Free Republic

Something is going on with the mysterious Al Qaeda navy, and no one involved is saying much. In June, 2003, the 2,000 ton coastal freighter “The Baltic Sky” was seized off Greece by Greek commandos. The ship was found to be carrying 750 tons of TNT and 8,000 detonators. The ships paperwork said it was carrying fertilizer, not TNT and detonators. The seven man crew (five Ukrainians and two Azeris) said they were just following instructions from their owner. But the instructions made no sense. The ship had picked up the explosives in Tunisia, and was supposed to deliver the...

LONDON (Reuters) - The threat of an al Qaeda attack from the sea remains an "absolute concern" and could intensify as operations on land are countered, the U.S. Navy's top commander in the Gulf told Reuters on Monday. Since the September 11 attacks on the United States, governments and security experts have repeatedly voiced fears about the vulnerability of the maritime industry, which carries more than 90 percent of the world's traded goods. "I don't think there is any question that as we thwart their attacks and disrupt their operations on land, that we should expect them to turn to...

Syria is deeper into criminal and terrorist activities than it usually gets credit for. Syria has long been recognized as a supporter of terrorist groups. Often this support was, and still is, open, with terrorist groups allowed to maintain their headquarters in Syria. But it's Syria's less well known activities that should be the greatest cause of concern. Syria's smuggling operations have been a major source of income for the small circle of people that run the country. Smuggling is an ancient enterprise, especially in the Middle East, and flourishes because countries have long imposed taxes on what is imported....

ABOARD USS CLEVELAND, Arabian Sea (NNS) -- Members of Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 1 are currently leading a group of six coalition ships conducting maritime security operations (MSO) in the North Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman. The strike group’s flagship, USS Tarawa (LHA 1) and the amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland (LPD 7) are joined by the guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79). The French ships Var (FS 608) and Lafayette (FS 710), and the Pakistani frigate Badr (PNS 181) round out the coalition task group. MSO are part of ESG-1’s regularly scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th...

WASHINGTON — Dozens of cargo ships chartered by the U.S. military to carry supplies and equipment to American forces worldwide are vulnerable to terrorist attacks while visiting ports in the Caribbean Sea, South America, Europe and Africa, a congressional watchdog agency has concluded. The General Accounting Office said officials in the U.S. Southern Command and the U.S. European Command generally do not require the chartered ships to submit detailed port security plans. Warships and cargo ships owned by the military must submit such plans. The GAO also reported that at least some chartered ships transiting the Mediterranean Sea and...