Australian citizen Benjamin Potts been taken hostage

[fredie]

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001028,00.html TWO protesters have been taken hostage and tied to the radar mast of a Japanese whaling vessel in the Southern Ocean, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society claims.

Australian citizen Benjamin Potts and British citizen Giles Lane, activists aboard the Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin, boarded the Japanese whaling vessel Yashin Maru No 2 this afternoon, a statement from the group said.

The statement, sent from aboard the Steve Irwin, said Mr Potts and Mr Giles had been taken hostage and have been tied to a radar mast.

The captain of the Japanese vessel has refused the demand of the Steve Irwin's captain Paul Watson to release the pair immediately.

The two men boarded the vessel to hand the captain a letter advising that the crew was "illegally killing whales".

The action came after the Federal Court outlawed whaling in Australian Antarctic waters in a ruling the government said it would not try to enforce.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society earlier reported that the crew of the Steve Irwin had located five whaling vessels at 11.15am (AEDT).

"Sea Shepherd is demanding that Australia and Great Britain demand an immediate release of these two crew members," the Society said.

[Pwalo]

Let's hope they keep him. How can you be taken hostage if you board another vessel? Well I guess they refuse to let you get off, but it looks a bit like a publicity stunt. (Surely not).

[Street Gerbil]

I am almost certain that coming aboard without permission is a felony under the maritime law.

[Flatcap]

"Sea Shepherd is demanding that Australia and Great Britain demand an immediate release of these two crew members," the Society said.

I assume then that walking the plank is an option...

[Okey Dokey]

I've heard that the 2 boarders poured acid on the deck and tried to interfere with the crew running the ship. Sounds to me like they needed to be restrained/detained.

[onearmedbandit]

Hahahahahah, that'll fuck 'em.

[davereid]

I'm sure the japs could lock 'em in the dunny or something.

Must be bloody cold tied to the mast of a boat in the southern ocean.!

But the view of the whales would be awesome.

[Big Dave]

I wonder what everyone talks like on the 'Steve Irwin'.

[imdying]

Hahahahah dickheads, what sort of reaction did they expect piracy to get? Should sink the Steve Irwin whilst they're at it.

[WRT]

Crikey!!

BTW, while I think it's very nice of Sea Shepard to name the boat after Steve, I just can't see him agreeing with or condoning their methods in the least.

[onearmedbandit]

Crikey!!

BTW, while I think it's very nice of Sea Shepard to name the boat after Steve, I just can't see him agreeing with or condoning their methods in the least.

+1. These guys are a million miles away from what Steve Irwin was.

[ManDownUnder]

An idea.... why not just sit behind the whaling vessel... and shoot every whale going up the slipway with a hypodermic full of cyanide or something equally nasty that would poison the meat rendering it useless?

The whale is going to die anyway, the Japanese claim they only grab the earwax... so how could they possibly protest... unless they actually do eat the meat ...

... naaaa they'd never do that... Tui anyone?

[Paul in NZ]

Wow - must be getting pretty lawless down there. I heard the japanese had arrested two pirates attempting to steal their ship... Matter of perspective I suppose (still don't like whaling though)

[imdying]

Well they were two pirates... unless boarding a boat uninvited can be considered something else? They're doing well not to have been biffed overboard without life jackets... although if the fleet is out at sea for a few months, a tiny wee room on a Japanese whaling boat probably won't be a fun place to live... if I were the Japanese, I know what I'd be supplying as there only source of food

[xwhatsit]

Stupid, stupid mofos. Have utter contempt for those Sea Shepherd idiots. I can't see them getting much sympathy (although I'm sure certain sections of the media will try and sensationalise it as though it is WWII all over again).

Imdying -- bahahahah -- except they'd probably refuse to eat it and claim human rights abuses. If they starved it wouldn't be such a great loss I suppose.