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Intercepted weapons shipment was destined for Gambia
Saturday, 30 October 2010 19:34
--- Shipping companyBy JollofNews Correspondent
A weapons cache containing artillery rockets seized by Nigerian security agents originally came from Iran, an international shipping company said Saturday.
According to an AP report, today, the shipment was also destined for Gambia. However, there is still confusion as to the real final destination.
The AP cited a statement from CMA CGM, the France based international cargo shipper which brought the cargo to Nigeria, as confirming this. The shipping company’s revelation followed the Israeli government’s claim that the shipment was indeed from Iran. Israeli officials accused the Iranians of trying to use Africa to sneak the weapons into the restive Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Gambia, apparently, is part of the route the Gaza-bound weapons were set to take.
By unloading the weapons in Nigeria, the Israeli claim suggests Iran perhaps sought to truck the weapons through Africa to slide around an embargo now in place in Gaza, the AP report says.
Following revelations of the ship’s interception in Lagos, some media reports pointed to Gambia as a destination for its contents.
But the Iranian ambassador to Nigeria said there was no clear evidence linking his country to the shipment. He said the "different speculation doesn't have any clear sources. At this time, we can't judge on any of them."
"Sometimes they blame India, sometimes they blame Iran, sometimes they say the arms are going to Nigeria, sometimes they say they are going to Gambia. Now, they claim they are going to the Gaza Strip,” The ambassador was quoted by the Associated Press on Saturday.
"There is different speculation, but there is no clear evidence for (any) of them," he added.
The shipping company which facilitated the transportation of the weapons said in its statement that the MV CMA CGM Everest picked up the 13 shipping containers from Bandar Abbas, a port in southern Iran. The shipment, which stopped in Mumbai's port before heading to Lagos, had been labeled as containing "packages of glass wool and pallets of stone."
"The shipment in question was booked as a 'shippers-owned container' and supplied, loaded and sealed by the shipper, an Iranian trader who does not appear on any forbidden persons listing," CMA CGM's statement read. "The containers were ... discharged in Lagos in July and transferred to a customs-bonded depot where they have remained with all seals untouched and unbroken."
The shipment sat untouched for weeks, a common occurrence in Lagos' busy and chaotic Apapa Port. Last week, the Iranian shipper filed a request for the containers to be picked up again and this time shipped to the West African nation of Gambia, CMA CGM said.
In the hands of highly trained troops, the 107 mm artillery rockets can accurately hit targets more than 5 miles (8.5 kilometers) away, killing everything within about 40 feet (12 meters). Fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq have used similar rockets against U.S. troops, the AP said.
Only China, the United States, Russia and Iran manufacture versions of the rocket, the AP said. And there are records that in 2006, the Islamic militant group Hezbollah fired nearly 4,000 Katyusha rockets across Israel's northern border.
There remain more questions than answers about the Israeli claims. To reach Gaza, the weapons would first need to be trucked across Nigeria into Chad, Sudan and ultimately through Egypt. It also remains unclear why the shipper wanted to try to re-export the weapons to Gambia.
Abdullahi, the Iranian ambassador, said his embassy in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, planned to hold a news conference Monday to address the allegations. The weapons shipment claims come after a July visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Nigeria. This followed a similar trip earlier by the Iranian leader to Gambia, among a number of other African nations.
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Comments
say it as you want it but still you didn't give me the correct answer on the secret weapons of Wazungu-land in Africa or maybe you are among those facilitating such that is why you are running from my question for almost three days now !
And when I said The blessing Sun-light, I mean that is naturally given to us that always helps the Wazungus to come down to atleast burn their winter skins Not a man made one you are talking of Mr. Toubaab !
Iam talking of "MAYEEH YALLA"
(A God given one)
In the service of Mother Africa I remain
I was surprised to read on the industrious Jollof News....about President Wades incurssion and promise of solar energy for Africa.....?
I looked at this for The Gambia....with the advice of our universities..techincal liason.
They suggested that solar energy is still too expensive to build, and does not produce energy that is cost effective over its required... huge financial investment.
They were prepared to fund a team of scientists from The Univeristy of Liverpool...to look into the productivity angle of fossil fuels for The Gambia.....which they say is a viable and cost effective solution.
But as with so many of my British funded proposals....it hit stoney ground and still remains on a shelf in a Ministers office gathering dust.
I did offer many such British funded proposals.
The Wazungu, folly ?
Or it is that whenever you choke, you tends to lay it on your own ways of a sheep in wolf clothing !
Be frank to yourself and tell the reality since you once told me not to lie to you, So if you are looking upon me as a liar, then I should always expect a truth from you Mr. Toubaab.
In the service of our so call Dark Continent I remain !
Hey what about our blessing Sun-light ?
The confluence of evil intentions by the dispicable is the most serious blow to the future security and prosperity of every poor child and future generation.
I can tell you that the mood of The British people towards Africa is changing for the first time in my lifetime.
The American's are not now asking for "change"...but is their any change left in their pocket?
If the Western peoples turn our gaze inwards....and are forced to abandon
the momentum for Democracy, Law and Freedom outside our borders.
The vacumn will be filled by those who would bring forward such agenda's, that would criminalise and subjegate entire nations.
Drugs and weapons will replace normal currencies and personal ambition will be measured by greatest amount of
evil that the inhuman kind, can bestow.
The exploitation of poor African's is the most disgusting trade.
The Far East export fake medicines into Africa killing thousands.
The Middle East traffic weapons and bombs through Africa's pourous borders.
Comment: Fake medicines ? Am I hearing you saying Fake Medicines from East ? Well Muzungu, Africa has long seeing the semi doctors of the West in Africa, Most of the doctors from Wazungu-land took their experimental works of medicines being tested on Africans to see whether it works or not, one of the Biggest institutions in East, West and South Africa are all from the Wazungu land but this Muzungu never see that !
Mr. Toubaab, we are reading you from one line to the other.
In the servioe of Mother Africa I remain
I am consistant...if I may appear controversial. I have said time and time again..Do not make accusations without evidence.As it stands their is no concrete evidence or conviction to connect Jammeh to any of these spurious charges.What comes from the mouths of those standing trial/convicted must be regarded as unproved or only circumstantial.
So much of what Jammeh says is unconventional and sometimes it borders on the farcical. But he is doing things his way {The African way}
If he spoke like Her Majesty The Queen..perhaps such diplomatic language would be more acceptable.
But who would want to speak...like The Queen.?
We are common people...I prefer someone to speak as it comes. If Jammeh has a beef...the world is left in no doubt as to what he is saying.
I like that.
Whilst I would disagree on so much...I will support...his zero tolerance.
It is either that Nigeria wants "to pin weapons on our great nation," or that the Iranians did the only possible thing, which is to take the long route. Doing it from Iran direct to Gaza is impossible, totally impossible, given the current level of security by the Israelis.
In anycase, there must be some explanation here, especially, in our own case, from Yahya Jammeh. First it was the drugs and now the weapons. If the Gambian government can't provide an explanation then they have failed Gambians again. Our security is in danger!
Would be silly to go backwards via sea then upward again via sea to two locations similar to each other. iran/gaza are realitivly closer to each other, is this another nigerian attempt to pin weapons on our great nation?
From the Baba Jobe saga to the blood diamond mess in Liberia and neighboring countries, people are aware of Jammeh dabbling in all kinds of deals that has culminated in his present ill-gotten wealth. Or maybe you have a good explanation for Jammeh's rags to riches?
Jammeh might be no coward but he is no hero either.
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