Greece 'Too Hasty' In Seizing Ship (Explosives)

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 6-25-2003 | Helena Smith

[blam]

Greece 'too hasty' in seizing ship

Helena Smith in Athens
Wednesday June 25, 2003
The Guardian (UK)

The Greek seizure of an explosive-laden ship bound for Sudan prompted heated exchanges between the two countries yesterday. Khartoum insisted that the cargo of 680 tonnes of high explosives and an estimated 140,000 detonators, loaded in Tunisia, had purely civilian use. Its foreign minister, Mustafa Ismail, accused Athens of ordering the seizure of the Baltic Sky on Sunday before knowing "all the facts".

Mr Ismail, whose country has been accused by the US of supporting terrorists, said the shipment had been commissioned by a registered company in Khartoum with the blessing of his ministry.

The industrial-grade ammonium nitrates were to be used by cement factories and road-building companies, he said. He told the Greek ambassador that Greece had acted in haste.

But Greece, keen to shore up its image before the 2004 Olympics and on high security alert during its months as EU president, rejected Mr Ismail's assertion.

Officials said the vessel's long and unwieldy course - six weeks in the Mediterranean and Black sea - had raised the suspicion of western intelligence agencies and Nato's anti-terrorist taskforce.

The arrested crew - five Ukrainians and two Azerbaijanis - could be jailed for up to 20 years for illegally transporting explosives.

The vessel, flying the flag of the Comoros Islands, has been impounded in Platiyali, in north-west Greece, and yesterday experts began removing its hazardous cargo.

[Cultural Jihad]

Related article concerning the same ship being impounded and sold to pay for debts last year:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2423385.stm

[caisson71]

"Purely civilian use". I'll bet...purely innocent civilian use.

[blam]

Same ship huh? Sea Runner to Baltic Sky.

[Arkinsaw]

Of course, Yemen got to keep their SCUDS so its no surprise that Sudan is making a play to keep this batch. Who knows, they might even get away with it.

[blam]

"Of course, Yemen got to keep their SCUDS so its no surprise that Sudan is making a play to keep this batch. "

Ahem, that ship does have a history of safety problems.

[Cultural Jihad]

Same ship huh? Sea Runner to Baltic Sky.

Oh, sorry to be unclear. Yes, apparently so, according to the article dug up by 'Dog' here on this other related thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/935514/posts?page=12#12

[NerdDad]

The industrial-grade ammonium nitrates were to be used by cement factories and road-building companies, he said.

OK. And the 140,000 detonaters would be used for?

Sounds like another country that needs to be on our short list for an @ss kicking.

[gaspar]

It is interesting that the ship is registered in the Comoro Islands. Perhaps the most dangerous leader in Al Qaeda today is from the Comoros, and the Islands themselves are reportedly a home for hundreds of terrorists.

[fourdeuce82d]

680 tonnes of high explosives ANFO is NOT a high explosive.

Wouldn't want a load going off in my shorts, and I gather the pallies use similar stuff for their murder bombings, but, once again, the journalists are misleading.

[Dog]

There are three ships owned by Cristian or Christian McNulty.

Baltic Sky is the former Sea Runner........then there is the Baltic Star it is parked in the Belgian port of Antwerp because the owner hasn't paid fines owed. I'm looking for The Lenox....another McNulty ship..