VZCZCXYZ0013
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKH #2642 3121322
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081322Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE QSHDC PRIORITY 5169
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY 0116
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY 0073
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002642 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/SE 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO EWWT MOPS PHSA PTER ASEC
SUBJECT: U.S. INTERCEPTS SUDANESE FERRY 
 
¶1. (SBU) The Sudanese Arabic daily "Al Shari Al Syasi" 
reported on November 3 that U.S. naval forces had boarded a 
Sudanese ship in the Red Sea.  Post has confirmed the 
interception, which has been reported through other channels. 
 The newspaper has ties to the National Islamic Front (NIF), 
though its influence is limited. 
 
¶2.  (U) An unofficial translation of the article's text is as 
follows: 
 
(Begin Text) 
 
Details of interception by US forces of Red Sea Sudanese Ferry 
 
Official sources uncovered new details about an incident 
where a Sudanese ship of Ba'abood Shipping was exposed to 
marine piracy in the Red Sea when U.S. military forces 
affiliated with the American Coalition forces intercepted the 
Sudanese vessel (Ibn Al Walid), and subjected it to major 
inspections, 35 nautical miles east of Port Sudan on its way 
from Saudi Arabia to Port Sudan.  According to sources, the 
armed soldiers boarded the ship, detained the crew, and 
conducted an examination of the workers and sailors' 
passports in addition to photographing the crew of the ship. 
The American ship detained the Sudanese vessel for four 
hours, during which time they conducted a thorough inspection 
and prevented the ship's crew from contacting the Sudanese 
authorities.  An authorized source in the Maritime Port 
Authority called the event undisguised marine piracy and 
indicated that it is forbidden to intercept a civilian vessel 
in this way, adding that the American forces deployed in the 
Red Sea have become an impediment to navigation and that a 
number of vessels from various countries have been exposed to 
similar inspections without clear and convincing 
justification. 
 
(End text) 
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