Iranians seize 15 British Marines in Persian Gulf

Questerr · #1 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 06:04 AM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6484279.stm

Quote:

UK sailors captured at gunpoint
Fifteen British Navy personnel have been captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces, the Ministry of Defence says.
The men were seized at 1030 local time when they boarded a boat in the Gulf, off the coast of Iraq, which they suspected was smuggling cars.

The Royal Navy said it was doing everything it could to secure the release of its personnel, who are based on HMS Cornwall.

It added that the men had been carrying out a routine patrol in Iraqi waters.

The Ministry of Defence said: "The group boarding party had completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters.

"We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level.

"The British government is demanding the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment."

It is understood the men being held are safe and well.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has summoned the Iranian ambassador in London to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in an attempt to get the men released as quickly as possible.

In a statement, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell, also called for their immediate release.

"Whatever the rights and wrongs of military action, British forces in Iraq are now there with the authority of a UN security council resolution... and the Iranian government should be left in no doubt of the serious implications of their action," he said.

The incident comes as British Army Colonel Justin Masherevski, who is based in Iraq, says most of the violence against UK forces in Basra is being engineered by Iranian elements.

Col Masherevski said Iran was providing "sophisticated weaponry" to insurgents and "Iranian agents" were paying local men to attack British troops.

In 2004, Iran detained eight British servicemen for three days after they allegedly strayed over the maritime border.

The UK claimed the men were "forcibly escorted" into Iranian territorial waters.

While they were being held, the men were paraded blindfold and made to apologise on Iranian TV before their release was agreed.

The BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said the difference this time, and a cause of concern, is that the present Iranian government under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was much more hardline.

"The political climate is worse with Britain among those confronting Iran over its controversial nuclear programme," he added.

By the looks of the location, the seizure occured either in internaitonal or Iraqi territorial waters. That would make this an act of piracy.

Matt-A · #2 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 06:12 AM

If not an act of war

merjoem32 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 07:55 AM

As long as the Iranians do not do something stupid like hurt or torture them, then everything will work out just fine. If the servicemen were on Iranian waters, then the Iranians have a right to detain them.

africanhope · #4 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 08:08 AM

The facts are still murky, the borders in the gulf arevery tight, and mistakes can be made either way. So if this occured in Irianian waters, then the British commited an act of piracy, if it was in Iraq or international waters, well....

But we can not make too much of it untill or the facts are clear. I also can not see that the Iranians will torture them, what would be the use?

Time for the doplomats I guess

JP5 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 09:30 AM

Looks like IRAN just finally may have committed a fatal act.

Bad news for Iran.

ashleykennedy · #6 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP5";p=&quot

Looks like IRAN just finally may have committed a fatal act.

Bad news for Iran.

That or the Iranians want to trade them for the 5 Iranian diplomats taken into custody at gun point.

kaka100 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 10:47 AM

It's hard to belive that British Marines would just go travelling on Iranian national waters......What bothers me is how did Iranian ships approach the HMS without being spotted on radar.........Their not that good.

Questerr · #8 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

It's hard to belive that British Marines would just go travelling on Iranian national waters......What bothers me is how did Iranian ships approach the HMS without being spotted on radar.........Their not that good.

From the way it reads, I think the Marines were away from the ship in a launch inspecting a merchant vessel. That would have given the Iranians enough time to move in.

Johnderondon · #9 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP5";p=&quot

Looks like IRAN just finally may have committed a fatal act.

Bad news for Iran.

It wasn`t fatal for Iran last time they did it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/3826179.stm

DuH2 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 01:53 PM

Not too long ago there was a report about Iran maye tryign to take Allied Soldiers becasue we had taken their Terroroist go betweens in Iraq.

If thats the case then shoot the go betweens and tell the Iranians they have 48 hours to hand over the Marines or its an act of war.

Don't leave it in the hands of John and ashley types.or we'll be buying(literally) the Marines back while blaming the UK for it.

The last time they did something similar it lasted 3 days and Iran was rather bluntly told to give them back or else.

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