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| Iraq |
| Al-Qaeda ’biggest threat’ to navy |
| 2003-03-10 |
| Al-Qaeda may have plans to attack British warships in the Gulf, according to the Royal Navy's commander in the region. Rear Admiral David Snelson said information provided by captured al-Qaeda suspects made it clear suicide bombers in high-powered speedboats packed with explosives could be sent to ram the vessels. He said this was the biggest threat facing his forces. Admiral Snelson said the danger would instantly increase the moment war with Iraq began. More than 130 warships and auxiliary vessels are now crowded into the Gulf. Most are American, but about 30 are British. Lot of targets in a small area. Admiral Snelson said warning shots had already been fired at small boats approaching the ships at high speed. He said: "We know al-Qaeda are active within this region. "There are a lot of small high speed boats operating in the region, and it is one of the challenges to know whether they are smugglers, a fishing boat, or a high speed boat with hostile intent." I'm sure that the smugglers and fishermen have been warned to stay clear and to keep the speed down. Al-Qaeda was blamed for an attack on USS Cole in October 2000 which killed 17 American sailors and another last year which killed Bulgarian crewman on board the French merchant ship Limburg. In both cases militants approached warships in tiny boats and detonated explosives. Admiral Snelson said the security of British ships was being boosted by seals trained by US naval marine biologists to seek out terrorist frogmen carrying limpet mines. PETA is very upset about it, too. "They're very good at detecting underwater movement," he said. British naval forces, armed with machine guns and night vision goggles, are also patrolling in small vessels and helicopters, watching out for sneak attacks. The closer we get, the quicker the warning shots will come. And closer to the boat involved. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #7 The Shkvals: If they get close enough to launch, there are no effective countermeasures. The damn things scare the snot out of me. I'd hate to find out how effective their ability to launch via torpedo boats or small aircraft is while Im watching video of the USS Nimitz on fire and serverly listing in the straits of Hormuz. If "I were admiral", I'd sink everything that has a radar return that isnt flying old glory or a union jack. I makes me nervous as hell that we have 6 of 12 carrier battle groups in such a small area of the world. |
| Posted by: Frank Martin 2003-03-10 22:59:52 |
| #6 Shkvals are plenty nasty, but it's hard to see how Al Q could launch one, unless ol' bin laden has acquired more substantial vessels than small speed boats. Launching a torpedo of this nature is alot more involved than simply racing in and blowing yourself up with a bunch of explosives (the human torpedo approach). |
| Posted by: jonesy 2003-03-10 18:25:15 |
| #5 Frank, don't forget the Kursk. |
| Posted by: Brian 2003-03-10 16:48:16 |
| #4 The shkval I worry about these guys using this weapon almost as much as I worry about them getting their hands on WMD's. |
| Posted by: Frank Martin 2003-03-10 13:33:00 |
| #3 Bet we can beat it if we use the 5 inch gun! It will sure get the boat crews attention. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-03-10 13:18:44 |
| #2 No way! That can't be done. You can try though. |
| Posted by: RW 2003-03-10 11:43:53 |
| #1 Forget firing until you see the whites of their eyes. Time to start practicing to break Canada's sniper record from Afghanistan. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-03-10 11:14:24 |