PLANETDATA / MARITIME SECURITY NEWS

PlanetData - The Security News Network is a free news and information resource focused on maritime, global, corporate, cyber, homeland and aviation security, law enforcement and intelligence. PlanetData hosts timely and comprehensive content gathered from over 1,000 online sources, as well as from our editors, contributors and members. This newsletter entry carries a summary of PlanetData’s weekly maritime security roundup.

• Somalia: Pirates Seize Ship Allegedly Smuggling Weapons to Somalia

Nov 10, 2009 — It is being reported that Somali pirates on Sunday hijacked an UAE-flagged cargo ship that is carrying weapons bound for Somalia, which if true violates the UN arms embargo against the Horn of Africa nation. The ship is being held near Garacade.

In other maritime piracy news, a hijacking attempt was made on the massive crude oil tanker, the Hong Kong-flagged BW Lion. This is the most long-range attack yet made by Somali pirates as it occurred more than 1,100 mile east of Mogadishu and about 460 miles northeast of the Seychelles.

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• South Korea: Korean Navies Exchange Fire

Nov 10, 2009 — The North and South Korean navies exchanged fire in open waters Tuesday in the Yellow Sea near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) - the disputed maritime border. The South has admitted to firing warning shots at a North Korean naval patrol boat, and the North admits returning fire, but what is in dispute is whether the North's boat crossed the NLL.

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• Navy Commissioning Newest Battleship Today

Nov 7, 2009 — Today (11/7) in New York City, the U.S. Navy is commissioning its newest battleship, the USS New York. The bow of the ship is forged from steel from the World Trade Center. New York is the fifth ship in the LPD 17 San Antonio class of amphibious transport dock ships.

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• Israel: Israel Wanted to Bomb Ship Smuggling Arms to Hezbollah

Nov 6, 2009 — U.S. officials were able to dissuade Israel from bombing the weapons smuggling cargo ship that Israeli commandos intercepted earlier this week. A-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper was first to report this news, which was based on unnamed Israeli sources. The crew and owners of the ship apparently had no idea what type of cargo they were carrying in the sealed containers. Hezbollah, and the governments of Syria and Iran deny any involvement in the 500 tons of weapons and ammunition seized by Israel.

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