ATHENS, 24 June 2003 — Greece said yesterday that a seized ship carrying explosives with the power of a small atomic bomb was destined for a company with a post office box in Khartoum, Sudan, that did not exist.
Casting doubts on the legality of the ship’s activities, Greek Shipping Minister George Anomeritis said the vessel did not report its 680-ton cargo of dynamite when the coast guard stopped it.
“It was sailing in Greek waters and when the coast guard authorities stopped it, it did not report its cargo,” he told a news conference.
Police said earlier the ship was carrying ammonia dynamite, an explosive widely used in mining, as well as 8,000 detonators and fuses.
“It should have reported that it was sailing with an ‘atomic bomb’ cargo,” Anomeritis said, referring to the quantity of explosives on board. “And according to the rule it should have reported its cargo 24 hours earlier.”
Elite troops stormed the Comoros-flagged Baltic Sky while it sailed in western Greek waters late on Sunday after receiving a tip-off from international intelligence agencies that it was carrying suspicious cargo in its hold. The Greek coast guard had shadowed the ship for five days.
Bomb experts were examining the cargo and the Baltic Sky’s seven crew were under arrest and being questioned by public prosecutors. The crew comprised five Ukrainian nationals, including the captain, and two Azeris.
