Prisoner seizes Iraqis
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Two Iraqi men accused of hijacking a Sudanese airliner two weeks ago were recovering in hospital yesterday after being taken hostage by one of Britain's most violent prisoners at a high-security jail where they are being held.
Convicted robber Michael Peterson, who calls himself Charles Bronson after the Hollywood actor, took three men hostage at 9am yesterday in a cell inside Belmarsh Prison, south-east London. One was released soon afterwards, but the others were kept in the cell.
The Prison Service confirmed the "hostage situation" was brought to a peaceful conclusion at 4.30pm, when the two hijack suspects were released.
Negotiators had been working inside the jail to defuse the tense stand- off since the morning. Sources close to the prison named Peterson, a body- builder, as the hostage-taker. During the incident, a Prison Service spokesman said, he was armed, but not with a gun.
Peterson is one of the country's most notorious criminals, known for his strength and aggression. Two years ago, while in Hull jail, he captured the prison's deputy governor, Adrian Wallis, and held him for five hours.
After the incident involving Mr Wallis, Peterson was moved to Wakefield jail, where he was housed in a cell resembling the one in which Hannibal Lecter, the serial killer character, was incarcerated in the film, Silence of the Lambs.
Peterson's two hostages were among seven Iraqis charged with air piracy after a Sudan Airways Airbus was hijacked en route from Khartoum to Amman two weeks ago. The hijackers forced the pilot to fly to London after refuelling in Cyprus. They were arrested after freeing their ho-stages when the plane landed at Stansted airport. They are due to appear in court again tomorrow.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments