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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 the sailors and marines who are based on HMS Cornwall.
They were said to be 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."
"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 UK claimed the men were "forcibly escorted" into Iranian territorial waters.
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.
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Bush attacks Iran over captives
President George W Bush has condemned Iran's "inexcusable behaviour" after its capture of 15 Royal Navy personnel. The US leader added that he would "strongly support" the British government over the crisis.
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[ This Message was edited by: Xugaa on 2007-04-01 00:54 ]
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Posted: 2007-03-23 13:33:52
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Again this is yet one more reason why our forces shouldn't be in that region in the first place.
Our government thinks that by staying the course with the great satan the U.S will somehow bring democracy in Iraq, well i've got some news for them, Democracy will never come to Iraq or Iran for that matter, they are people with different cultures and traditions, we are only making life harder for them and of course ourselves by staying there....best to pull out now and leave them alone, the U.S has caused enough death and distruction!
War with Iran is very likely, don't think that lunatic bush will rest until he's launched some kind of military strike.
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Posted: 2007-03-23 14:27:36
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I have a friend who is going to be driving through Iran next month on his way to china. I am not sure it is a good idea myself.
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Posted: 2007-03-23 14:29:49
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Personally I think that once Saddam and his heirarchy of followers were removed there was no reason to be in Iraq at all, I think we should have left a long while ago and just left them to it, and I think we should just pull out now completely, reducing the troops gradually like we're doing is just endangering our already stretched and vulnerable troops. I am though in full support of the war in Afganistan and think that that should become our priority concern for the meantime. I personally think that Iran like the US is looking for trouble, they weren't even in their own waters when this happened...
[ This Message was edited by: Xugaa on 2007-03-23 13:36 ]
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Posted: 2007-03-23 14:30:46
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On 2007-03-23 14:29:49, jcwhite_uk wrote:
I have a friend who is going to be driving through Iran next month on his way to china. I am not sure it is a good idea myself.
I don't think it should be a problem driving through Iran, as long as he has no connections with Mi5 or Mi6 he should be fine!
it would have been dangerous if it was Iraq but Iran isn't like that, they are a peacefull people.
the only danger is something might stir up while he's inside Iran, so thats the gamble.
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Posted: 2007-03-23 14:35:39
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I would still say it was dangerous, it's his choice of course but I would certainly advise otherwise. Like you say Axxxr, Iran might be more "peaceful" but I certainly wouldn't consider it a safe place to go at all.
"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."
[ This Message was edited by: Xugaa on 2007-03-23 13:42 ]
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Posted: 2007-03-23 14:39:32
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They'd better let the sailors go or there'll be trouble.
I've a friend in the Royal Navy, not sure where he is at the moment though.
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Posted: 2007-03-23 14:42:26
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On 2007-03-23 14:42:26, goldenface wrote:
They'd better let the sailors go or there'll be trouble.
I've a friend in the Royal Navy, not sure where he is at the moment though.
Family Information Line - 0845 7800 900
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Posted: 2007-03-23 14:43:45
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It's the "routine patrol" bit that should have us all at attention... Routine??? Car smugglers??? De Menezes was shot following a "routine stakeout"! Hitler introduced his "patriot-act" following a routine-Reichstag-Brand"... No routine in a crazy conext... NO routine!
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Posted: 2007-03-24 08:57:39
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@ maggflodd, 'routine' indeed! Remember the tanks at Heathrow... ??? Today the UN PLACED sanctions on Iran because they want nuclear thisorthat.,- how much more reasonable does that sound, when Iran acts oh so unreasonably - I mean, according to, eh, THE press the Iranians went as far as arresting them 'at gunpoint'! How dare they - British occupation forces illegally in your waters, and you arrest them at 'gunpoint'... Iranians, you need to pass a patriot act before you can get away with that!
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Posted: 2007-03-24 21:54:08
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