[Animals] Monkey torture ring sadistically abused and killed baby macaques on camera for customers in the UK and US: Indonesian gang sliced off animals' fingers and beat them with hammers

[FRIDAY THE 13]

 

A monkey torture ring sadistically abused and killed baby macaques on camera for customers in the UK and US, an investigation has found.

A year-long BBC probe found the cruel ring was operating globally with hundreds paying Indonesians to torture and kill infant long-tailed macaques on video.

An alleged key video distributor in the US, known as the 'The Torture King', discussed a poll on one of the groups that gave the option of hammers or pliers for use in torture, adding: 'It went from baby bottle teasing to fingers being snipped off.'

The torture ring started on YouTube, before moving to private groups on Telegram, the BBC World Service investigation found.

In the secretly filmed video, M Ajis Rasjana tells an undercover reporter that when he is 'very, very angry' he hits the monkeys against the wall. 

In the secretly filmed video, M Ajis Rasjana, talks to the undercover reporter. He says that if he is 'very, very angry' he hits the monkeys against the wall
+3
View gallery
In the secretly filmed video, M Ajis Rasjana, talks to the undercover reporter. He says that if he is 'very, very angry' he hits the monkeys against the wall

Rasjana also notes that about a week ago he banged a monkey's head against the wall and blood was coming out of its mouth, which he says was 'so cool', while laughing
Rasjana also notes that about a week ago he banged a monkey's head against the wall and blood was coming out of its mouth, which he says was 'so cool', while laughing

Journalist says Titanic sub is 'like something made by MacGyver'

BBC journalists in Libyan kidnap horror after being abducted

Man, 19, appears in court charged with rape of 15-year-old girl in sea
He also notes that about a week ago he banged a monkey's head against the wall and blood was coming out of its mouth, which he says was 'so cool', while laughing.

Police are now seeking out the buyers and a number of arrests have already been made.

BBC journalists went undercover in one of the main Telegram torture groups, where hundreds of people got together to plan torture ideas and commission people in Indonesia and other nations in Asia to put them into practice.

The group aimed to make tailored videos showing the abuse, torture and sometimes killing of baby long-tailed macaque monkeys.

The BBC located the torturers in Indonesia, and the buyers and distributors in the US.

They also managed to access an international law enforcement effort to have them punished for their actions.

At least 20 people are now under investigation around the world, including three women living in the UK who were arrested by police in 2022 and released under investigation, and one man in Oregon, USA, who was indicted last week.

Mike McCartney, allegedly a key video distributor in the US, who is called 'The Torture King' in the videos, described to the BBC journalists the moment he joined his first Telegram monkey torture group.

McCartney, who the BBC say used to be a motorcycle gang member and served prison time before he joined the monkey torture network, remarked: 'They had a poll set up. Do you want a hammer involved? Do you want pliers involved? Do you want a screwdriver?' 

He said the video that arose from it was 'the most grotesque thing I have ever seen'.

McCartney came to run a number of Telegram groups that saw torture enthusiasts distributing videos.

'It's no different than drug money,' he said. 'Drug money comes from dirty hands, this money comes from bloody hands.'

The BBC also identified two other key suspects being investigated by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Stacey Storey, a grandmother from Alabama in her 40s known as 'Sadistic' among others in the network, and a ringleader known as 'Mr Ape', whose real name was not disclosed by the broadcaster for safety reasons.

At the end of the video, the reporter asks Rasjana if he can take a photo of one of the monkeys
At the end of the video, the reporter asks Rasjana if he can take a photo of one of the monkeys

'Mr Ape' said in an interview with the publication that he had caused the deaths of at least four monkeys and tortured several others more. He said he had commissioned 'extremely brutal' videos.

Department of Homeland Security agents took Storey's phone, finding almost 100 torture videos, along with evidence that she had funded the creation of some of the most horrifying videos produced.

Storey was involved in a torture group earlier this month, according to police sources. Approached by the BBC in Alabama in January, Storey said she had been hacked and would not comment on the allegations in depth.

'Mr Ape', Mike McCartney and Stacey Storey are three of five key targets in the Homeland Security investigation, which is ongoing. They have not been charged, but could face up to seven years in jail if prosecuted and convicted. 

The DHS investigation is being led by Special Agent Paul Wolpert. He said all law enforcement involved had been profoundly shocked by the alleged crimes.

'I don't know if anybody would ever be ready for a crime like this,' he said. 'The same with the attorneys and the juries, and anybody who reads that this is going on. It is going to be a shocker I think.'

He added that anyone taking part in the distributing or buying of monkey torture videos should 'expect a knock on the door at some point'. He said: 'You are not going to get away with it.'

Police in Indonesia have arrested two torture suspects. Asep Yadi Nurul Hikmah, who was charged with animal torture and the sale of a protected species, received a three-year prison sentence. M Ajis Rasjana was sentenced to eight months, the maximum available for animal torture.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12214001/Monkey-torture-ring-abused-killed-baby-monkeys-camera-customers-UK-US.html