Pentagon: 15 British troops seized by Iranians

[ARM-WAP]

UK sailors captured at gunpoint
Fifteen British Navy personnel have been captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces, the Ministry of Defence says.
The men were seized at 1030 local time when they boarded a boat in the Gulf, off the coast of Iraq, which they suspected was smuggling cars.

The Royal Navy said it was doing everything it could to secure the release of the sailors and marines who are based on HMS Cornwall.

They were said to be carrying out a routine patrol in Iraqi waters.

The Ministry of Defence said: "The group boarding party had completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters.

"We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level."

It is understood the men being held are safe and well.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has summoned the Iranian ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in an attempt to get the sailors and marines released as quickly as possible.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6484279.stm

[Lex]

Iran pakt Britse marinemensen op

LONDEN - Iran heeft vijftien man van de Britse marine opgepakt. Dat meldde het ministerie van Defensie in Londen vrijdag, aldus de BBC. Zij werden tijdens een routinepatrouille in de Perzische Golf door de Iraanse marine gevangen genomen.

De Britten wilden een zeilschip in Iraakse wateren doorzoeken dat verdacht werd van smokkel, toen een Iraanse marineschip opdook en de mannen oppakte. Londen eist de onmiddellijke vrijlating van de zeelieden.

anp|Uitgegeven: 23 maart 2007 13:29

[Lex]

Soldiers seized during smuggling investigation, official says

WASHINGTON - A Pentagon official said Friday that up to 15 British troops have been detained by the Iranian navy.

The Britons were in two inflatable boats from the frigate H.M.S. Cornwall during a routine smuggling investigation, said the official, who spoke on condition on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the incident.

Earlier, British forces said there had been "an incident" in the northern Gulf after an Iraqi fisherman reported seeing up to seven British or American military personnel being seized by an Iranian ship.

"There has been an incident somewhere in the north of the Persian Gulf," British military spokesman Major David Gell said in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, without elaborating.

He said he did not know whether any British or American servicemen were involved.

In January 2006, the Iranian coastguard stopped three Iraqi vessels Tehran said had crossed into Iranian waters, prompting Iraqi officials to accuse Iran of taking hostage nine Iraqis working on the vessels.


BREAKING NEWS
MSNBC News Services
Updated: 8:16 a.m. ET March 23, 2007