Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Latest on Iranian "Dirty Bomb Ship"


Thanks to Findalis of Monkey in the Middle for this heads up

Update 26 Oct 08: From J Blog Central:

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Radarsite: Latest on Iranian "Dirty Bomb Ship"Thanks to Findalis of Monkey in the Middle for this heads upReport: Hijacked Iranian Ship Contained 'Dirty Bomb' for Israelby Hana Levi JulianFrom (IsraelNN.com)Web blogs all over the Internet are continuing to buzz about an Iranian ship that was hijacked... Dateline: 2008-10-22 5:03pm PT (953 words)

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Report: Hijacked Iranian Ship Contained 'Dirty Bomb' for Israel
by Hana Levi Julian
From (IsraelNN.com)

Web blogs all over the Internet are continuing to buzz about an Iranian ship that was hijacked last August by Somali pirates and which Russian sources warned contained a dirty bomb intended for Israel.

The hijacking passed largely unnoticed in the mainstream media, save a brief mention in the news on August 22 that reported that three vessels – Iranian, Japanese and German – and their 57 crew members were hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia. Several pirates died after they forced open part of the cargo.

The waterway connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Somalia, host to the longest coastline in Africa (1,880 miles), is an international piracy and terrorist hotspot. Foreign vessels are often seized by pirates in the area, who hold the ships and their crews for ransom.

According to its manifest, the MV Iran Devant had departed Nanjing, China on July 28 and was headed to Rotterdam to deliver 42,500 tons of iron ore and "industrial products" to an unidentified "German client." But the Iranian bulk carrier with 29 crew members, owned and operated by the U.S.-sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), was apparently transporting cargo considerably more significant than the average contraband.

The 40 pirates, armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) brought the ship to Eyl, a fishing village in northeastern Somalia, according to numerous bloggers. There a larger contingent of pirates took control of the vessel – 50 on board and 50 patrolling on the beach.

Initial attempts to inspect the ship's seven cargo containers failed. The pirates could not break into the holds and the crew swore they did not have access codes to the locks. The captain and engineer of the vessel evaded answering questions about the contents of the holds, despite threats by the pirates to blow up the ship. They first said the containers held crude oil, but then changed the story to say there were "minerals" in the holds.

When at last the pirates succeeded in opening one of the containers, they allegedly discovered packets of what they later reported to be "a powdery fine sandy soil." The pirates who had any exposure to the powder were reportedly struck down by illness and within days began to exhibit strange symptoms, including skin burns and hair loss. Sixteen of them died. Andrew Mwangura, director of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Program, was quoted by the South Africa Sunday Times in a September 28 interview, "There is something very wrong about that ship."

The vessel was released by the pirates on October 10, announced the IRISL public relations office, "after seven weeks of negotiations with Somali pirates." All 29 members of the crew were reported safe. Iran criticized world powers for its indifference toward the lack of security in international waters. IRISL, which is run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, added in its statement that the vessel was sailing towards international waters and it is not clear where the ship has gone since the report.

Russian Intelligence: Ship Was a Dirty Bomb Sent to Israel
U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials maintained a tight-lipped silence on the alleged incident. However, Russian intelligence sources reportedly said the ship was "an enormous floating dirty bomb, intending to detonate after exiting the Suez Canal at the eastern end of the Mediterranean and in proximity to the coastal cities of Israel.

"The entire cargo of radioactive sand," said the Russian sources, " [was] obtained by Iran from China (the latter buys desperately needed oil from the former) and sealed in containers which, when the charges on the ship are set off after the crew took to the boats, will be blasted high into the air where prevailing winds will push the highly dangerous and radioactive cloud ashore."

Several military web blogs have noted that had the ship's crew succeeded in reaching Israel's coastal waters with their deadly cargo, it would have been quite easy to escape the vessel in small boats and then detonate explosives on the vessel. The radioactive powder, which would have been blown into the air, would have been carried by the wind straight to Israel.

'Logically Not Reliable, But Nothing Impossible in the Middle East'
Dr. Ephraim Kam, deputy director of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), told Israel National News that the entire incident could easily have been a fiction -- or not. "Nothing is impossible in this region," said Kam, an IDF Colonel (res.) and former deputy director of the Research Division in the IDF's Military Intelligence, "but logically [the report] doesn't seem to be very reliable."

The reason, he said, is that such an attack on Israel would cost the Iranians dearly -- and he said they know it.

