We don't know whether crime is on the up or down but two new initiatives to engage London youth in the debate hit the news today. In Wood Green, kids suggested that a text 999 hotline to the police might encourage people to report crime on buses without drawing attention to themselves. Across town in Forest Gate, a genuine El Salvadoran gangsta attempted to deglamourise gang culture at a school assembly, giving the Met......

11. Spring Heeled Jack: A Chronicle of Chaos “But most of all did he dwell upon some mysterious blazing entity that shook and laughed and mocked at him.” Beyond The Wall Of Sleep – H. P. Lovecraft Supernatural? Invader from space? Prankster? Hysteria? Spring Heeled Jack’s notorious crimes that littered 19th Century London remain to this day one of the capital’s most bizarre series of crimes. Here is a brief catalogue of the weird......

What we now know about the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes- * The stories that Jean Charles acted suspiciously by running away from the police and jumping the barriers at Stockwell tube are untrue. * He was not wearing a bulky jacket or a bomb belt with visible wires hanging out. * Members of the police force knew this (for instance, the ones that followed and shot him.) * Senior officers knew that......

This week, we've noticed that London's media seems to be diversifying into sundry formats. And not only that - the different organs are all bitching about one another. Time for us to wade in... The Times launched a snazzy local web presence last week called 'Cool in your Code'. The site presents polished video snippets about culture and property in your part of London. Assuming, that is, you live in Hoxton or Marylebone, as......

The final bill for the Forest Gate 'anti-terror' raid came to more than £2 million, we've been told today. South West Trains is planning to strip seats out of trains on the most overcrowded routes from London to Surrey and Hampshire in order to 'reduce overcrowding'. Thames Water have set themselves the target of installing water meters in every home in London from 2010. Ken has offered TfL and the Met an extra 375......

Rauf Mohammed, the minicab driver accused of making a 'terrorist video' of London landmarks has been cleared by the jury at Woolwich Crown Court. The 26-year-old from Forest Gate had been accused by the Met of videoing certain London landmarks while "listening to hypnotic music about martyrdom,". The prosecution also said that Mohammed had "spoke of killing Western leaders including Tony Blair". Mohammed claimed that the video was simply a tourist video to send......

The man shot during the Forest Gate anti-terror 'accident' has been arrested on suspicion of possessing and making child abuse images. In London radio news, Magic FM is top of the pops while Capital are the...erm, bottom of the pops? Roy Greenslade over at the Guardian asks How will the Standard deal with the London paper? Don't forget everyone: it's the International Masturbate-A-Thon 2006 tomorrow (so still time to get your wank on, as......

The IPCC have decided to launch a second probe into the Forst Gate raid. The second investigation (Forest Gate II: The Reckoning) will "examine allegations from neighbours in the next door house," and follow up on claims that they were assaulted by officers during the raid: The IPCC can confirm that it has received a complaint from the occupants of number 48 Lansdown Road and is conducting an independent investigation in relation to this,"......

It's been announced this afternoon that the relatives of terrorist suspects are to get their own family liaison officers. The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) believe the plan could help reduce tensions following anti-terror raids, which have become a relatively common occurrence in recent years. Now, before you go thinking that this is some quick-fix, kneejerk reaction to the recent criticisms of the Met's mishandling of terrorism-related arrests, listen to what the Acpo......

This day in London’s History We have to admit that it can sometimes be a struggle to find a suitably interesting slice of London history. Being interesting and engaging is obviously of paramount importance, which is why we often find ourselves hoping that we can dig up something more noteworthy than say, Jeffrey Archer stubbing his toe on a coffee table in his riverside penthouse whilst taking a break from writing another cack novel......

Mohammed Abdul Kahar, the 23-year-old who was shot in the Forest Gate raid has said that that the policeman who shot him gave no warning...but they did have eye contact. We both had eye contact, he shot me straight away. I just saw an orange spark and a big bang. I flew into the wall, slipped down. There was blood coming down my chest. I knew I was shot. Londonist has since spoken to......

The two brothers shot during the Forest Gate raid have given a press conference. Meanwhile Tony Blair has given his backing to Ian Blair. Expect Ian to go within the week. David Cameron wants an X-Factor style system to choose the next London mayor. It's believed Ken will sing I will Survive. A male nurse from the Royal London has won his sex discriminiation case. London still has no idea where to put its......

The man shot and arrested during the Forest Gate raid may be sueing the Met. Sixteen people were injured when a fight broke out at Canary Wharf during a screening of England's game on Saturday. Over the weekend the Sunday Times reported that the Olympic flats, built to house the atheletes, will be sold for £1m once the games are over. In related news. there are calls to keep the Olympic vilage car free......

The BBC are reporting that the two men arrested in police raid on a house in east London which left one of them shot have been released without charge. Police questioned two brothers - one of whom was shot during the raid - on suspicion of terrorism involvement. Mohammed Abdul Kahar and brother Abul Koyair both denied the allegations. Anti-terror police raided the house at Forest Gate last week after saying they received "specific......

Yesterday, the Met's Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman apologised for the disruption caused by the Forest Gate raid. Disruption, that's what they're calling 'getting shot' now. Today Scotland Yard are appealing for calm during a planned protest outside Forest Gate police station. The 2012 Olympics will apparently bring in more than £2.5bn in sponsorship. The average London house now costs £250,000. Woohoo! Now let's see if we can't push it up to half a million!......

Ken's at it again. On Monday night, during a reception he was discussing the Crossrail link and apparently said "We need Crossrail to keep London's economy ticking over so that we can continue to pay for the Scottish to live the lifestyle to which they are accustomed." And it seems Livingstone is very keen on getting Crossrail done and dusted. Twenty years after it was first proposed, he wants a final decision. Blair has......

Officials have admitted that the intelligence behind the Forest Gate raid was 'wrong'. Security vetting of the thousands of 2012 Olympics volunteers is going to be a 'major concern' apparently. A teenage girl who stabbed an 84-year-old 14 times in Golders Green, has tried to pass off her detailed plan for the killing as the draft of a crime thriller. Ken has launched an anti-racism mobile phone photo competition. Our future king watches girl-on-girl......

A man was shot in the early hours of this morning during an 'anti-terror raid' in Forest Gate. Here's the Met's statement: At approximately 4am in an intelligence-led, pre-planned operation, officers executed a search warrant under the Terrorism Act 2000 at a residential premises in Lansdown Road. It followed close liaison between the Met, Security Service, Health Protection Agency and the local authority. As a precautionary measure, officers are wearing protective clothing and cordons have......