2008 whaling conflict already heating up

[flvegan]

The Japanese police have issued international arrest warrants against three Sea Shepherd crewmembers who participated in the Sea Shepherd Whale Defense Campaign: Operation Leviathan in December 2006 and January and February 2007.

Warrants have been issued for Jon Batchelor and Dr. Ralph Koo of the USA and Daniel Bebawi of the U.K.

“It’s a mystery to me why the Japanese police would target three relatively minor crewmembers,” said Captain Paul Watson. “As captain, all Sea Shepherd crewmembers act in accordance with my orders. All activities opposing the illegal actions of the Japanese whaling fleet are my responsibility, yet no charges have been filed against me. This is absurd and makes no sense at all.”

The charges apparently stem from an incident where the Japanese whaling vessel Keiko Maru rammed the Sea Shepherd ship Robert Hunter. The ramming was investigated by the Australian Federal police.

The forensic evidence demonstrated that it was the Keiko Maru that rammed the Robert Hunter. The support beams in the bow of the Robert Hunter were bent forward and that means the force came from behind. If the Robert Hunter had rammed the Keiko Maru the support beams would have been bent backwards.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society intends to return for a fifth campaign to the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary in December 2008 to resume the anti-whaling actions that effectively prevented the whalers from taking half their quota for the last two years.

This year’s Whale Defense Campaign is named Operation Musashi in honor of the legendary Japanese strategist Miyamoto Musashi.

<snip...and I will never tire of reading/hearing this...>

"For now it seems to be dueling arrest warrants,” said Captain Watson. “In December this ridiculous rhetoric will be set aside as we go head to head with the whale killers with new tactics, new strategies and with two ships against the pirate whale killing fleet. The whalers are getting desperate.”

...and with TWO ships.

http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_080818_1.html