2026.8.1 Police seek deportation and re-entry ban for Bandero crew
Police are seeking the deportation of the crew of the Bandero and a ban on their re-entry to Iceland. While it was considered unlikely that police would request pre-trial detention for the crew, the possibility had not been ruled out earlier yesterday.
This was confirmed by Ásgeir Þór Ásgeirsson, Assistant Chief of Police for the Capital Region, in an interview with RÚV last night.
No Bandero crew members remanded in custody
There are 21 crew members aboard the vessel, which was taken over by the Icelandic Coast Guard and the National Commissioner of Police’s Viking Squad the night before last.
Under Icelandic law, an arrested person may not be held in police custody for more than 24 hours. Police therefore had to either release the crew before 11 p.m. last night or request that they be remanded in custody.
Police have now confirmed that they have not requested pre-trial detention for the crew of the Paul Watson Foundation vessel Bandero.
It has also been announced that the 21 crew members are required to remain aboard the vessel until further notice. Meanwhile, the Icelandic Transport Authority has revoked the vessel’s seaworthiness certificate, meaning the Bandero will remain docked in Iceland for the coming days.
2026.8.1 Authorities Investigate 14 Mink Sightings After Fur Farm Escape
The search for mink that escaped from a fur farm in Mosfellsdalur earlier this week is continuing. Authorities have received 14 reports of animals seen since midday yesterday.
Officials believe up to three of the reported sightings could involve farmed mink that escaped from Dalsbú on Wednesday. That said, many recent sightings in the Reykjavík area are thought to be wild mink rather than escapees.
What’s the Story?
Authorities have received 14 reports of mink sightings since midday yesterday.
Up to three reported animals may be escaped farmed mink from Dalsbú.
Iceland’s Chief Veterinary Officer says farmed and wild mink can usually be distinguished by their appearance and behaviour.
Distinguishing Escapees
Thousands of mink escaped from the Mosfellsdalur fur farm on Wednesday, although most were recaptured within the site’s security fence. It remains unclear how many are still at large.
Sightings have been reported in residential areas including Úlfarsárdalur, Grafarvogur and Grafarholt. However, Þóra Jóhanna Jónsdóttir, Iceland’s Chief Veterinary Officer, said it is unlikely that most of those animals originated from Dalsbú. Instead, many are likely to be wild mink, which commonly leave their dens at this time of year.
The expert described wild mink as typically dark brown, slimmer and more agile, while farmed mink are generally larger, heavier and clumsier. Farmed species also occur in a wider range of colours, including white and lighter varieties, reflecting selective breeding.
Behaviour is another key difference, according to Jónsdóttir. Farmed mink are more accustomed to people because they have been fed by humans and are more likely to approach them or seek shelter in man-made structures. Wild mink, by contrast, have learned to avoid people and usually disappear quickly when disturbed.
Iceland’s Chief Veterinary Officer added that the latest escape has prompted a renewed discussion about the future of mink farming. The issue is also being debated internationally, following a recent scientific assessment by the European Food Safety Authority that found significant challenges in meeting the welfare needs of mink kept in cages.
2026.7.30 Nágrannaofsóknirnar á Akureyri – Unnið að farsælli lausn málsins
DV greindi frá því þriðjudaginn 21. júlí að Markús Darri Arnoddsson, 23 ára maður á Akureyri, hefði orðið fyrir stöðugum og stigmagnandi ofsóknum af hendi nágranna síns. Mennirnir eru báðir leigjendur í félagslegu húsnæði hjá Akureyrarbæ. Ofsóknirnar náðu hámarki skömmu fyrir frétt DV um málið, þegar Markús þurfti að leita til bráðamóttöku Sjúkrahússins á Akureyri eftir líkamsárás mannsins. Markús var þá úti á svölum heima hjá sér þegar nágranninn kom þangað og réðst á hann.
Í viðtalinu sagðist Markús hafa búið við stöðuga ógn af hálfu þessa nágranna allt frá því Markús flutti inn í húsið síðla árs 2025. Ofsóknirnar hefðu byrjað með svívirðingum í garð Markúsar vegna þess að hans er trans maður. Þær hafi síðan stigmagnast upp í lífslátshótanir og loks líkamsárás. Árásin leiddi til þess að nágranninn var handtekinn en honum var síðan sleppt lausum aftur og var ekki úrskurðaður í gæsluvarðhald.
Sjá einnig: Markús þurfti að leita til bráðamóttöku eftir líkamsárás nágranna – „Næstum drepinn fyrir að vera það sem ég er“
Markús kvartaði undan ráðaleysi bæjarfélagsins og lögreglu í málinu en hann sagði þá aðila vísa hvor á annan.
