Standoff at sea

Debka ^ | 13 July, 2010 | NA

[Errant]

Libyan aid ship surrounded by Israeli naval vessels after captain reports engine breakdown 50 sea miles from Gaza • A decision on next step awaited from Jerusalem.

Streaming Headline Only

[Errant]

Since Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi, 68, picked Moatassem-Billah, son number four, as his successor, his eldest son, Seif al-Islam, has schemed tirelessly to stay in the limelight and avoid being passed over as future potentate of this oil- and gas-rich nation. Seif's latest dodge, according to debkafile's intelligence sources, is the privately-launched Al-Amal for breaking Israel's naval blockade on the Gaza Strip.

[Errant]

Update from CNN:

Flouting Israeli ultimatum, Libyan aid ship continues toward Gaza

[JDW11235]

Let ‘em swim...

[chilltherats]

Wow. It may be about to hit the fan.

[chilltherats]

Let ‘em drown.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Sink It!!!,,,

Force moozzi’s hand...

[Errant]

From the JPost:

Navy set to stop Libyan aid ship

The navy was gearing up on Tuesday night to intercept a Libyan cargo ship that was on its way to Gaza Port in an effort to break the blockade on the Strip.

Based on the ship’s speed Tuesday, if it continued toward Gaza, a navy interception was likely to take place early on Wednesday morning.

[TokuMei]

My guess is that the Israelis used some kind of very local EMP to disrupt some electrical aspect of the engine integrity.

Not all EMP comes from nukes —they have special generators for it now.

They wanted it to stop, but have no shooting.

I think it was electronically induced —good play.

[txhurl]

No. Isreal will wait for the mechanics to get them sailing back, and will take flak for being human.

[Errant]

It appears they’re about to be boarded.

[Errant]

Israel threatens to board Gaza-bound Libyan aid ship

A Libyan aid ship was engaged in a dramatic standoff with the Israeli military off the coast of Gaza last night, raising fears of a new naval confrontation.

Israel warned it would attempt to board the vessel once again just six weeks after its commandos killed nine pro-Palestinian activists on a Turkish flotilla attempting to reach Gaza.

Israeli commanders relayed a message to the MV Almathea, chartered by a charity run by the son and heir of Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, ordering it to change course or face interception...

[Bobalu]

[Errant]

After the Israeli navy established contact with the Amalthea its Cuban captain announced he would sail to El-Arish, an Israeli official told AFP.

Public radio broadcast snippets of radio conversation in Spanish, which it said was between the captain of the Amalthea and the navy on the new course he was charting.

However, Israeli warships continued to closely monitor the ship, fearing the move was a ruse, the official said.

Close to midnight, public radio, which has been monitoring transmissions between the ship and the navy, reported that the vessel had anchored at sea with engine trouble.

Mashallah Zwei, a member of the Kadhafi Foundation, said the navy had “threatened to send their warships to intercept the boat and escort it toward the (southern Israeli) port of Ashdod if we do not change course.

“We explained to the Israeli authorities that our original destination was Gaza and that we are not here for a provocation,” he said.

“We also specified that we are transporting only foodstuffs and medicines and we asked them to let us discharge our cargo in Gaza.”

The 92-metre (302-foot) freighter had left Greece on Saturday and was expected to arrive off Gaza’s territorial waters on Wednesday, said the charity.

The Amalthea’s shipping company said the vessel had a crew of 12 from various countries as well as six passengers from Libya, one from Nigeria, one from Morocco and one from Algeria.

[goodnesswins]

HHmmmmm....that’s interesting.

[goodnesswins]

So...interesting, that I’m wondering if they could use it on Washington, DC? /s .... sorta

[UCANSEE2]

[Cinnamon Girl]

ON JP NOW:

Report: Israeli warships allegedly stop Libyan aid ship

CAIRO — Israeli warships Wednesday reportedly stopped the Libyan ship carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and diverted it to Egypt.

Youssef Sawani, head of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation that organized the ship, said it had been stopped and surrounded by four Israeli naval vessels.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said she had no knowledge of the report.

The ship is headed for the Egyptian port of El-Arish, Agence France-Presse earlier said, citing an unidentified Egyptian security official.

An Israeli military official, who also spoke anonymously by regulation, said the ship's captain told Israel's navy he would head for Egypt with the cargo from the Tripoli-based charity.

Looks like they're coming in peace to me.

[snuffy smiff]

I’d like to see it allowed inside territorial waters and to just inside the entrance of the port, then watch it be transformed into a permanent reef...

[Errant]

Looks like they're coming in peace to me.

LOL - They're some sneaky devils....

[Errant]

That would mean a 3:00AM call for Obama... ;-)