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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Ship with N. Korean weapons seized enroute to Syria |
| 2006-09-12 |
| heh heh The Republic of Cyprus has stopped a ship full of North Korean weapons systems bound for Syria. Officials said Greek Cypriot authorities responded to an alert by Interpol to capture a ship bound for Syria from North Korea. They said security agents found a mobile air defense system and components of a missile launcher. "We will implement the law, nothing more and nothing less," Cypriot Justice Minister Sophocles Sophocleous said on Monday. "And the political position will be expressed by the foreign minister." At this point, the Foreign Ministry has been examining the issue and maintaining contact with Damascus. This is the first time that the Republic of Cyprus was believed to have seized a suspected weapons ship to Syria. The ship, named the Panamanian-flagged Grigorio-1, reported a consignment of weather-observation equipment, officials said. But Interpol asserted that the freighter contained North Korean weapons systems and asked Nicosia to detain the ship for inspection. Officials did not identify the North Korean air defense system. But they reported 18 truck-mounted mobile radar systems and three command vehicles. The ship did not contain any missiles, officials said. They said the vessel carried irrigation pipes as well as components that could be part of a missile launcher. Officials said Damascus had asked Nicosia to release the seized shipment. They said the ship's manifest does not identify Syria as the consignee. NATO, which administers a program to halt suspected weapons of mass destruction shipments, has denied participation in the Cypriot operation. NATO has sought partners in Operation Active Endeavor, designed to monitor the Mediterranean for Al Qaida as well as WMD suppliers. On Monday, NATO hosted the seven-member Mediterranean Dialogue in London in an effort to increase military and security relations. NATO officials, in a conference co-sponsored by the Royal United Services Institute, urged Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia to cooperate with each other and the Western alliance in combating Al Qaida-aligned groups and their sponsors. The Grigorio-1 was tracked by Interpol for several months, officials said. They said the ship was seized on Sept. 5 when it sailed near Larnaca for refueling. Officials said Grigorio-1 left North Korea for the Middle East and stopped at several ports. They said the last leg of the journey began from Egypt's Port Said toward the Syrian port of Latakia. hmmmmm - wonder how they knew the ship was loaded with toys for Assad (and Hezbs, I assume)? |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #19 I've done my share of both crateology and craterology. You're a man of many talents, Old Patriot. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-12 22:25 |
| #18 6 - I've done my share of both crateology and craterology. I prefer the latter, because it means we did something. I'm sure a lot of Israeli PIs were looking for craters in Hezbuttland, and wished there were more of them, and in the right places. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-09-12 21:27 |
| #17 Needed to board a few stevedores with heavy work union vests for the cheap 300 mile cruise to touristy Latakia? (Apologies to the Army of Steves) |
| Posted by: Phineter Thraviger1073 2006-09-12 19:07 |
| #16 The fuel low warning light was blinking. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-09-12 18:49 |
| #15 I wonder why the ship had to stop near Lanarca to refuel to make the last 300 miles or so to Latakia. |
| Posted by: SwissTex 2006-09-12 18:36 |
| #14 Well its Syria isn't the consigneee then I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we push it all overboard (while out at sea) right? In the name of international peace that is.... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-09-12 18:15 |
| #13 Bah! North Korea is one of the major producers of Precisely Flat Rocks in the world! |
| Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2006-09-12 18:10 |
| #12 I tried all that years ago and the burning still would not subside. Recommend you see a real doc. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-09-12 18:06 |
| #11 I got a brochure full of NK trading companies offering all sorts of goods at a trade show in China a while back. Like what? Puree of Tree Bark? Moss Bouillon Supreme? Soup of Tall Grass with Special Beetle Garnish? |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-12 18:02 |
| #10 I believe our OP has a different skill, he's a CraterOligist. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-09-12 17:47 |
| #9 Why do the Chinese host trade shows, they make everything on the shelf at Depot, Lowes, and Walmart now? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-09-12 17:47 |
| #8 Believe it or not, North Korea does in fact engage in legitimate international trade. I got a brochure full of NK trading companies offering all sorts of goods at a trade show in China a while back. |
| Posted by: gromky 2006-09-12 17:44 |
| #7 ummmm, we'll get back to ya on that. |
| Posted by: Asshodd 2006-09-12 16:58 |
| #6 Officials said Damascus had asked Nicosia to release the seized shipment. They said the ship's manifest does not identify Syria as the consignee. Why, if they are not a consignee would they ask Nicosia anything? |
| Posted by: plainslow 2006-09-12 16:44 |
| #5 Officials said Damascus had asked Nicosia to release the seized shipment. They said the ship's manifest does not identify Syria as the consignee |
| Posted by: plainslow 2006-09-12 16:43 |
| #4 If we stop every one, they'll just look for alternative shipping methods. Unfortunately, they're already doing this. Our good friend and ally |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-12 16:02 |
| #3 Why we aren't stopping and searching every single boat bigger than a canoe that leaves North Korean waters is beyond me. Maybe we already know what is being shipped and which ones to nab? If we stop every one, they'll just look for alternative shipping methods. Just a guess. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2006-09-12 15:59 |
| #2 Officials said Damascus had asked Nicosia to release the seized shipment. They said the ship's manifest does not identify Syria as the consignee. "It's not for us, honest." |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2006-09-12 15:54 |
| #1 It's not like North Korea is exporting luxury footwear these days. Read "Deep Black" by William Burrows. NPIC (National Photo Interpretation Center) has specialists in what they call "crateology". It is a skill acquired by seasoned satellite photo-interpreters that allows them to make extremely educated guesses about what is inside of large packing crates. This served us well during the Cuban missile crisis and continues to be of use. Why we aren't stopping and searching every single boat bigger than a canoe that leaves North Korean waters is beyond me. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-12 15:41 |