Samkvæmt heimildum DV er hins vegar unnið að farsælli lausn málsins sem er í góðum farvegi.
Bærinn ber ekki ábyrgð á framferði leigjenda, en bregst við
DV sendi fyrirspurn um málið til Akureyrarbæjar þann 21. júlí og í gær, þann 29. júlí, barst svar frá Halldóru K. Hauksdóttur, forstöðumanni félagsþjónustu.
Þar kemur fram að félagsþjónustan getur ekki tjáð sig um einstök mál eða persónugreinanleg atvik vegna trúnaðar- og persónuverndarsjónarmiða. Einnig segir að bæjarfélagið vinni markvisst að því að stuðla að öryggi og velferð íbúa í félagslegu leiguhúsnæði. Hins vegar er bent á að bærinn, sem leigusali, beri ekki ábyrgð á háttsemi leigjenda. Eins og í öðru leiguhúsnæði beri leigjendur sjálfir ábyrgð á eigin framferði. Á hinn bóginn segir að þegar upp komi alvarleg atvik eða ítrekuð brot á húsreglum séu þau tekin alvarlega og unnið úr þeim í samræmi við lög og reglur.
Í svarinu er farið yfir rekstur félagsþjónustunnar á félagslegu leiguhúsnæði og ólík úrræði á því sviði eftir mismunandi stöðu og þörfum leigutaka:
„Akureyrarbær vinnur markvisst að því að stuðla að öryggi og velferð íbúa í félagslegu leiguhúsnæði. Mikilvægt er þó að hafa í huga að þótt Akureyrarbær sé leigusali félagslegs húsnæðis ber bærinn ekki ábyrgð á athöfnum eða háttsemi þeirra einstaklinga sem þar búa. Leigutakar bera, líkt og í öðru leiguhúsnæði, sjálfir ábyrgð á því að fara að lögum, virða rétt nágranna sinna og fylgja skilmálum leigusamnings og húsreglna. Hlutverk bæjarins er að sinna þeim skyldum sem á honum hvíla sem leigusala og þjónustuveitanda, bregðast við þegar tilefni er til innan þess lagaramma sem gildir og vinna að lausn mála með þeim úrræðum sem lög og reglur heimila. Þegar upp koma alvarleg atvik eða ítrekuð brot á húsreglum eru þau því tekin alvarlega og unnið úr þeim í samræmi við gildandi lög, reglur og verklag, eftir atvikum í samstarfi við aðra viðeigandi aðila.
Félagsþjónustan rekur fjölbreytt félagslegt leiguhúsnæði sem ætlað er einstaklingum og fjölskyldum sem ekki geta aflað sér húsnæðis með öðrum hætti. Þar undir fellur almennt félagslegt leiguhúsnæði, húsnæði fyrir fatlað fólk og sértæk búsetuúrræði fyrir einstaklinga sem glíma við heimilisleysi, geðrænan vanda og/eða fíknivanda. Umsóknir um þessi úrræði eru metnar af þar til bærum fagteymum og úthlutun tekur ávallt mið af þjónustuþörf og aðstæðum hvers umsækjanda.
Á síðustu misserum hefur félagsþjónustan lagt sérstaka áherslu á að efla þjónustu við einstaklinga með flóknar þjónustuþarfir, meðal annars vegna geðræns vanda og fíknisjúkdóma. Tilefni þeirrar vinnu var sífellt skýrari þörf fyrir markvissari, einstaklingsmiðaðri og samhæfðri þjónustu sem styður bæði við bataferli einstaklinga og stuðlar að auknum stöðugleika í búsetu.
Þjónustan hefur því verið endurskipulögð í þrjú þjónustustig sem taka mið af ólíkum þörfum einstaklinga. En um er að ræða smáhús fyrir einstaklinga með umfangsmiklar og flóknar þjónustuþarfir, stuðningsbúsetu til lengri tíma fyrir þá sem náð hafa auknum stöðugleika og loks áfangaúrræði sem nú er í þróun og byggir á vímuefnalausri búsetu sem lið í áframhaldandi endurhæfingu og sjálfstæðri búsetu.
Félagsráðgjafar sem sérhæfa sig í málaflokknum veita reglulegan stuðning, félagslega ráðgjöf og sálfélagslega þjónustu auk þess að aðstoða einstaklinga við tengingu við önnur þjónustukerfi eftir þörfum. Jafnframt sinna önnur teymi velferðarsviðs reglubundinni eftirfylgd og stuðningi í daglegu lífi.
