Israel claims munitions seized were first loaded on a Manx-registered ship
Posted on 10/16/2010 11:40:43 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Later this month [July 2010] Foreign Secretary William Hague and his EU counterparts are expected to release more details about the latest round of European sanctions aimed at halting Iran's military machine and possible development of weapons of mass destruction. But a File on 4 investigation has discovered questions over whether the Iranians have already sidestepped the international arms embargo, on the UK's own doorstep by setting up companies in the Isle of Man to register ships for its fleet.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL) has been under increasing levels of international sanctions during the past two years for its part in smuggling nuclear technologies and ballistic missile parts as well as for running weapons to other groups allied to the regime in Tehran. Thousands of miles away from the Gulf, on the Isle of Man, a tiny UK Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea which has its own laws and an ancient parliament, a local businessman has been involved in transferring the ownership of IRISL vessels into six companies he has helped to form.
Captain Nigel Malpass, a marine consultant based in the island's capital Douglas, is one of two directors named for these companies, the other is Ahmad Sarkandi, an Iranian who is also a leading executive in the state shipping line. Captain Malpass would not be interviewed by the BBC but said the companies had been formed at the request of a German bank which holds a mortgage on all of the ships.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Israel claims munitions seized were first loaded on a Manx-registered ship
Gosh, I can’t imagine why.
I’ve wondered how easy it would be to launch a short range nuke off of a container ship...
Damned few.
Nearly every country sails it's ships under "flags of convenience".
For many reasons, including taxation, inspections, insurance, identity politics, and more.
Nothing nefarious in it.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL) has been under increasing levels of international sanctions during the past two years for its part in smuggling nuclear technologies and ballistic missile parts as well as for running weapons to other groups allied to the regime in Tehran.
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