The IDF spokesman said that on Tuesday a special force of the Navy detained and boarded a merchant ship, the Francop, carrying the flag of Antigua about 100 miles west of the coast of Israel. After an initial inspection carried out by Navy forces, the ship was found to be carrying a variety of weapons disguised as civilian cargo.
Channel 2 News said that the ship was carrying weapons from Iran to Syria. The weapons are belived to have been intended for the Hezbollah.
The IDF spokesperson said that after the ship was boarded and checked, it was taken into Israel to conduct a detailed inspection of the cargo. Channel 2 news said it was brought to Ashdod.
The seizure of the ship was carried out as part of the Navy's ongoing routine activity to maintain security and prevent arms smuggling.
According to German magazine Der Spiegel, in early October, US forces boarded a German ship in the Suez canal, and found 8 containers of weapons, apparently headed from Iran to Syria. Israel officially refused to comment on that report, although a military source told Channel 2 that something like that "is not unreasonable".
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 4, 2009
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