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| Down Under |
| Whaling protesters held |
| 2012-01-08 |
| THE Gillard government is grappling with a diplomatic crisis over three Australian environmental activists being held on board a Japanese whaling fleet ship and facing possible criminal charges in Japan. The protesters climbed aboard the security ship Shonan Maru No. 2 in darkness on Saturday night off the south coast of Western Australia. Their brazen attack - exposing the inadequacy of a recent multimillion-dollar security upgrade on the whaling fleet - was aimed at trying to force the Japanese ship to halt its pursuit of the anti-whaling flagship Steve Irwin. The two vessels were still locked together and heading south last night, about 14 nautical miles off WA. Attorney-General Nicola Roxon earlier conceded that the protesters may be taken to Japan, and said the government was now pursuing diplomatic options for their quick return from the ship. ''There are a range of different options that could occur for the transfer of these people back into Australian control,'' she said. ''We are now determined to do all we can to ensure the safety and the wellbeing of these three Australians and hopefully their prompt return to Australia.'' But Ms Roxon said the government had limited legal scope because the three had boarded the Japanese vessel in Australia's exclusive economic zone, not its territorial waters. She said that under international law it was now likely the lead jurisdiction would be Japan. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #7 If this pic is anything to go by, they should get life, no double-life. Just might wipe the smug look from their faces. |
| Posted by: tipper 2012-01-08 21:39 |
| #6 The good news is that the Green/Left in its general ignorance of everything wants the Federal government to do something, which of course it can't unless the Japanese ship enters Australian waters. Hopefully the Japanese will make an example of these idiots. A diet of whalemeat for the next 6 months would be a nice bonus. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2012-01-08 17:35 |
| #5 The last time one of these idiots did this, was after they decided to sell that poorly designed high tech boat to the insurance company by using it to ram a Japanese whaler. Then its captain boarded the Japanese ship with the idea of "arresting" its captain. After being taken to Japan, the Japanese foolishly gave him a suspended sentence, despite the aggravated circumstances of his offense and a sentence of three years. However, Japanese criminal law is remarkably fickle, and hopefully their patience has run out for these twits. Three years each in a Japanese prison would do much to adjust their attitudes. And thinking about Japanese prison reminds me of the hilariously ultraviolent and ridiculous movie, The Story of Ricky (highlights), clearly NSFW because of stupid levels of grotesque. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2012-01-08 13:58 |
| #4 From the link in comment 1: " return us to shore and leave these waters.." wsa the mesage from the protesters. assuming the Japanese would have been in a 'remove them from the ship' mindset, a quick push over the side kinda gets them shorebound. Whether they make it all the way to the real shore, or the submerged part of it would be up to King Neptune..... |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2012-01-08 13:08 |
| #3 Apparently not, when you're a leftist with 'noble intentions'... |
| Posted by: Raj 2012-01-08 11:24 |
| #2 Isn't attacking and boarding a ship considered...piracy? |
| Posted by: PBMcL 2012-01-08 11:17 |
| #1 Sea Shepherd protestors may be tried in Japan after boarding |
| Posted by: john frum 2012-01-08 10:38 |