Australian police catches most wanted fugitive

PanARMENIAN.Net - Australia's most wanted fugitive - a survival expert and suspected murderer who outwitted police for seven years by living in rugged forest - was finally captured in a remote cabin on Thursday, March 22, AFP reported.

Malcolm Naden, whose ability to evade police evoked comparisons to famous 19th century Australian outlaw Ned Kelly, had been on the run since disappearing in June 2005 from his grandparents' home.

He went missing days before mother-of-two Kristy Scholes, 24, was found strangled in his bedroom and was also wanted for questioning over the indecent assault of a 15-year-old girl and the disappearance of his 24-year-old cousin.

The 38-year-old was charged with Scholes' murder, two counts of aggravated indecent assault on the teenage girl and the attempted killing of a police officer when he appeared in court.

Naden was arrested just after midnight when officers swooped on a private property near Gloucester in the hinterland of New South Wales state's north coast following a tip that he was there. No shots were fired in the raid.