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Three Silent Ships

Either it DOES contain the war heads
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Doesn't have to be war heads - could be barrels of chemicals capable of being used to make chemical weapons. (just being pedantic)

Also, have the govts of the US or UK actually admitted that they are watching these ships as all I've seen is the Indie newspaper but no official report from the govt etc. Could be just a paper theorizing?
 
 
.. all I've seen is the Indie newspaper but no official report from the govt etc. Could be just a paper theorizing?
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No. More likely, much more likely, it's a word from the wise.

The source is said to be "authoritative shipping industry sources". That's polari for someone vaguely official who would not be named.

So true or not, the story is being deliberately propagated. It is official, at some level, but not necessarily accurate. You can guarantee that no civil servant will talk about it.

The Independent and other British newspapers are regularly used as channels for such vague information. The editors and star journalists are all regularly briefed.

Perhaps they're looking for a reaction somewhere else. Perhaps in reality they're tracking 50 ships and they're looking to see which 4 start acting differently. You can never tell. Or perhaps this is just part of the general build up of background noise that makes war seem necessary and inevitable.
 
ghost dog said:
What has become increasingly hard for governments is fooling the general public since we've all become sceptic conspiracy theorists...don't trust your government is a more common by word. perhaps they're playing the theorists at their own game....

with a cynic born every minute with a built in Bullshitometer I bet te governments thinking, we'll give them a ghost ship...hell they've been waiting ages, lets give them three.

;)
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check your Bullshit resistance here
 
Dark Detective said:
Maybe its another Ourang Medan style incident.
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Yeah...maybe they won't answer because they're all dead? Spooky.
 
ethelred said:
the ships stopped in Yemen, Syria and Jordan before taking off to poodle around the Indian Ocean.
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So to repeat my question with reiteration...

Are Yemen, Syria and Jordan Friendly with Iraq and if so would they knowingly allow them to move WMD through them?
 
Niles Calder said:
Are Yemen, Syria and Jordan Friendly with Iraq and if so would they knowingly allow them to move WMD through them?
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I can see the obvious 'hole' you're picking at.

As to 'friendly', I wouldn't claim any of Iraq's neighbours are that exactly, and participation in a deception such as this would be running a huge risk, what with the heated climate in the region at present. Discovery would surely bring down a terrible vengence at the hands of a U.S. administration itching to employ force majeure on perceived 'rogue states'.

Jordan? I'd say they are not likely to play any role in such a scheme. Yemen? I don't know anything about the country frankly. Syria? Possibly the most likely to play ball, but not motivated by 'friendship'—more like hard cash or runny oil. I must say, however, it all sounds a little far fetched.

Incidently, I'm sure you've all seen it but for those who may not have: http://www.coxar.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ - all the links on it work - have a click!
 
Then we definitely ought to sink them.
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Hell, the Indian Ocean may be able to deal with the chemicals of Saddam - but I doubt it would survive the effects of a load of 18 to 30 holiday makers:D
 
Niles Calder said:
So to repeat my question with reiteration...

Are Yemen, Syria and Jordan Friendly with Iraq and if so would they knowingly allow them to move WMD through them?
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the following from Reuters website...

"The Independent said the ships were thought to have set sail from a country other than Iraq to avoid Western naval patrols. It quoted defense experts as saying the ships' cargo could have been smuggled through Syria or Jordan.

The paper said the ships had been chartered by an Egypt-based shipping agent and were flying under the flags of three different nations.

The newspaper said the vessels were thought to have spent much of their time in the Indian Ocean. They had berthed in a handful of Arab countries, including Yemen, it said, but gave no specific details as to where they may be now".

'Friendly' doesnt come into it. They could smuggle anything through 3 countries whos officials are well open to bribery.

or they could move stuff in Customs sealed 40' boxes under Carnet de Passage.
 
Has anyone spotted any follow-up on this story or did it just fizzle out?
 
This one seems to have completely fizzled out - maybe they are holding it in reserve when they need extra evidence?
 
I was thinking about this one over the weekend

three mystery ships who have broken international maritime laws and are suspected of containing Saddams WOMD steam around within striking distance of Diego Garcia US base, and the gung ho US military does nothing?

maybe the much vaunted SEALS are on their tea break?

nothing on Google (news - mystery ships Indian Ocean) since mid-Feb, except a dead conspiracy link...

