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Pirates raid supertanker at Iraq's Basra
16 Jun 2005 16:32:14 GMT
Source: Reuters
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(Adds security analyst comment para 10-13) By Stefano Ambrogi LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - Armed pirates raided a supertanker anchored close to Iraq's Basra oil export terminal in the early hours of Wednesday, in the latest serious security breach at the facility. Local ship agent Gulf Agency Company (GAC) said the raid comes only two weeks after pirates attacked the crew of a supertanker waiting to load crude oil at the southern deep water terminal where most of Iraq's crude oil is exported. Exports from Basra provide nearly all of Iraq's income. "The alert was sounded when watchmen found three men carrying long knives, a rifle and a machine gun on board the vessel. The pirates fled in a speed boat and no causalties have been reported," GAC said. The agent said merchant ships should be extremely cautious in and around the deepwater terminals and anchorages. "In light of this latest incident, robust anti-piracy procedures should be adopted," it said. Security worries have plagued Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in the spring of 2003. Only this week U.S.-led coalition naval forces increased patrols in and around Iraq's Basra oil terminals after two high-profile security scares. The U.S.'s Navy's Fifth Fleet, which helps co-ordinate maritime security in the Gulf, said security measures employed by the crew had foiled the attempted raid. "This was a good example of a ship having sound internal security measures that thwarted an attempt...they had alert watches and that is what we encourage all mariners to do," the U.S. Navy's Lieutenant Commander Charlie Brown told Reuters from Bahrain. But a maritime secuirty analyst, whose firm provides security in Iraq, said the incident was a serious breach. "The moment they get aboard the vessel you've lost," the analyst who did not want to be identified told Reuters. He said that if terrorists had got on board the outcome would have been far graver. "Because they are gaining control and there intent is absolute: to destroy the vessel, do destroy a target." Brown said there was nothing to indicate that the assailants were anything more than bandits. He said coalition forces took security very seriously and that their presence had increased overtly. Last week, the navy told Reuters coalition forces were only directly responsible for security at the oil terminals and not at the approaches or anchorages. SECURITY CONCERNS Piracy watchdog, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), said the incident once again raised serious questions over security. "It's pretty worrying because of everything that is happening in Iraq. We are monitoring the situation closely," Jayant Abhyankar, deputy director of the IMB, told Reuters. On May 31, pirates armed with AK-47 assault rifles stormed the Nord Millennium with a capacity of 300,000 tonnes anchored near Basra terminal. They assaulted the crew before making off with thousands of dollars in cash. In late April, security was tightened after an armed gang raided a wheat-carrying ship anchored in the vicinity. Security was stepped up last year at Basra oil terminal after al Qaeda's al-Zarqawi group carried out suicide boat attacks at the terminal.
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