Monday, February 09, 2009

AP, Athens, Greece, 06 February 2009 (excerpts) – The cargo of a ship bound for Iran was seized near Athens because it violated an international embargo, a Greek government official said Friday, and a Greek newspaper reported that the vessel was carrying steel that can be used to make missile components.
The ship, the Susanna, was traveling from Slovenia to Iran when it was stopped in December carrying four containers loaded with cargo “banned under international law,” and they were removed during a customs inspection at Elefsis, west of Athens, the official said on condition of anonymity because his department was not directly involved in the search.
On Sunday, Greece’s Elfetherotypia newspaper said the cargo taken by inspectors was steel that can be used to make missile components, but the government official refused to comment on the report.