Australia bombs impounded N-Korean drug ship (Reuters)

[Up2Late]

(This is scary.)

Australia bombs impounded N-Korean drug ship

Thu Mar 23, 2006 02:51 AM ET

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Two Australian fighter jets bombed and sank an impounded North Korean cargo ship on Thursday in what Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said was a strong message to Pyonyang about its involvement in drug running. The 4,000-tonne ship the Pong Su had been impounded since 2003, when it led the Australian navy on a 1,100 km (680 mile) chase off the southeastern coast after being spotted unloading part of a 150 kg (330 lb) shipment of heroin at a secluded beach.

The ship came to a spectacular end on Thursday when two Royal Australian Air Force frontline F-111 jet bombers fired missiles into the vessel during target practice at a secret location offshore. "It is appropriate that we publicly demonstrate our outrage at what has happened by sinking this ship," Downer said.

Four Pong Su crew members pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges, with two sentenced to 23 and 22 years in jail and two yet to be sentenced. But the ship's captain and three officers were sent back to North Korea earlier this month after being found not guilty of aiding the drug operation.

Downer said the heroin, worth about A$160 million ($115 million), would have provided four million hits of heroin on Australian streets. He said Australia remained concerned that the North Korean government was involved in the smuggling operation to help support its failing economy - accusations rejected by Pyonyang.

(more at link below)

<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=11619062&src=rss/topNews>

[foreigncorrespondent]

1. Bloody hell!

Can I move now?

[Richard Steele]

2. I'll trade you. NM

[Up2Late]

3. kick n/t

:kick:

[daleo]

4. I sense some grandstanding here.

"Four Pong Su crew members pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges, with two sentenced to 23 and 22 years in jail and two yet to be sentenced. But the ship's captain and three officers were sent back to North Korea earlier this month after being found not guilty of aiding the drug operation."

So, why did they sink the ship if the officers were found not guilty? If there was Korean government involvement, one would expect it to be through the officers, not the crew.

Furthermore, they could simply have scuttled the ship, or even sold it off. Bombing runs with fighters are just provocative. I guess Bush, through his Australian poodle, had to respond to the North Korean comments of the other day (that they could strike the U.S. with nuclear weapons). Saber rattling.