(December 21st 2001)
HMS Sutherland Intercepts Terror Ship
HMS Sutherland has joined anti-terrorist police and HM Customs & Excise in apprehending a ship suspected of carrying 'terrorist material'. The Devonport based Type 23 Frigate intercepted the MV Nisha in international waters off the Sussex coast on Friday, December 21st.
As Sutherland trailed by a few hundred metres, rigid inflatable craft approached the cargo vessel carrying Royal Navy and anti-terrorist personnel. They boarded the Nisha at approximately 0800 hours GMT. An initial search of the vessel found nothing, so HMS Sutherland escorted the Nisha to Sandown Bay off the Isle of Wight, so a more detailed inch-by-inch inspection could take place. Sutherland then left the scene on Saturday.
Despite suggestions that the vessel would be moved to a more secure location - possibly Portsmouth Dockyard - so investigators could sift through her cargo, Nisha was eventually allowed to go on her way.
The 24 year old cargo vessel, owned by the Great Eastern Shipping Company, was carrying 26,000-tonnes of raw sugar to the Tate & Lyle sugar refinery in Silverton, East London. Although she started her journey in Mauritius, the Nisha recently docked at Djibouti, next to Somalia, where the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation is said to operate.
Although the police claimed to be acting on a 'credible tip-off', they failed to be specific on the precise nature of the threat.
Meanwhile a separate intelligence operation is said to be targeting 20 ships that are believed to have conncetions with Al-Qaedia.