Activists must be freed: Gillard

[Truth2Tell]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

...Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said a deal struck with the Japanese government still stood and the government was working towards the release of Sea Shepherd protesters Benjamin Potts, from Australia, and Briton Giles Lane.

-snip

The whalers have agreed to give the pair up providing the protesters agree to logistical terms of release and conditions prohibiting them from taking any violent action against the Yushin Maru or filming the harpoon ship.

But Ms Gillard said the men's release must be unconditional, locking the parties in a stalemate as the pair enter their third day held captive.

"We clearly say that that safe return must happen without any conditions," Ms Gillard told ABC radio.

-snip

Mr Watson has said he would do whatever it takes to prevent a Japanese vessel from taking two captured crewmen to Tokyo.

"I am not going to allow them to take them back to Japan and put them on trial for piracy," Watson said via satellite phone from his ship, the Steve Irwin.

"We have an obligation to get our people back one way or the other.

"We haven't got a plan yet, but we might have to make one, if the Australian government or the British government aren't going to help to get their citizens back then we have to do something," Watson said.

Read more: http://news.smh.com.au/activists-must-be-freed-gillard/20080117-1mfc.html

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It's getting interesting. Watson threatening to take them back himself. What fun.

[Matilda]

1. Great publicity for the anti-whaling cause,

and not good for the Japanese.

And meanwhile, they're presumably not killing whales.

[Barrett808]

2. k & r

[Bonobo]

3. "I won't allow." What a megalomaniac!

Is he serious? Let's see what you got, big boy! He's the Lee Mercer of the sea!

[depakid]

4. Sea Shepard's sunk more vesels than the Japanese navy over the past 20 years...

Stay tuned....

[Bonobo]

5. I'll be watching all right! And you're right, they have sunk more! Good one! nt

[KingOfLostSouls]

6. ironic

I predicted a while back paul "I hate brown people" watson would end up getting his crew in real danger.

and his sychophants said, "HE'S NEVER DONE SUCH!!! NO ONES EVER BEEN HURT BY THEM YADDA YADDA YADDA!!!!"

the worm sure has turned on that one.

if he attacks the japanese vessel for capturing some pirates, then the japanese navy would be in their right to sink his ships.

the way of the world, men with petty egos always end up getting the people who follow them killed, but never themselves. bin laden, bush, pol pot, watson....

[Truth2Tell]

7. Did you just compare Paul Watson

to Osama Bin Laden? Wow. You forgot Hitler and Stalin. Maybe Satan.

[LeftyMom]

8. DFTT.

He's been spamming all the related threads (and his own in the lounge) all night. Don't encourage him.