Þessi uppbygging þjónustunnar hefur skilað góðum árangri og er mikilvægur þáttur í áframhaldandi þróun húsnæðis- og stuðningsúrræða sveitarfélagsins. Í lok vikunnar verða fyrstu tvö af alls átta nýjum smáhúsum tekin í notkun. Markmið þessarar uppbyggingar er að tryggja að einstaklingar með flóknar þjónustuþarfir fái viðeigandi og markvissan stuðning sem eykur lífsgæði þeirra og stuðlar að stöðugri búsetu. Jafnframt er markmiðið að stuðla að góðri sambúð og öryggi í nærumhverfi með því að tryggja að þjónusta og húsnæðisúrræði séu í sem bestu samræmi við þarfir þeirra sem þau nýta.“
The owner of Dalsbú mink farm in Mosfellsdalur says his business has suffered enormous damage after thousands of minks were released from the farm overnight.
Ásgeir Pétursson has operated Dalsbú since 1986. It is the last remaining mink farm in Iceland. The farm was broken into during the night, and thousands of minks were released.
Pétursson had a total of 12,000 minks at the farm and estimates that around 8,000 were let out.
Hallway covered with minks
When Pétursson woke up this morning, he noticed a mink in his garden, something he says is highly unusual. He woke his son and asked him to help catch it.
“When I opened the door, there were minks everywhere outside. I immediately realized that something had happened. I went into the farm, and the hallway was literally carpeted with minks,” the fur farmer says.
Pétursson says it is difficult to assess the full extent of the damage but that it is unquestionably enormous.
“Our problem this autumn is that we’ve lost track of our breeding animals. We no longer know which are our good breeding animals and which are not. The damage is enormous. That’s all I can say.”
“Animal rights groups have become terrorist organizations”
Dalsbú is the third farm to be targeted by a break-in of this kind since May. A break-in first occurred at the Stjörnugrís pig farm in Kjalarnes in May, followed by the Reykjabú poultry farm in June.
Are farmers becoming concerned about this trend?
“I think farmers everywhere should be worried about becoming victims of this. These people don’t distinguish between sheep, cattle, horses, or any other animals. These animal rights organizations have been turned into terrorist organizations,” Pétursson says.
Believes it took less than two hours
Pétursson believes it is clear that more than one person was involved in the break-in. However, he does not have security cameras at the farm and therefore cannot determine how many people were involved.
“If I were going to install security cameras, they would have to cover the entire property. These terrorist groups make sure they can’t be identified. They wear lights on their heads that shine downward onto their faces, so even if you have cameras, you can’t see what they look like.”
It is not yet known exactly when the break-in occurred. Based on the evidence at the scene and how much the minks managed to eat after being released, Ásgeir believes it happened at around 2 a.m.
He estimates that the perpetrators completed the operation in less than two hours, as it does not take much force to open the cages, even though there are a great many of them.
“They will fight”
On the grounds of Dalsbú, there is now a fish container holding hundreds of minks that were shot today. Ásgeir believes, however, that many more minks managed to escape from the farm. Most of them are still on the property and have not traveled far.
“There is only one word for this: terrorism. It is especially an act of terrorism against the animals because they are the ones that suffer. Now they are being placed together in cages with animals they don’t know, and they will fight,” Pétursson says.
Gabríel Douane Boama, sem ítrekað hefur komist í kast við lögin undanfarin ár, og fimm aðrir karlmenn hafa verið sýknaður af ákæru um sérstaklega hættulega líkamsárás, húsbrot og eignarspjöll.
Héraðdómur Reykjavíkur kvað upp dóm þess efnis á mánudag.
Sigurður Ólafsson, saksóknari hjá Héraðssaksóknara staðfestir niðurstöðu dómsins í svari til fréttastofu. Hann segir að ekki liggi fyrir hvort málinu verði áfrýjað, en ákvörðun um slíkt er í höndum Ríkissaksóknara.
Hinir ákærðu voru sextán til nítján ára gamlir þegar meint árás var sögð hafa verið framin árið 2021, en mikill dráttur var á málinu, og því þeir nokkuð eldri í dag.
Sagðir hafa beitt hömrum og hnífum
Í ákæru á hendur mönnunum sex sagði að þeir hafi verið ákærðir fyrir að hafa aðfaranótt laugardags í september 2021 ruðst í heimildarleysi inn í íbúð í húsi við Holtagerði í Kópavogi og veist þar með ofbeldi að fjórum mönnum sem þar voru staddir.
