Skip to comments.
Alert for ‘Iraqi tankers’ off Crete with top Iraqi government officials on board
ekathimerini.com ^
| Thursday April 10, 2003
| NEWS
Posted on 04/10/2003 5:41:38 AM PDT by Destro
Thursday April 10, 2003
Alert for Iraqi tankers off Crete
The coast guard has been placed on high alert following a warning from US authorities that three fuel tankers believed to have sailed from a Middle Eastern port with top Iraqi government officials on board could be heading for Greek waters, sources said yesterday.
Also yesterday, US Ambassador Thomas Miller asked Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou for Greece to send military medical personnel and stores to US and British-occupied Iraq. Sources said Papantoniou avoided committing himself, arguing that participation in such a mission would hinge on whether the overall effort is organized by the United Nations.
Meanwhile, coast guard sources said air and sea patrols have been stepped up in response to the US tanker tip-off. It is believed that senior Baath party officials, together with members of their families, may have managed to escape US and British forces that entered Baghdad and Basra, and boarded the tankers in an unspecified port belonging to an Arab country.
The ships, according to information made available to the coast guard, are heading for a European Union port, and will probably pass through international waters south of Crete within the next few days.
However, if US and NATO warships patrolling the area manage to locate the tankers, it is believed that the ships could enter Greek territorial waters.
Coast guard vessels, including patrol boats equipped with state-of-the-art electronic tracking devices and manned with special forces, have already set off for Crete from the eastern Aegean. The coast guard is also in close cooperation with the Greek navy and NATO officials.
TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: balkans; flee; greece; iraq; iraqifreedom; navy; nsa; shipmovement; soudabay
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-54 next last
The S.S. Saddam Hussien?
1
posted on
04/10/2003 5:41:38 AM PDT
by
Destro
To: All
I'M BACK!!!
SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC
Donate Here By Secure Server
Or mail checks to
FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794
or you can use
PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY A BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD (It's in the Breaking News sidebar!)
2
posted on
04/10/2003 5:42:36 AM PDT
by
Support Free Republic
(Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
To: *balkans
bump
3
posted on
04/10/2003 5:45:35 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorisim by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Destro
Time for the boys from Abilene again.
4
posted on
04/10/2003 5:45:35 AM PDT
by
CholeraJoe
(Standing tough under Stars and Stripes)
To: CholeraJoe
You want to sink an oil tanker?
5
posted on
04/10/2003 5:47:16 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorisim by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Destro
You know dang good and well that we don't have to go looking for these ships. We know were every piece of junk afloat is at any given time. Those CG ships are just going to the best location in order to intercept the vessels.
6
posted on
04/10/2003 5:49:38 AM PDT
by
Flint
Actually according to rikitikitavi.com Saddam is fleeing in a luxurious shipping container.
To: Destro
Sure. Minimizes casualties.
8
posted on
04/10/2003 5:52:19 AM PDT
by
CholeraJoe
(Standing tough under Stars and Stripes)
To: Destro
US Ambassador Thomas Miller asked Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou for Greece to send military medical personnel and stores to US and British-occupied Iraq. Sources said Papantoniou avoided committing himself, arguing that participation in such a mission would hinge on whether the overall effort is organized by the United Nations.Sigh.
Guck the Freeks.
To: M. Thatcher
Why say that? The Greeks have not hindered access to Greek airspace or bases by the coalition over the Iraq issue. While not participating in the mission they are not hindering the mission either.
10
posted on
04/10/2003 5:59:51 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorisim by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Destro
. Sources said Papantoniou avoided committing himself, arguing that participation in such a mission would hinge on whether the overall effort is organized by the United Nations Ah, the fickleness of the demos. I see the Greeks have learned little in 2400 years.
11
posted on
04/10/2003 6:01:18 AM PDT
by
Fury
To: Fury
Freedom means the right to say no. See my 10.
12
posted on
04/10/2003 6:05:56 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorisim by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: CholeraJoe
Bombing tankers!!! Oh no we couldn't do that -- think of the environmental damage -- all those Iraqis in the water!
13
posted on
04/10/2003 6:06:33 AM PDT
by
rhombus
To: Fury
Now what are we going to do about the amoralistes insisting on using the UN as if it is a legitimate cover?
To: rhombus
think of the environmental damage If we use incendiary bombs, all of the oil will burn off before it gets on the baby seals and penguins.
15
posted on
04/10/2003 6:08:41 AM PDT
by
CholeraJoe
(Standing tough under Stars and Stripes)
To: Destro
Freedom means the right to say no. See my 10. Agreed. It's their choice, as it was the choice of France, Germany, Russia, Great Britain, etc to make the decisions they did. Me thinks the initial Greek response to a request for Iraqi aid is an incorrect one.
16
posted on
04/10/2003 6:10:31 AM PDT
by
Fury
To: CholeraJoe
Don't forget the "boys" from Rapid City,
17
posted on
04/10/2003 6:14:19 AM PDT
by
wita
(truthspeaks@freerepublic.com)
To: Fury
Don't waste your time with Destro.
18
posted on
04/10/2003 6:14:37 AM PDT
by
11B3
(.308 holes make invisible souls. Belt fed liberal eraser.)
To: Fury
Not from the Greek point of view. Greece doesn't have the money for it nor does the public have the will to send troops over for said mission either if the money was found. Saying "no" or "maybe" is not the same as obstructing.
19
posted on
04/10/2003 6:15:10 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorisim by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: M. Thatcher
And the French.
20
posted on
04/10/2003 6:17:27 AM PDT
by
AMNZ
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-54 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson