Iran seizes 5 Britons

[Barry Ferguson]

5 Britons sailing a racing yacht have been seized by Iran in Iranian waters. They were captured last Wednesday but their capture was only revealed last night. Iran has stated that "If these people’s ill-intention is proven, they will be dealt with seriously and firmly," said Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie, the President's chief of staff. It appears that the yacht had some form of propeller difficulty causing it to drift 500 yards into Iranian territory.

Full story as reported in The Times

It looks like these people are going to become pawns in the nuclear issue. Extremely bad timing for the West, but by all means a valuable bargaining chip for Iran

[Monarchist]

Those bloody Europeans. How dare they go sailing?

[dogukan]

Those bloody Europeans. How dare they go sailing?

what does that have to do with anything?
IF they were random Koreans sailing, they would also be seized.

[Gaidin]

Those bloody Europeans. How dare they go sailing?

How dare the Iranians patrol their territorial waters and seize unauthorized ships and sailors!

[Phier]

Who the hell sails a racing yacht so close to Iranian coastal waters?

[Kamos]

Who the hell sails a racing yacht so close to Iranian coastal waters?

Arrogant rich pricks?

[Barry Ferguson]

^^They were going from Bahrain to Dubai

[Phier]

^^They were going from Bahrain to Dubai

Ok that makes sense at least.

Obviously they were spies, I mean who wouldn't send a racing yacht to spy on the glorious Iranian patrol boat navy?

[Darkhorse]

That's fine. Next time Princes Gate comes under seige we won't resolve it for them. *Folds arms and frowns*

[Poet]

exactly, one day we hear that some "innocent" americans caught in Iranian land claiming that they we just hiking, and then we have some crack pots who enjoy water racing in Iranian waters, i mean are all the hills and all the waters of earth have been vanished that these persons are enjoying this in Iranian lands? but i believe that these racers are as "innocent" as those hikers were.And don't think that by mistake they did this and were caught, they can be used as bait also.Iran must be aware that those who do not let a powerful muslim country Iraq be a threat against Isra-hell would now let country like Iran be a nuclear power.

[Barry Ferguson]

exactly, one day we hear that some "innocent" americans caught in Iranian land claiming that they we just hiking, and then we have some crack pots who enjoy water racing in Iranian waters, i mean are all the hills and all the waters of earth have been vanished that these persons are enjoying this in Iranian lands? but i believe that these racers are as "innocent" as those hikers were.And don't think that by mistake they did this and were caught, they can be used as bait also.Iran must be aware that those who do not let a powerful muslim country Iraq be a threat against Isra-hell would now let country like Iran be a nuclear power.

Oh dear.
1. If British intelligence wanted to mess with Iran they would not send 5 kids in a boat taht breaks down
2. How would it benefit Britain to let it's citizens be deliberately captured? It's humiliating.
3. Iraq had fairly secular government
4. Iraq has not been to war with Israel since 1948
5. Therefore, why would the 2003 invasion be to protect Israel against Iraq
6. Why the hell would anyone want a nuclear-armed Iran?

[Poet]

Oh dear.
1. If British intelligence wanted to mess with Iran they would not send 5 kids in a boat taht breaks down
2. How would it benefit Britain to let it's citizens be deliberately captured? It's humiliating.
3. Iraq had fairly secular government
4. Iraq has not been to war with Israel since 1948
5. Therefore, why would the 2003 invasion be to protect Israel against Iraq
6. Why the hell would anyone want a nuclear-armed Iran?

O Dear
1. I said that can be a bait and bait can not be yacht filled with sas.
2.Benefit they can find another issue for bashing Tehran which is already so much isolated and if in ego Tehran denies giving back those invaders this would give allies a chance to wage war against another muslim country.There are so many possibilities as we know how intelligence agencies work.
3.No when america attacked Iraq first time just to gain muslims' sympathies Saddam turned himself as anti-america and Israel.Even i can remember that me and my sis bought two big portraits of Saddam as a true mujahid looking at al-aqsa mosque.so no he was no more secular after first Gulf war.
4.Yes true but Israel destroyed Iraq's nuclear facility, why because Iraq was a threat to it and to remind you during first gulf war Iraq hit some territories of Israel with missiles.
5.Therefore first read what zionist rabbis say about america, they see america as a savior whose duty is to eliminate every muslim country including Pakistan which is a threat to Isra-hell.
6.Who the hell allowed nuclear armed America, nuking Japan and Who the hell allowed France,Britain,russia,China and India atom bombs.

So this is true that because of recent Iranian steps to make sure their right to nuclear technology, West is impatient and worried and they some how want Iran to be deprived of it's nuclear power.
So this is proved that this thought can not be rejected that those "innocent" people can be a bait.

[Barry Ferguson]

O Dear
1. I said that can be a bait and bait can not be yacht filled with sas.
2.Benefit they can find another issue for bashing Tehran which is already so much isolated and if in ego Tehran denies giving back those invaders this would give allies a chance to wage war against another muslim country.There are so many possibilities as we know how intelligence agencies work.

So we'd give them a boat full of nobodys? Rather than declaring war after they illegally attacked and captured Royal Navy sailors. Makes sense

3.No when america attacked Iraq first time just to gain muslims' sympathies Saddam turned himself as anti-america and Israel.Even i can remember that me and my sis bought two big portraits of Saddam as a true mujahid looking at al-aqsa mosque.so no he was no more secular after first Gulf war.

Saddam was never interested in jihad. Also, the First Gulf War wasn't to try and win over muslim sympathy, it was America protecting an ally. Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia all took part in that mission. In no way was Saddam's government comparable to Iran. And well done you for supporting jihadis who are destroying you own country

4.Yes true but Israel destroyed Iraq's nuclear facility, why because Iraq was a threat to it and to remind you during first gulf war Iraq hit some territories of Israel with missiles.

Israel could have defeated Iraq if it had wanted to. The second gulf war had nothing to do with Israel

5.Therefore first read what zionist rabbis say about america, they see america as a savior whose duty is to eliminate every muslim country including Pakistan which is a threat to Isra-hell.

And? Plenty of people in Britain view America as our protector, it doesn't mean Americans go round fighting wars on our behalf. Incidentally, Pakistan worked with Israel to arm the mujahideen in the 80s. And it may have escaped your attention, but Pakistan is allied to the US

6.Who the hell allowed nuclear armed America, nuking Japan and Who the hell allowed France,Britain,russia,China and India atom bombs.

America developed the technology. It's use on Japan was entirely in agreement with air doctrine of the time, namely strategic bombing to flatten cities. Russia, China and France developed their technology independently (for Russia and China, read stole) while Britain works alongside the US and uses US missiles on British submarines

[Barry Ferguson]

I think a bigger issue than them being picked up is how long it took to notify anyone that they had been captured. And of course the not unfamiliar situation of Britons being in Iranian hands

[Justinian]

Did anyone else notice they were 500 yards inside Iranian waters? They probably had no idea they had strayed into Iran's territorial seas. It's not like there's a glowing line in the ocean saying "IRAN'S TERRITORY -- DON'T GO HERE".

When unauthorized yachters sail into American waters you don't see us arresting them and holding them for a week before notifying anyone.

Still, they're probably really rich (who else goes to Dubai? you know, besides poverty-stricken migrant workers from Asia and Africa), so let them rot.

[God-Emperor of Mankind]

Did anyone else notice they were 500 yards inside Iranian waters? They probably had no idea they had strayed into Iran's territorial seas. It's not like there's a glowing line in the ocean saying "IRAN'S TERRITORY -- DON'T GO HERE".

Yeah but you would think that with a racing yatch that they would afford a GPS navigator or something.
It's overkill by Iran but if they were inside their waters then well, it is their right.

[Gaidin]

Yeah but you would think that with a racing yatch that they would afford a GPS navigator or something.
It's overkill by Iran but if they were inside their waters then well, it is their right.

Eh, if weather conditions are right they wouldn't be able to do a damn thing to get out of the waters no matter what kind of GPS they had. Sailboats are a .

[ELITEOFKINGWARMAN8]

Did anyone else notice they were 500 yards inside Iranian waters? They probably had no idea they had strayed into Iran's territorial seas. It's not like there's a glowing line in the ocean saying "IRAN'S TERRITORY -- DON'T GO HERE".

When unauthorized yachters sail into American waters you don't see us arresting them and holding them for a week before notifying anyone.

Still, they're probably really rich (who else goes to Dubai? you know, besides poverty-stricken migrant workers from Asia and Africa), so let them rot.

Agreed, but they are doing this for attention. This is an propaganda campaign for the Iranians.

[Syron]

If they were in Iranian waters it's their problem.

[Barry Ferguson]

If they were in Iranian waters it's their problem.

Look at the map


See the bit marked shipping lane at narrowest point? They would be in the right hand lane as they were travelling east-to-west. If they strayed even slightly they would be in Iranian waters