Internet hunt for cyber stalker

10:06pm Tuesday 29th May 2007

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An Oxford woman is being hunted by police and people in Internet chatrooms for subjecting a July 7 bombing victim to a year-long 'cyber-stalking' campaign.

Felicity Jane Lowde, of Jackson Road, Cutteslowe, has also become the subject of an online "Wanted" campaign by bloggers, after she was convicted of harrassing Rachel North, 36, from London.

Miss North, 36, survived the Piccadilly Line blast that killed 26 people, and began a weblog - known as a blog - to recount her experience while also campaigning for an inquiry into the 2005 atrocity.

Shortly afterwards, Lowde, 41, began posting a series of abusive messages to Miss North, among them accusations that Miss North was "making a living on the backs of the dead".

The mother-of-one was convicted in her absence of harrassing Miss North, whom she had never met, at Stratford Magistrates' Court, East London, in April.

She did not attend the trial and police have issued a warrant for her arrest.

While on the run, she has continued to send messages to Miss North.

Last week, she wrote to her: "You are a warmongering bitch. No one believes you. People hate you for what you've done. Stop trying to promote yourself and GO AWAY RACHEL."

Miss North has urged others in the online community to help catch Lowde and has posted a "Wanted" icon featuring Lowde's photograph on her site.

The icon has been adopted on scores of other blogs by those sympathetic to Miss North.

One wrote: "This is not about mere insults, but about a sustained and vicious campaign by someone with a history of such behaviour, towards someone who has done nothing to warrant it."

Lowde attacked the writers in a posting on her own blog on Monday, saying she was "tired of their stupid comments."

Following an online approach from the Oxford Mail, Lowde wrote on her blog: "I am the victim of a serious and unlawful vendetta.

"Look round the web at the hate campaign that is being conducted against me for evidence of this.

"I am innocent of the false allegations that have been and are being made against me, and the case appeal is being worked on."

She would not speak directly to the Oxford Mail. There was no-one at her Oxford home yesterday and it is thought she spends much of her time in London.

Magistrates said no appeal against her conviction had yet been lodged.

Miss North said Lowde's campaign of hate included "publishing and sending libel, lies, obscenities, threats, and attacks on my husband and family, friends and other 7/7 survivors".

She added: "All I have ever wanted is for her to stop harassing me and others, and to leave me in peace so I can get on with my life."

Thames Valley Police spokesman James Clements said last night that officers had a warrant to arrest Lowde.