Mysterious Iranian Ship and Cargo Hijacked By Pirates
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Nature of the toxic cargo unknown — several sickened and have died.
Pirates have hijacked a mysterious Iranian freighter and are holding it and its mysterious cargo hostage off of the north coast of Somalia. Iran is hopping around like a June bug on a hot griddle denying the ship’s cargo of chemical weapons and small arms was destined for Muslim terrorists in Eritrea.
The 44,000 dead weight tonnage ship is owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) - a state-owned company run by the Iranian military, and even without its cargo could command hundred of thousands of dollars ransom but now that the weapons are the issue it is worth millions.
Manifest and other documents on board the MV Iran Deyanat say it set sail from Nanjing, China, at the end of July and, according to its manifest, planned to travel to Rotterdam, where it would unload 42,500 tons of iron ore and “industrial products” purchased by a German client. Iran is notorious for falsifying such documents.
About 100 pirates captured the ship, and brought it to an anchorage and are holding it. There have been reports that several have sickened and died. The exact nature of the toxic cargo is either unknown or nobody is talking. One bizarre rumor says the U. S. will ransom the ship.