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Three mystery ships are tracked over suspected 'weapons' cargo
independent.co.uk ^ | 2/19/03

Posted on 02/18/2003 4:47:00 PM PST by knak

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To: jerseygirl
Actually, if you knew that I'd aleady cracked "one", you'd know what I know.

Time too shower. This thread is becoming a bit two series.

81 posted on 02/18/2003 5:44:01 PM PST by Principled
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To: TheHound
maybe 1 part per quadillion.

Agreed. Doubt two spores showing up on a California beach are going to kill thousands, let alone anyone.

82 posted on 02/18/2003 5:44:21 PM PST by lizma
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To: knak
Anybody seen COSCO hanging around lately?
83 posted on 02/18/2003 5:45:27 PM PST by Gritty
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To: Fabozz
"We know that they know that we know."

That's just what they want you to think

We want them to think, that they want us to think that.
84 posted on 02/18/2003 5:48:28 PM PST by tet68 (Jeremiah 51:24 ..."..Before your eyes I will repay Babylon for all the wrong they have done in Zion")
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To: John H K; glock rocks
Thanks for the *no tsunami worry* update. I'm all for nuking the smithereens out of these ships before they unleash their nasty loads.
85 posted on 02/18/2003 5:49:12 PM PST by Domestic Church (AMDG)
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Comment #86 Removed by Moderator

Hmmm, these two have been missing for an awfully long time...


87 posted on 02/18/2003 5:58:03 PM PST by Diddle E. Squat
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To: Domestic Church
I'm not really sold there actually are any ships....whole story doesn't seem to hang together at all. Somehow I think someone's chain is getting yanked.
88 posted on 02/18/2003 5:58:20 PM PST by John H K
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To: guitfiddlist
The teams are uniquely equiiped to handle this type of mission.
89 posted on 02/18/2003 5:58:42 PM PST by harpseal (Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown)
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To: knak
Stick an old Spruance 1000 yards off the stern of each of these buckets and see where they run. Don't contact, threaten, or even close on them, just shadow quietly.
90 posted on 02/18/2003 6:00:47 PM PST by Lee Enfield (Advertise your product here!)
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To: livius
"Perhaps these three are the biggest and possibly most dangerous and most connected to Iraq, but there are several others, which have been scattered across the seas for several months now. I think some of them are believed to belong directly to Al Qaeda."

A total of 15 cargo vessels were rumored to be under the direct control of al-Qaeda.

91 posted on 02/18/2003 6:05:15 PM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE.)
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To: John H K; piasa
"I'm not really sold there actually are any ships."

"The European Union has started legal action against member states who have bilateral anti-terrorist deals with the United States to beef up port security for U.S.-bound cargo, officials said."

Ahh, but the money deals...Germany & France are feeling a little left out I suppose. I guess if we can't follow the circling ships, we might be able to follow a money trail.
92 posted on 02/18/2003 6:16:43 PM PST by Domestic Church (AMDG)
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To: knak
This is very interesting.

Monsoor (the guy on FOX), was talking recently about the latest tape of Usama. He made a statement that he thought that Usama was dying - and that Usama's comment about the "belly of the beast" was, in his opinion, indicating that perhaps Usama was planning on heading an attack on the U.S., where he would die in the attack. Monsoor, who I believe has more of a handle on what's really going on in the Middle East, said he thought the attack would come in a harbor because that was the least checked method of transportation.

I hope they don't take down the ORANGE ALERT. Having that alert up may help us to stop this stuff before it gets to NY Harbor (or some other harbor, like SF or SD).

For me - I don't care who shipped it, I just want our police or military agencies to keep it from getting to us.

As for a "smoking gun"; that's great - but I personally don't have to have a smoking gun to justify a war at this time.
93 posted on 02/18/2003 6:17:35 PM PST by CyberAnt ( Yo! Syracuse)
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To: StriperSniper
(Besides, I'd like to catch a two-headed fish with only three legs ;-)

Yum. Tomorrow's entree: Lightly breaded fish legs, served with a caper dill butter sauce over a bed of lemon risotto.

You catch em, I'll cook em!

94 posted on 02/18/2003 6:18:38 PM PST by lizma
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To: piasa
The U.S. has identified approximately 15 cargo freighters around the world that they believe are controlled by al Qaeda or could be used by the terrorist network to ferry operatives, bombs, money or commodities over the high seas, government officials said.

since we are at war with alQaeda how come they aren't sunk
95 posted on 02/18/2003 6:22:36 PM PST by uncbob
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To: knak
"smuggled out through Syria"

This is also interesting. There was a lot of talk recently that most of Sadaam's arsenal had been moved to Syria.

Interesting ...??
96 posted on 02/18/2003 6:25:07 PM PST by CyberAnt ( Yo! Syracuse)
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To: livius
2002 : (SOUTH KOREA SAYS NORTH KOREA HAS STOCKPILED CHEMICAL WEAPONS) South Korea's defense ministry stated last year that North Korea has a stockpile of between 2,500 and 5,000 tons of chemical weapons, including 17 different types of agents. The ministry stated in a report made public in September that North Korea can produce 4,500 tons of chemical weapons agents annually. It also can produce a ton of biological weapons agent a year. - "GERMANY SOLD CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGENT TO NORTH KOREA," by Bill GERTZ, Washington Times , 2/18/03