The war of double standards
Malaysia Kini, Malaysia - 24 Mar 2003
... many, remember the o_ne about the three ships ... said to be ‘loitering’ at the Indian
Ocean ... military expression ‘secured’ is also a mystery ...

disinformation?
 
The report, if it's true, sounds like a leak. We may be tracking the ships, and they may be in radio silence, but that doesn't mean we don't know what the cargo is...

In fact, our governments may have been instrumental in it. If it's that top secret, they may not want ANY kind of radio contact to or from the vessels...

Reminds me of the big cloning ship or whatever it was in the X-Files...

Or it could all be rubbish...
 
this is all I could find!

seventy three men sailed up on three ships today

from the unknown place carrying who's to say rolled off of their ship
and heres what they had to say
we're calling everyone to ride along

to another shore
we can laugh our lives away
and be free once more

no one heard them calling
no one came at all

cause they were too busy watching

those old raindrops fall

as a storm was blowin
out on a peaceful sea

seventy three men sailing on to history



ride captain ride upon your mystery ship

be amazed at the friends you're having on your trip

ride captain ride upon your mystery ship

on your way to a world that others might have missed
 
Ruff:

Dadgummit, you've tickled a synapse there!

I recall hearing on the radio a DJ telling a story about that song. Apparently the band got a visit from "the authorities" who wanted to know how they found out "what they knew" when they wrote that song.

Ok, totally unsubstantiated UL there. Maybe I can dig up some details on this.
 
JackSkellington said:
The report, if it's true, sounds like a leak. We may be tracking the ships, and they may be in radio silence, but that doesn't mean we don't know what the cargo is...

In fact, our governments may have been instrumental in it. If it's that top secret, they may not want ANY kind of radio contact to or from the vessels...

Reminds me of the big cloning ship or whatever it was in the X-Files...

Or it could all be rubbish...
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one theory I've heard is that these ships will be (A) mined (B) crewed by Fedayeen fanatics. Light the blue touchpaper if approached by Navy vessel. If this is the case, it would make sense to leave it until after Saddam is gone then say "Hey lads. You can come in now"

interesting that while we've had sattelite pics of dogs farting in Baghdad, we've seen no pics of the ships?

it could indeed be all rubbish
 
Sat picks of WMD wouldn't exactly be revealing though i.e. this is a missile it may have Sarin in its war head, these are drums which may have VX gas in it. We wouldn't believe it.

I think the three ships are either

1) A rogue report which went out on the wires and is unsubstantiated (wasn't it just a "shipping industry insider" which spoke of it - no other corroboration.

2) something the Intel community know about but don't want mentioned yet.

And I think its answer no 1
 
ninja said:
Sat picks of WMD wouldn't exactly be revealing though i.e. this is a missile it may have Sarin in its war head, these are drums which may have VX gas in it. We wouldn't believe it.

I think the three ships are either

1) A rogue report which went out on the wires and is unsubstantiated (wasn't it just a "shipping industry insider" which spoke of it - no other corroboration.

2) something the Intel community know about but don't want mentioned yet.

And I think its answer no 1
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the pics of WOMAD they released are silly. I came accross one the other day (which I'll try to dig out) that had fuzzy shots of urban buildings marked 'Chem warfare carrying truck', Bio storage plant', etc. It could have been Milton Keynes Tesco

interesting that after the one initial report, nothing

and if the ships do contain WOMAD, theres the 'smoking gun' that has so far, embarrasingly eluded the allies

MOD said 'We never comment on security matters'. But of course they do. Just not this one

if these ships did / do exist, they must dock sometime and be boarded and the result reported?

unless they do a Flying Dutchman. Or vanish from the radar in mid Indian Ocean? Three more cruise missiles arent going to be missed?
 
ethelred said:
the pics of WOMAD they released are silly. I came accross one the other day (which I'll try to dig out) that had fuzzy shots of urban buildings marked 'Chem warfare carrying truck', Bio storage plant', etc. It could have been Milton Keynes Tesco
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No - Milton Keynes is worse than any WMD - you get trapped in the infernal roundabouts :mad:

The report suggested the "ships" were being supplied by other ships coming out to meet them. Now theres an opportunity to sneak some forces on them to take the ships.
 
