According to statements quoted by Time Magazine, Admiral Tarmo Kouts, who heads the European Union piracy monitoring unit, pointed to Israel as being behind the hijacking, a move intended to prevent the weapons freighter from reaching the Middle East.

YWN-Israel reported on August 23rd that reports already pointed to Mossad involvement, now backed up by statements from the senior EU naval officer.

As reported earlier, the Arctic Sea disappeared while en route from Finland to Algeria. The Russian navy has located the vessel, arrested the pirates and they are facing sea piracy charges. Reports from “senior official and unofficial” sources in the EU, quoted by Time and others, indicate the vessel was carrying weapons, including missiles intended for Iran or Syria. Much of the unconfirmed reports surround the fact that Russia’s behavior surrounding the incident is “strange” and the explanation that the vessel was carrying missiles partially explains why large cargo planes were sent to the area, obviously not a necessity to transport the pirates, numbering less than 20.

Dmitri Rogozin, Russia’s NATO representative adamantly denies Kouts’ statements, adding the admiral should refrain from speaking irresponsibly. According to official Russian reports, the ship was carrying timber when the Estonian and Russian pirates took control of the vessel.

The experts are seeking answers, including why pirates would target a cargo of timber valued at under $2 million when there are so many ships carrying more valuable cargo? The visit of President Shimon Peres to Russia the day after the ship was taken into custody is also now viewed as more than a coincidence, as is the fact that family members of the crew on board the vessel told the media their loved ones were hostage to some kind of “political game”.

Another contradiction is the fact that Russian officials insist they never lost sight of the vessel, but nevertheless, despite the fact it was carrying “only timber”, submarines and destroyers were involved in the arrest fleet”.  

Mikhail Voitenko, editor of the Russian maritime journal Sovfrakht does not accept the official explanation, explaining the waters in which the vessel was found are “heavily policed” and one cannot just hide a ship unless there is government involvement.

In the meantime, Russian President Medvedev has promised Israel his country will not sell weapons to Syria or Iran that will result in a shift of the regional balance of power, but it now appears, at least according to unofficial reports, this is exactly what his country attempted to do here. There are also constant Israeli concerns over reports of Russia planning to sell a state-of-the-art anti-aircraft system to Syria, which would seriously shift the balance of power, not to mention complicating any Israeli offensive against Iran, as well as Russia negotiating the sale of advanced MiG-31 fighter jets to Syria.

Russia continues to issue statements of denial and Jerusalem of course will remain silent but the evidence in hand does point to another successful Mossad operation, Baruch Hashem the interception of missiles intended to arm Israel’s enemies.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)