|
Cyprus detained Iran arms ship en route to Syria
Cypriot authorities on Thursday detained an Iranian arms ship en route to Syria, a European diplomatic source said. The move apparently came after Israel and the United States requested that Cyprus stop the ship. It is carrying a large amount of weaponry, including artillery rounds and rockets that Israel believes are destined for either Hezbollah or Hamas. The vessel left the Persian Gulf a few weeks ago and reached about 60 miles from Cyprus' port city of limassol on Wednesday. Since the ship was flying Cyprus' flag, the Cypriot authorities were the only ones authorized to confiscate its cargo. According to the diplomat, Cypriot customs officials had contacted the Iranian boat and demanded that it sail to limassol to be checked. The U.S. navy had earlier detained the ship in the Red Sea, but was forced to release it Tuesday when it became apparent that there was no legal basis for holding it. At a press conference in Washington, Admiral Mike Mullen, who heads the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said although American naval personnel boarded the ship and found the weapons, they had no legal authority to impound the arms. He also said he believes the ship is heading for Syria. Mullen suggested that more stringent resolutions by the UN Security Council would be required, stating clearly that Iran is violating standards against arms smuggling. Posted by: Fred 2009-01-30 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=261148 |