Russian inspectors: Arctic Sea only carried timber cargo

Russians deny Sunday Times story

print this

So far, Russian inspectors have found only lumber in the cargo hold of the Finnish-owned, Maltese-registered ship, the Arctic Sea, which was hijacked in late July while en route from Finland to Algeria.
      Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed suspicions that the ship would have been carrying an unauthorised cargo of weaponry.
      The Russian crew members were rescued near Cape Verde by the Russian Navy in August, and Russian authorities investigating the matter have been inspecting the ship and questioning both members of the crew and the suspected hijackers.
     
The British newspaper The Sunday Times wrote over the weekend that hidden in the vessel were SS-300 missile systems being sent to Iran.
      The paper quoted Russian and Israeli sources for the story.
      “Everything is out in the open. I hope that everyone is assured that the rumours that you are referring to are completely without foundation”, Lavrov said on Tuesday, while answering a journalist’s question on a possible arms shipment.
      There have also been previous denials of any secret cargoes. Officials say, however, that the vessel will be thoroughly inspected when it arrives at a Russian port on the Black Sea.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Russian Navy rescues Actic Sea crew near Cape Verde (18.8.2009)
  NBI: no knowledge of alleged weapons cargo on Actic Sea (7.9.2009)
  Crew of Actic Sea released after nearly two weeks (31.8.2009)
  Russia giving out little information on Actic Sea mystery (25.8.2009)

Links:
  Times On Line, 6.9.2009: Missing channel pirate ship carried Russian arms for Iran

Helsingin Sanomat