Re: "Ride Captain, Ride"

From one hit wonder group : Blues Image Ltd

I turned up a purported Scientology Link!
"I had been an active Scientologist for a decade, having been in the 'elite', and fascist, "sea organization", joining them for the voyage of the Bolivar out of San Francisco Harbor (immortalized by the 1970 hit song, "Ride, Captain, Ride upon your mystery ship...73 sailors set sail, out of San Francisco bay, here's some of the things that they had to say.."). "
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[edit:] yet more!
(I'll kick this into a new thread if there's need for further discussion of this.)

URL
Does anyone know the background of this song's lyrics. Many years ago I read a story about speculation that the song referred to the ill-fated USS Pueblo.
The song came out in 69/70 about a year or so after the ship's capture. The speculation revolved some of these lyrics:

"mystery ship" - a spy ship

"73 men sailed from San Francisco Bay - the Pueble was refit in Bremerton Washington and then stopped in San Francisco before going overseas to her new home in Yokosuka Japan. On her first mission she was captured. The crew number varied but 73 would have been close.

"out on the peaceful sea". The Sea of Japan and/or the straights between Korea and Japan are translated in either Japanese or Korean as "peaceful sea"
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URL
This song was based on a true event, the seizing of the USS Pueblo by North Koreans circa 1968.
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USS Pueblo veteran's site, discusses the history of the Peublo's capture

quote from former band member Kent Henry:
““Ride Captain Ride” was kind of a fluke thing that was thrown together in the studio. The song starts with the line, “73 men sailed.” Mike, the singer, had started writing the song when he was driving on route 73. So, all of a sudden in the studio he said ...“73 men sailed,” and that’s how we came up with it. All these people thought we wrote it about the Pueblo incident. (The USS Pueblo was a naval vessel that was seized off the coast of North Korea in 1968.) We were like “yeah right.” Mike actually wrote it for his kids. “Ride Captain Ride” is about Star Trek
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-----------------------
to summarize:
1. Scientologists think it's about Hubbard's exile
2. Common folklore is that it is about the capture of the USS Pueblo
3. former band member says it's all bollocks
 
Good lord, so Saddam passed his WMD on to Scientologists? And they have a facility right near the DC metro...
 
It appears to be a dead story according to ABC:

Feb. 20 — U.S. intelligence officials, speaking to ABCNEWS, reject reports that they are tracking three cargo vessels across the Indian Ocean hoarding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, as was reported this week by England's The Independent. According to a military source familiar with such investigations, while anywhere between 80 to 100 vessels are currently being monitored by intelligence organizations, they do not include the three ships identified by The Independent.

Quoting a source in the shipping industry, The Independent reported that Iraq was capable of hiding its weaponry on the high seas, specifically on three vessels based out of Egypt, sailing under different country flags that have suspiciously maintained "radio silence" for several months.

Lee Adamson, press officer at the U.N. International Maritime Organization in London, said there is nothing unusual about chartered tankers staying out of contact for months at a time.

"Despite what The Independent is reporting, there is no international or maritime law that requires ships to maintain radio contact or report their positions," Adamson said. "In fact, it is quite common in the oil industry for ships to be chartered without their destinations being reported, in hopes of keeping their rivals guessing."

So move along.
 
"Despite what The Independent is reporting, there is no international or maritime law that requires ships to maintain radio contact or report their positions," Adamson said. "In fact, it is quite common in the oil industry for ships to be chartered without their destinations being reported, in hopes of keeping their rivals guessing."
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and

So move along.
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Whoa, hold on there!
Even if the behavior of these ships is SOP, we've still got the fact that somebody floated this little conspiracy theory. Presumably to build up paranoia about Saddam. Now, it could just be an typically ignorant reporter going for a sensationalist angle.
 
Now, it could just be an typically ignorant reporter going for a sensationalist angle.
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Surely not!

How could you even suggest such a thing?
 
I like the idea of huge tankers steaming silently about the place with sinister purpose

strange the intel lot havent used this story as their excuse for not turning up WOMAD

or even Saddam and Osama

I feel a movie script coming on
 
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