Sexmenningarnir hafi slegið og sparkað í höfuð hinna fjögurra víðs vegar um líkama þeirra og einnig veist að þeim með hættulegum vopnum og bareflum, þar á meðal hömrum og hnífum.
Þar að auki hafi þeir valdið tjóni á húsnæðinu, meðal annars með því að brjóta gler í útidyrahurð, þannig að glerbrot féllu yfir og slösuðu þá sem fyrir innan voru, og skemmdu innihurð.
Samkvæmt ákærunni hlutu þeir fjórir, sem áttu að hafa orðið fyrir meintu árásinni, ýmsa áverka.
Unglingapartí fór úr böndunum
Aðdragandi þessara meintu atvika, samkvæmt umfjöllun DV, var sá að ungmenni höfðu verið samankomin í áðurnefndu húsi í Holtagerði í Kópavogi. Einum pilti hafi verið vísað burtu, en skömmu síðar hafi hann komið aftur með hópi manna sem komu á nokkrum bílum. Það var umræddur hópur, sem líkt og áður segir var sýknaður.
Jafnframt greindi DV frá því að við aðalmeðferð málsins hafi sakborningarnir ýmist neitað að tjá sig um málið, eða ekki sagst muna eftir því.
Sem áður segir voru mennirnir sex sýknaðir af ákærunni.
Samkvæmt heimildum fréttastofu byggðist sýknan einfaldlega á því að ekki voru nægar sannanir fyrir hendi um að mennirnir hafi framið meinta árás.
2026.7.27 Scammer targets Icelandic authors with AI-generated messages
A foreign scammer has made Iceland’s community of authors his latest target. Using artificial intelligence, he sends convincing messages praising authors’ work and offering to help promote their books abroad.
In a Facebook post, Icelandic author Una Margrét Jónsdóttir shared that a woman calling herself Danielle Kushner had contacted her with glowing praise for her book Silfuröld revíunnar. In the same message, Danielle claimed to work for a company specializing in promoting authors internationally and offered her services to market the book overseas.
Speaking to mbl.is, Una said she was initially pleased to receive such positive feedback but quickly became suspicious that something was not right.
Could not explain her Icelandic
Danielle first contacted Jónsdóttir about a week ago. What immediately caught Jónsdóttir’s attention was that the messages were written in fluent Icelandic, even though Silfuröld revíunnar has only been published in Icelandic.
While there could have been an innocent explanation for someone named Danielle Kushner writing such convincing Icelandic, Una found it particularly suspicious that Danielle repeatedly avoided answering questions about whether she lived in Iceland.
“It was entirely possible that she was an Icelander with a foreign name or someone living in Iceland, so I asked her about it,” Una said. “I replied politely, thanked her for the compliments, and also asked whether this promotion would cost anything, since she hadn’t mentioned that in her first message.”
“She then sent another polite email explaining that there were two promotional packages available and quoted the prices. But she once again sidestepped my question about her Icelandic.”
One package was priced at 395 euros, while the other cost 653 euros.
AI makes online scams easier
Jónsdóttir said she is not used to reading AI-generated text, but a family member she showed the messages to quickly recognized that they had likely been written with artificial intelligence.
She said she never intended to send anyone money and instead contacted the Icelandic Writers’ Union after becoming convinced that something was suspicious about Danielle Kushner.
It then emerged that the messages were part of an online scam targeting at least 20 Icelandic authors. The scammer has used several aliases, including Danielle Kushner, Clara Hoffman, Lydia Witten, and Lise. The messages are generated with AI and are written in a highly convincing style.
Jónsdóttir said it is important to raise awareness of scams like these. In the age of artificial intelligence, she warned, such fraud is becoming easier, cheaper, and far more convincing to carry out.
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Ming Ting Mancel, who was sentenced to twelve years in prison yesterday, plans to appeal the judgment to the Court of Appeal. Mancel left the courtroom after the judgment was delivered and is neither in custody nor subject to a travel ban.
She was charged with homicide committed jointly with her husband and with domestic abuse. The reasoning behind the judgment will not be available until it has been published.
Mancel’s defence lawyer, Ómar Örn Bjarnþórsson, says the sentence was more severe than he had expected. Mancel immediately decided to appeal.
He says Mancel left the courthouse after the judgment was delivered. For the time being, she is neither in custody nor subject to a travel ban.