"First of all, because it could fail, and this would be the worst thing for them. I think that if at all, the timing is very bad for them, while they are trying to acquire their own nuclear weapons, when there is international pressure on them on that issue… It could give Israel the best excuse to attack their nuclear facilities.

"Also, if such an operation is successful, the outcome could be an Israeli strategic attack against the Iranians, which could be very costly for the Islamic Republic. Since the Iranians believe that Israel does have a nuclear arsenal, they have to take into account that Israel would respond by nuclear attack," he pointed out.

"If it is true, this incident could give Israel the best pretext to attack an Iranian nuclear site," said Kam. "Rationally, I tend to think it is no more than a good story."

Israeli government officials could not be reached for comment.

7 comments:

  1. Didn't one of your previous commenters claim that it couldn't be radioactive material?

    This was a very close call. The Iranians tried to pull it off and were stopped by Somali pirates. The next one might not be against Israel, but against Great Britain or the US. The ship would just have to enter a port, then explode.

    Iran has to be stopped. They aren't working with a full deck and will start a nuclear war.

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  2. You're right Findalis.
    I got quite a few comments basically denying the whole thing. Some made it sound laughable. The problem is -- the more we find out about it the more real it gets.
    And -- a bunch of pretty serious people -- like ACT -- are taking it pretty seriously.
    In our present world I for one will not dismiss reported threats out-of-hand until I know a lot about them. I think only fools do this.
    rg

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  3. So Russian issues statements, but the report may not be true????

    The pirates are gone...and the, possibly, radioactive cargo?????

    We have no way to know the truth of this report, I guess, but we would have thought 9/11 to be laughable until 9/11.

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  4. This is a very interesting blog, but I see no supporting documentation of the 'sources'. Could you kindly provide some descriptions of the 'russian sources'? The only reference to anything here was to some blogs, maybe links to those so we can check their sources.

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  5. This story is absurd. It could have been any non-military chemical. As for the "Russian intelligence" source, how reliable do you think that is? I could just make up a source like that, and you would never know. THE ENTIRE STORY is based on that source.

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  6. Well we have to take these reports seriously and continue to look for confirmation one way or another.

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  7. From Ben by email -
    By God, Roger, you have well and truly committed wisdom to text with extreme clarity. I am surprised to find that mine is the first comment. Surely this post will ignite a firestorm of controversy.

    You have not crossed the line, you are sane, sober and aware. Most neither know nor recognize the enemy; you do. All you can do is continue to sound the alarm bell; to shine the beacon of truth on the enemy and pray that the world will comprehend it.

    Yesterday I posted about a comment found on an Islamic blog. Here is the quote I cited:
    ...Soon Barack Obama will be the historical president of United State. He pointed out in which scriptures that we believe in. and he said “which passages or scriptures will guide public policy. should we guide with leviticus which which suggest that slavery is ok and eating shell fish is an abomination? Or we can go with deutoronomy which suggests stoning of child if it strays from your faith” and surely he will implement Shariah and the AMericans will live in the way of Islam. which is the BEST WAY OF LIFE!...

    That comment, from a Philippino, should boil the blood of every patriotic American who sees it. Yasmin is convinced that Obama will implement Sharia and put Allah's yoke of slavery on our necks. May God forbid it!!!

    You can read that post here: http://snooper.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/the-obama-abomination/

    Earlier, I uttered and published what I considered to be the ultimate condemnation of Obama: Obama: Muslim or Christian; What’s the Difference?Either he is Muslim and conceals it as a Mekkan Candidate, or he is a weak kneed Christian who lacks the courage & conviction required to condemn Islam's damnable doctrines of conquest, genocide & terror. Either way, he is unsuited for high office.

    The unsavory matter of Islam's war against Kuffar is outlined in another recent blog post: What's wrong with Islam/Muslims?

    Islam is aggressively violent, by design; irreparably. I quote Islamic law. ...If they believe and are faithful, they obey Allah’s commands by joining the Jihad, striving hard with their lives and their wealth. If not called to fight, they support Jihad with Zakat. How did the Holy Land Foundation raise $13M for Hamas?

    Between those conclusions, I cite the Sharia, scripture & tradition that makes it all crystal clear.

    Who has enough fortitude to read those posts and know the truth? Who has the courage to repost them and spread them throughout the country?

    If not us, who? If not now, when? Strike while the iron is hot; see to it that the demon spawn is not elected in two short weeks.

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