Iraqi 'terror ships' at sea

Associated News Media London ^ | 19/02/03 | Patrick McGowan

[arthur003]

LONDON 19/02/03 - News and city section

Iraqi 'terror ships' at sea By Patrick McGowan, Evening Standard

Three huge cargo ships feared to be carrying Iraqi weapons of mass destruction are being tracked around the world by British and American intelligence.

The vessels, which have been at sea for three months, are believed to be carrying weapons smuggled out through Syria or Jordan.

They are all refusing frequent requests to provide details of their cargo or destination and officials are worried that the vessels are maintaining radio silence in clear contravention of maritime law, which states all ships should be in constant communication.

Despite grave suspicions of what is on board, Britain and the US are afraid to order interception by naval ships because of fears the crews would scuttle the vessels, each between 35,000 and 40,000 tonnes. If they are carrying chemical, biological or nuclear weapons this could cause catastrophic environmental damage.

The vessels have called briefly at a handful of Arab countries, including Yemen, but they have been resupplied at sea with food, fuel and water by other ships. All three were chartered by a shipping agent based in Egypt and are understood to be sailing under three different flags of convenience.

The discovery of weapons of mass destruction would be a huge boost to George Bush and Tony Blair and would represent the "smoking gun" they need to justify invading Iraq. However, environmental concerns are preventing boarding of the vessels, whose positions are provided by satellite 24 hours a day.

They set sail just a few days after UN inspector Hans Blix returned with his team to Iraq to search for Saddam's weapons arsenal.

Iraq is effectively blockaded by US and Royal Navy ships patrolling the Gulf and the three vessels are not thought to have set sail from there.

A shipping industry source said: "These ships have maintained radio silence for long periods and for a considerable time they have been steaming round in everdecreasing circles.

"If Iraq does have weapons of mass destruction then a very large part of its capability could be afloat on the high seas right now."

In the build-up to possible war in Iraq, meanwhile, another huge wave of British troops flew out to the Gulf today.

About 1,000 members of 16 Air Assault Brigade, including paratroopers, infantry and support units, left RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on three overnight flights.

The troops, who are mainly from the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, based in Colchester, are among the last expected to be deployed to the Gulf region.

A group of 180 soldiers were the last to leave at just after 6am today when they boarded a passenger charter jet before heading off to a secret location.

They will join around 40,000 other British military personnel who have been sent to the Gulf over the last few weeks in preparation for a possible conflict to disarm Iraq.

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©2003 Associated New Media

[Mr. Mojo]

Despite grave suspicions of what is on board, Britain and the US are afraid to order interception by naval ships because of fears the crews would scuttle the vessels, each between 35,000 and 40,000 tonnes. If they are carrying chemical, biological or nuclear weapons this could cause catastrophic environmental damage.

F/k the environmental damage and torpedo those G/D things!

[Destro]

Despite grave suspicions of what is on board, Britain and the US are afraid to order interception by naval ships because of fears the crews would scuttle the vessels, each between 35,000 and 40,000 tonnes. If they are carrying chemical, biological or nuclear weapons this could cause catastrophic environmental damage.

What kind of bull is this? Out in the high seas is where you want them to go off if they are to go off, right?

Scare tactics or stupid tactics?

[JimVT]

In the SecDef news conference just aired neither Rumney nor Gen. Myers had any info on this.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

 

Terror Ship ...

[theFIRMbss]

>Three huge cargo ships feared to be carrying Iraqi weapons of mass destruction are being tracked around the world by British and American intelligence.

The open ocean
probably isn't the best
place to hide weapons.

Even in calm seas,
rogue waves sometimes sink a ship.
And the Navy Seals,

I'm sure, can arrange
all manner of accidents,
if rogue waves don't come...

[ken5050]

Nukes would be sensed by radiation detectors.....as far as chem or bio hazards..a large explosion would incinerate anything.....most of this article is BS

[Destro]

yea. Sounds like a yank cranker story.

[ElectricStrawberry]

Drop some nukes on the damned things. At sea, the ecological damage and fall-out is non-existant.
End of story

[Mr. Mojo]

Nukes would be sensed by radiation detectors

Even if they were transported in thick lead containers?

[Blueflag]

Long thread on this article underway at

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/846629/posts

[tracer]

Why risk the lives of our valuable SEALs when we have such wonderful, quiet, and "deniable" submarines??

[Destro]

Many of us are all for this war no need to scare us into it by crap stories like this which hurt the cause when exposed as a fraud down the line.

[Mr. Mojo]

Exactly. We used to blow up whole islands every other week in the So. Pacific in the 50's ....with serious multi-megaton H-bombs. Dropping a small tactical nuke on each of these ships would be environmentally benign by comparison.

[LibWhacker]

Wonder if the e-bomb would work on 'em? In other words, cripple 'em, shut down all electronics onboard and perhaps give the SEALS a few minutes to storm the ship(s) before any terrorists could react and release biochemical/radiological agents and/or scuttle the ships?

[theFIRMbss]

>Terror ship...

Well, this terror boat
is destroying a nation
just by sailing fast...

[bandleader]

This sounds to me like a job for The Navy Seals!They could intercept via nuclear subs and board in total darkness!!They "OWN THE NIGHT"!!!!!

[Blood of Tyrants]

There is very little sea life out in the middle of the ocean along with literally hundreds of billions of gallons of seawater to dilute and disperse chemicals.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Gotta get on board first.

[ken5050]

Your correct, but with biologics..there's always the possibility of airborne disseminaton...so why take a chance.....immolate..