It would not surprise me at all if an application were made for her to be remanded in custody during the appeal period, but that is a decision for the prosecutor.x1200
2026.7.29 Ming Ting færð í gæsluvarðhald
Ming Ting Mancel, sem var í gær dæmd í 12 ára fangelsi fyrir að bana dóttur sinni, Catherine Mancel, á Edition-hótelinu í júní í fyrra, hefur verið úrskurðuð í gæsluvarðhald.
Þetta staðfestir Ómar Örn Bjarnþórsson, verjandi konunnar, í samtali við mbl.is.
Ming Ting var ekki í gæsluvarðhaldi er dómurinn var kveðinn upp, sem er óvanalegt í manndrápsmálum. Hún gekk því frjáls ferða sinna út úr dómsalnum í gær og féll farbann hennar sömuleiðis niður.
Hyggst kæra úrskurðinn
Ómar Örn segir gæsluvarðhaldsúrskurðinn hafa verið kveðinn upp um sjöleytið í gærkvöldi og var Ming Ting í kjölfarið færð í varðhald.
Lögmaðurinn segir Ming Ting vera óánægða með gæsluvarðhaldsúrskurðinn og hefur hann því verið kærður.
Ómar Örn segist ekki viss hvenær Landsréttur muni taka hinn kærða gæsluvarðhaldsúrskurð fyrir en býst þó við að það verði öðru hvoru meginn við helgina.
Einnig hyggst Ming Ting áfrýja dómi gærdagsins þar sem hún hlaut 12 ára fangelsisdóm en hún hafði farið fram á að hún yrði sýknuð eða til vara dæmd fyrir brot gegn 213. grein hegningarlaga, þar sem hámarksrefsing er 3 ár. x1200
2026.7.28 Edition case: Ming Ting sentenced to twelve years in prison
Ming Ting Mancel has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing her daughter, Catherine Mancel, at the Edition hotel in Reykjavík in June 2025.
She was not charged in connection with her husband’s death.
The family were travelling around Iceland. They were originally from France and lived in Ireland. Mancel has said that the family decided to come to Iceland to die together.
She said the idea arose because her husband had a terminal illness.
2026.7.1 Prosecutor seeks 16-year sentence: “The intent was cold and cruel”
Prosecutor Karl Ingi Vilbergsson is seeking a 16-year prison sentence for Ming Ting Mancel for the offenses she is charged with in the indictment filed by the Office of the District Prosecutor. He is also requesting that she be ordered to pay all legal costs.
The request was made during closing arguments before the Reykjavík District Court today in the so-called Edition case.
Ming is charged with manslaughter and domestic violence in connection with the death of her daughter, Catherine Mancel, whom she is accused of killing in concert with her husband, Emeric, at the Reykjavík Edition hotel in June last year.
She is not charged in connection with her husband’s death.
“Nothing but death awaited Catherine”
Vilbergsson argued that there is no evidence that Catherine consented to being killed by stabbing that night.
He acknowledged there are some indications that Catherine may, at one point, have agreed to die alongside her parents.
“The defendant is the only person who has claimed that such consent existed, and in fact her own testimony indicates that Catherine did not agree to die in this manner or by this method,” the prosecutor told the court.
Ming has twice stated that Catherine did not want to die the way she ultimately did. According to her testimony, Catherine showed clear signs of distress when her father produced a knife.
The prosecutor also pointed to testimony from two witnesses indicating that Ming did not want to leave her daughter alive.
He further cited the forensic pathologist’s autopsy report, which suggests Catherine struggled before her death. Injuries were found on her arms, legs, forehead, neck, and chin.
“The defendant took part in hastening Catherine’s death. The intent was cold and cruel, and she did nothing to prevent Catherine’s premature death. Nothing but death awaited Catherine, and the defendant, Ming, knew that,” Karl said.
“She could have called for help”
Vilbergsson argued that Ming’s own testimony contains nothing to suggest she was forced or ordered to participate.
He further noted that she could have called for help after Catherine was stabbed the first time.
“Instead of preventing what happened, she chose to give the girl alcohol and sleeping pills. The defendant purchased those pills together with her husband before the trip. Why did they decide to give her alcohol and sleeping pills? So they could finish what they had begun—to take Catherine’s life.”
Ming herself contacted emergency services on the morning of June 14, 2025, after suffering a stab wound to the chest. At the scene, she admitted killing both her husband and daughter and said she had intended to take her own life but had been unable to do so. She later changed her account and now denies the charges.
According to Ming’s testimony, Emeric first stabbed Catherine in the bathroom and then stabbed her again after Ming led her to the bed.
Evidence presented during the trial has shown that the family had decided to travel to Iceland, tour the country, and end their lives while there.
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