions, I believe). At the time this happened we were actually involved in club, shop and restaurant refurbishments in Central London. Everyone takes it as read that the club world is full of gangsters, but some of the restaurateurs we worked for were no less shady, and I don't really doubt that there would be some in that world with the will to find a way.

The events I am thinking about happened mid to late noughties - these days it seems to be the ubiquitous chicken shops that have become something of a focus for such behaviour.
 
I am deeply dubious re any reports of "drink spiking", and 100 times more so re injections.

I believe that a lot of people wake up in the wrong bed, and use this tale as a figleaf.

To quote a post of mine from 2018:

"I can imagine the statement to the police: "I started the evening with two bottles of Prosecco, then had three Jägerbombs, a pint of Snakebite, two Porn Star Martinis, four pints of lager and a Cheeky Vimto. Then [name] must have slipped me a roofy, because I woke up in bed with him." "

maximus otter
 
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