Iran Captures 3 SBS Boats, 8 Operatives

[OB Kenobi]

Iran Confiscates Three British Vessels
Iran Confiscates Three British Military Patrol Vessels and Detains Eight Crew Members
The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran June 21, 2004 — Iran seized three British military patrol boats Monday in the Shatt-al-Arab waterway, Iraq's main link with the Persian Gulf, and eight armed crewmen were detained for entering Iranian territorial waters.

Britain confirmed the seizures and said it was in contact with Iran to resolve the situation.

The waterway that divides Iran and Iraq has long been a source of tension between the neighbors. The 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war broke out after then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein claimed the entire waterway.

Monday's incident follows a strain in relations after Britain helped draft a resolution rebuking Iran for past nuclear cover-ups at last week's meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors.

Iran says its program is aimed only at producing energy, while the United States accuses Tehran of trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran accused Britain, which it had seen as a partner in the investigation into its nuclear activities, of caving in to U.S. pressure on the resolution.

The British Foreign Office said it was told by Iran that eight Royal Navy personnel are being held. "We've asked for full details on who is holding them, where they're being held and for full access to them," the Foreign Office said.

Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Iranian naval guards, "acting upon their legal duty," seized the boats and detained the occupants when they entered Iran's territorial waters, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

The Arabic-language Al-Alam television reported the three British boats were seized at about 11 a.m. and that crew members were carrying maps and weapons.

It said the boats were confiscated between the Bahmanshir and Arvand rivers, which would put them in the Shatt-al-Arab waterway, northeast of the Iraqi city of Faw. The broadcast gave no further details.

"Interrogation of those detained will continue until the matter is clarified," Asefi was quoted as saying by the main Persian language TV channel.

The British Defense Ministry said the personnel from the Royal Navy training team based in southern Iraq had been detained while delivering a boat from Umm Qasr to Basra, Iraq, to the new Iraqi Riverine Patrol Service.

"The boats are unarmed but the crews were carrying their personal weapons," a statement said.

The Foreign Office said it had asked for details and full access to the detained men.

[nerdman]

SAS? Do you have some inside intel?

Already posted also.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17791

[S-*]

They probably weren't SAS. More likely to be SBS Operators.

[ChuckThunder]

How about we just leave it at Brits?

[Vance]

How about we just leave it at Brits?
But..how do you know for SURE...


*X-Files music*

[AROUETLJ]

Oh God here we go again. Even Sky News, normally known for its liberal use of the S word, only said they were Royal Navy personnel.

[Vance]

But..how do you know for SURE...


*X-Files music*

[100_Percent_HOOAH]

SAS? Do you have some inside intel?

Already posted also.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17791


How do you get "Iran Captures 3 SAS Boats, 8 Operatives"? I don't see anything mentioning them being SAS and as mentioned above, even if they were special operations, wouldn't it more than likely be the SBS?

[cut]

SBS/SAS escorting a delivery of boston whalers for the Iraqi river police? rofl

[OB Kenobi]

SAS? Do you have some inside intel?

Already posted also.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17791


How do you get "Iran Captures 3 SAS Boats, 8 Operatives"? I don't see anything mentioning them being SAS and as mentioned above, even if they were special operations, wouldn't it more than likely be the SBS?

Yeah, sorry, SBS. Also known as "British navy personell" when they get caught. They were patrolling the border, possibly even training Iraqis as they claim, but they wound up on the wrong side of it and now Iran can legally detain them and press charges if it thinks it has a case.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-06/22/xin_160601220156728101839.jpg

I'm sure they'll be released in a few days.

[100_Percent_HOOAH]

SAS? Do you have some inside intel?

Already posted also.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17791


How do you get "Iran Captures 3 SAS Boats, 8 Operatives"? I don't see anything mentioning them being SAS and as mentioned above, even if they were special operations, wouldn't it more than likely be the SBS?

Yeah, sorry, SBS. Also known as "British navy personell" when they get caught. They were patrolling the border, possibly even training Iraqis as they claim, but they wound up on the wrong side of it and now Iran can legally detain them and press charges if it thinks it has a case.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-06/22/xin_160601220156728101839.jpg

I'm sure they'll be released in a few days.

I really hope they are released soon also. They better be treated good too. What do guys think would be the consequences/solutions if Iran doesn't not display interest in releasing them soon?

[usa320]

Ive said it before, and ill say it again.

**** YOU IRAN!

[cut]

Iran have already said they are going to release them soon, Iran is on good terms with the west at the moment because of the help we gave them after the recent earthquake. The Foreign office have already implied that Iran will hand them over within the next few days.

once again SBS? BULL**** OB!

[LordHalbert]

They might be released minus all the important stuff - communication gear, crypto codes (if any), and anything else of value to Iranian intelligence. I hope the british operatives had time to destroy or disable anything of value.

I recall reading "Thunder Run" how the Americans obtained an Iraqi walkie-talkie and were able to listen (in Arabic of course) to enemy conversations and were able to conduct operations based on the information obtained from it.

[One?]