DECEMBER 9, 2002 : (NORTH KOREAN SHIP SOSAN INTERCEPTED CARRYING SCUD MISSILES & WARHEADS TO YEMEN) The same ship, the North Korean ship Sosan, was stopped by U.S. and Spanish naval vessels Dec. 9 as it neared Yemen. It was carrying 15 Scud missiles and warheads. After a brief delay and assurances from the Yemeni government, the ship was allowed to proceed to Yemen with the missile shipment. After unloading the missiles in Yemen, the Sosan then traveled to Germany, where it took on a cargo of sodium cyanide estimated to weigh several tons. The ship then was tracked as it traveled to North Korea. The intercept of the Sosan near Yemen in December highlighted divisions within the Bush administration over how to act in curbing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missile-delivery systems, U.S. officials said. White House National Security Council officials supported seizing the missiles, but State Department officials opposed the idea, saying it would damage relations with Yemen, a growing ally in the war against terrorism. The Sosan was seized after Yemen's government at first denied the missiles were theirs. The denial led U.S. intelligence officials to suspect the missiles could be headed for another country, such as Iraq, and they were seized. The ship was stopped after a Spanish warship fired warning shots at the vessel. It then was boarded by U.S. commandos who discovered the missiles, warheads and canisters of chemical used for the missile's solid rocket fuel. The Yemeni government then acknowledged the missiles had been purchased legally by the San'a government. - "GERMANY SOLD CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGENT TO NORTH KOREA," by Bill GERTZ, Washington Times , 2/18/03

FEBRUARY 2003 : (NORTH KOREA, ARMITAGE) Bush administration officials have described North Korea as a major supplier of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons know-how and missile-delivery systems. Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state, told Congress earlier this month that North Korea's nuclear and other programs relating to weapons of mass destruction are threats to the United States. "North Korea's programs to develop weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery ... are also a threat to the international community, regional security, U.S. interests and U.S. forces, which remain an integral part of stability in the region," Mr. Armitage said. "It is time for North Korea to turn away from this self-destructive course. They have nothing to gain from acquiring nuclear weapons — and much to lose. Indeed, every day, the people of that country are paying a terrible price for these programs in international isolation and misspent national resources." - "GERMANY SOLD CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGENT TO NORTH KOREA," by Bill GERTZ, Washington Times , 2/18/03

FEBRUARY 2003 early : (NORTH KOREAN SHIP SOSAN DELIVERS GERMAN SODIUM CYANIDE TO NORTH KOREA) The North Korean ship that last year delivered Scud missiles to Yemen transferred a large shipment of chemical weapons material from Germany to North Korea recently, U.S. intelligence officials said. The ship, the Sosan, was monitored as it arrived in North Korea earlier this month carrying a shipment of sodium cyanide, a precursor chemical used in making nerve gas, said officials familiar with intelligence reports. Sodium cyanide is a dual-use chemical. It is used to make the nerve gas sarin, as well as commercial products including pesticides and plastics. The chemical is controlled by the 34-nation Australia Group, a voluntary coalition of states that agree to curb exports of dual-use chemicals that can boost the chemical weapons programs of states like North Korea. Germany is a member of the group. A German Embassy spokesman could not be reached for comment. Sodium cyanide is an ingredient of the deadly nerve agent sarin, a small amount of which can kill a human.- "GERMANY SOLD CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGENT TO NORTH KOREA," by Bill GERTZ, Washington Times , 2/18/03

FEBRUARY 14, 2003 : (NORTH KOREAN SHIP SOSAN ARRIVES IN NORTH KOREA AFTER LEAVING GERMANY) It arrived at the west coast seaport of Nampo on Thursday, the officials said. Disclosure of the chemical shipment comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and North Korea over Pyongyang's nuclear activities. The North Koreans were found to have violated a 1994 agreement to freeze plutonium production and other agreements prohibiting it from making nuclear arms. The official Korean Central News Agency confirmed that the Sosan arrived at Nampo on Thursday. At a press conference, the captain and crew answered questions for reporters and said that the Dec. 9 incident was an act of U.S. piracy. The Sosan's captain, Kang Cholryong, told the news agency that the crew, not wanting to surrender their cargo to the United States, tried to set the ship on fire and sink it but were stopped by U.S. commandos who boarded from helicopters. "The United States should be fully responsible for this piratical act and make a formal apology and due compensation to the [North Korean] government for it," the KCNA report stated. The action against the ship was "part of the premeditated and brigandish moves of the U.S. imperialists to isolate and stifle [North Korea] and dominate the world with their policy of strength," it stated. - "GERMANY SOLD CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGENT TO NORTH KOREA," by Bill GERTZ, Washington Times , 2/18/03

FEBRUARY 17, 2003 : (US PLANNING TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA ACCORDING TO NY TIMES) The Bush administration is planning in the coming months to impose sanctions aimed at halting weapons shipments to North Korea and cutting off funds sent to the communist state by Korean residents in Japan, said an administration official. The plans were first reported yesterday by the New York Times. North Korea's official media have said that any sanctions imposed on the country would be tantamount to a declaration of war.- "GERMANY SOLD CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGENT TO NORTH KOREA," by Bill GERTZ, Washington Times , 2/18/03

97 posted on 02/18/2003 6:25:11 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
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To: lizma
You catch em, I'll cook em!

For the first winter in four I haven't been fishing right through to hold up my end of that bargin anytime soon. :(

If anyone still had a boat in the water that wasn't crushed by the ice a few weeks ago, I would doubt they would be shoveled out yet. On second thought, everybody I know would do the boat first, sidewalk second. ;-)

98 posted on 02/18/2003 6:25:54 PM PST by StriperSniper (Frogs are for gigging)
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To: Archangelsk
How come our multi-billion dollar intelligence infrastructure didn't pick up the loading of the ships in port?

Do you realize how many ships load in how many docks around the world on a given day? Are you suggesting that it's feasible for us to track the (boxed and sealed) cargos of all of them on a regular basis?

99 posted on 02/18/2003 6:30:54 PM PST by Ichneumon
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To: TheHound
I was more concerned about some deadly conagious viruses.
100 posted on 02/18/2003 6:32:47 PM PST by FairOpinion
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