"British armed forces supported the US seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence has said. The Marinera, a Venezuelan-linked tanker previously known as the Bella 1, was stopped by the US Coast Guard, as it travelled northwards through waters between Iceland and Scotland. The MoD said RAF surveillance aircraft and a naval support vessel, the RFA Tideforce, were among the UK military assets that took part in the operation, following a US request for assistance."
"The MoD said the Marinera was assessed to have been involved in illegal activity linked to Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah. It said: "The ship, initially flying a false flag, turned off its transponders while at sea and sought to reflag while being pursued." Healey said the Marinera was "part of a Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion which is fuelling terrorism, conflict, and misery from the Middle East to Ukraine"."
"Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the tanker had "a pretty nefarious history" and the UK "provided enabling support to the United States". She said: "We understand that the vessel in question had been sanctioned by the US when it sought to evade a blockade near Venezuela in December and the sanctions that the US had app"
British armed forces supported the US seizure of the Marinera, a Russian-flagged, Venezuelan-linked tanker previously known as the Bella 1, in waters between Iceland and Scotland. RAF surveillance aircraft and the naval support vessel RFA Tideforce aided the operation after a US request. The Ministry of Defence assessed the Marinera to have been involved in illegal activity linked to Hezbollah, stating the ship flew a false flag, turned off transponders, and sought to reflag while pursued. Defence Secretary John Healey said the action complied with international law and targeted sanctions-busting. The US also seized the Sophia in the Caribbean.
Read at www.bbc.com
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