Iran and britian are on good terms. They captured those operators to set an example. Maybe to prevent furthur incursions from the coalition. They will be released. Now if they were americans then thats a different story.

[SpazzMunky]

I seriously doubt Iran would be dumb enough to cause an international incident by refusing to let them go.

[cut]

They might be released minus all the important stuff - communication gear, crypto codes (if any), and anything else of value to Iranian intelligence. I hope the british operatives had time to destroy or disable anything of value.

I recall reading "Thunder Run" how the Americans obtained an Iraqi walkie-talkie and were able to listen (in Arabic of course) to enemy conversations and were able to conduct operations based on the information obtained from it.

there was nothing high-tech on the boats according to reports the only weapons they had were their rifles, the maps reported by iranian TV, were regular maps of the waterway even if it did have bases marked on it, it would make little difference.

[Argyll]

Where in the article does it state they were SBS?.........or is this your assumption because they said they were RN?.....SBS personnel are Marines...........the RN have waterborne patrols in the Shat-El-Arab all the time.

[ctcboy]

If they arent release quickly it might be time to tech the Iranians a lesson.

[OB Kenobi]

Where in the article does it state they were SBS?.........or is this your assumption because they said they were RN?.....SBS personnel are Marines...........the RN have waterborne patrols in the Shat-El-Arab all the time.

ROYAL MARINES OPERATIONS - BASRA

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/navy/listings/navymarinesb.jpg


Royal Marines patrol the Shat Al Arab waterway near Basra. The troop are responsible for providing security for the newly formed Iraqi river patrol service and conducting patrols on the extensive waterways of SE Iraq

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/navy/listings/l0038.html

Ive said it before, and ill say it again.

f*** YOU IRAN!

it's people like you that give America a bad reputation...

[Argyll]

Where in the article does it state they were SBS?.........or is this your assumption because they said they were RN?.....SBS personnel are Marines...........the RN have waterborne patrols in the Shat-El-Arab all the time.

ROYAL MARINES OPERATIONS - BASRA

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/navy/listings/navymarinesb.jpg


Royal Marines patrol the Shat Al Arab waterway near Basra. The troop are responsible for providing security for the newly formed Iraqi river patrol service and conducting patrols on the extensive waterways of SE Iraq

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/navy/listings/l0038.html


Still does not indicate they were SBS,where in the article does it state they were SBS?........don't post articles with misleading headlines.
Here's an opener for you
1.Not all Royal Navy personnel are SBS
2.Not all Royal Marines are SBS
3.Not all seaborne operations are carried out by 1 & 2.

Just a small bit of useless information for you. ;)

[Vance]

Speaking of Royal marines...has anyone seen this video??? Soldiers pretending to be Marines rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/docs/Mirror/0005BCD9-B47E-1FC4-846980BFB6FA0000.mpg

rofl rofl rofl rofl

[Nizark]

Looks like they are already being put on trial for violating Iranian territorial waters. Also, that troop buildup on teh south iraqi border has not changed

[OB Kenobi]

Still does not indicate they were SBS,where in the article does it state they were SBS?........don't post articles with misleading headlines.

Here's an opener for you
1.Not all Royal Navy personnel are SBS
2.Not all Royal Marines are SBS
3.Not all seaborne operations are carried out by 1 & 2.

Just a small bit of useless information for you. ;)

Photo:

http://a.abcnews.com/images/autowirestory/AP/LON80406220714.jpeg

We'll see what happens (I still think they're SBS), but so far Iran wants to prosecute them:

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040622_112.html

This may be getting interesting.

[Flagg]

Still does not indicate they were SBS,where in the article does it state they were SBS?........don't post articles with misleading headlines.
Here's an opener for you
1.Not all Royal Navy personnel are SBS
2.Not all Royal Marines are SBS
3.Not all seaborne operations are carried out by 1 & 2.

Just a small bit of useless information for you.

What Argyll said!

And the only other thing worth reading after it would be a post from Royal :lol:

[Gringo]

Still does not indicate they were SBS,where in the article does it state they were SBS?........don't post articles with misleading headlines.

Here's an opener for you
1.Not all Royal Navy personnel are SBS
2.Not all Royal Marines are SBS
3.Not all seaborne operations are carried out by 1 & 2.

Just a small bit of useless information for you. ;)

Photo:

http://a.abcnews.com/images/autowirestory/AP/LON80406220714.jpeg

We'll see what happens (I still think they're SBS), but so far Iran wants to prosecute them:

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040622_112.html

This may be getting interesting.

they're not SBS. You can see of that video shot that they were wearing the 'Royal Marine Commando' insignia.

third time this has been posted up.

[ronin2172]

hey, he wants to believe they r SBS, no amount of logic is going to convince him...besides if they were SBS and on a covert op (and what other op would the SBS be involved in?) would they have worn uniforms that scream Royal Navy or Royal Marines...or anything that would say...hey were brits...i don't think so...those guys obviously made a navigational error, let's just hope they don't get convicted by a kangaroo court and punished harshly...then the s*** will really start