Posted on 03/23/2007 3:48:15 AM PDT by Flavius
BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - British forces said on Friday there had been "an incident" in the northern Arabian Gulf after an Iraqi fisherman reported seeing up to seven British or American military personnel being seized by an Iranian ship.
"There has been an incident somewhere in the north of the Persian Gulf," British military spokesman Major David Gell said in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, without elaborating.
He said he did not know whether any British or American servicemen were involved.
The fisherman said the incident took place early on Friday in the Shatt al-Arab waterway that marks the southern stretch of Iraq’s border with Iran. His account could not be immediately confirmed.
The fisherman, who asked not be named, said six or seven foreign military personnel were on two small boats that stopped to check Iranian ships in the Siban area of the waterway, near the al-Faw peninsula that leads into the northern Arabian Gulf.
When they boarded one ship, at least two Iranian vessels appeared on the scene and the military personnel were detained. There was no sign of any violent confrontation he said.
He said the merchant ships had stopped in a narrow area of the waterway where smaller boats normally pull alongside to take on board goods. The fisherman said British and American forces patrolled the area and frequently searched the ships.
Earlier, an Iraqi sailor on a merchant ship told Reuters he had witnessed the incident but later said he had only heard about it.
Iraq and Iran have a long history of disputes along the waterway. Iran briefly seized three British naval patrol boats in the area in June 2004.
In January 2006, the Iranian coastguard stopped three Iraqi vessels Tehran said had crossed into Iranian waters, prompting Iraqi officials to accuse Iran of taking hostage nine Iraqis working on the vessels.
All you sailors be belonging to us.
.
Choir to Preacher:
Because it is early I'll just say you've missed the point.
"They'd better watch their @sses!"
Good Morning Joe! Just realized that was you.
They = Iranians had better watch their @sses.
BBC just gave this out in UK as breaking news - 15 British sailors it seems.
The big story here is the murder of coach Bob Woolmer in the Cricket world cup.
regards
Oh good grief...you even managed to hijack a hijack thread ; )
thanks, bet the tension is so think in the Arabian Sea you could cut it with a knife
This is the thread I pinged Dog to earlier this morning.
Can I be forgiven for saying something sounds fishy here?
British government is evidently calling for their releaese at "the highest diplomatic levels"! Report also said British were taken while in Iraqi or International waters and then forced into Iranian waters.
If this is Ahmadinejad's way of getting back at the Coaltiton for the high level military guys fleeing Iran through Turkey....he is making a big, potentially fatal, mistake.
I know,
I just have no confidence at this point.
"Take no hostages" should be the norm for this PC world if you know what I mean.
You are feeling what everyone else except the Marxists and Commie peace BS artists are feeling Joe.
Don't give up! There is a world of hurt in our military given the correct leadership that is just waiting to "Shock and Awe" the rest of this world. Sleeping tiger? More like a harnessed insane hungry LION!
Cheers!
Ping
"John has a long mustache."
BUMP
Thanks for the ping, IG. I was hoping this would get resolved quickly. I heard on the radio that Almanutadidjob from Iran has cancelled his speech at the UN next week and I hope it's not because of this situation.
Ronald Reagan wasn't fighting a war on terrorism on two very active fronts. (Loved Reagan - just making a point.)
I've had the TV on all day, tuned to FNC. Altho I haven't physically set down to watch I've heard blurbs as I've moved about the house decluttering what has accumulated in my absence this week.
I would almost swear I heard at some point in time today the 'staff' could not get clearance, which is why the trip was delayed.
Since I typed that note to you, I've heard that too, IG. But I'm pretty sure Hannity asked Tony why the speech at the UN was cancelled and Tony said "I don't know; we got them their visas".
The media seems to have a difficult time keeping their stories straight. Maybe we should call in a federal investigation. It would serve them right :-)
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