Author:
Publication: www.hinduvoice.net
Date: December 20, 2003
URL: http://www.hinduvoice.net/cgi-bin/maillist/mojo.cgi?flavor=archive&id=20031220164951&list=HV
A boat containing drugs possibly
linked to al-Qaeda has been seized in the Gulf, the US military says.
US Central Command reports that
the wooden dhow was intercepted near the Strait of Hormuz by the destroyer
USS Decatur.
Twelve people on board were detained
after it was found to be carrying almost two tons of hashish valued at
up to $10m, a Centcom statement said.
There were "clear ties" between
the shipment and al-Qaeda, it added.
BBC Pentagon correspondent Nick
Childs says the finding is potentially significant - the clear implication
is that this was a smuggling operation designed to help finance the al-Qaeda
network.
The US military says that smuggling
routes in this region are known to be used by al-Qaeda.
'No documentation'
The destroyer was conducting "expanded
maritime interception operations" when the 40-foot dhow was intercepted
on Monday about 1100 local time (0700GMT).
This is a vital part of winning
the global war on terror
US Navy Rear Admiral Jim Stavridis
A team from the warship is said
to have boarded the vessel and discovered 54 70-pound (31.8 kg) bags of
hashish.
The boarding team also discovered
that the vessel did not have proper documentation either of its nationality
or cargo, Centcom said.
Of the 12 people detained, four
are believed to have links to al-Qaeda.
US officials said the fate of the
vessel and its crew would be decided after further investigation by legal
authorities.
"This capture is indicative of the
need for continuing maritime patrol of the Gulf in order to stop the movement
of terrorists, drugs and weapons," Rear Admiral Jim Stavridis of the US
Navy said.
"This is a vital part of winning
the global war on terror."
