If you read this headline, ‘We Gathered Intelligence’ and understood that it was being applied to the Captain in charge of the 15 marines that were just released by Iran what would you think? You would likely think as I did that this was an admission of some illegal and nefarious intrusion into Iranian waters for the purposes of spying. Right?! Well like me, you would have been shocked to read that nowhere in the article does it say that the British ever trespassed in Iranian waters and further that the intelligence gathering consisted of asking Iraqi fisherman what they’d seen in and around the waters they were working.
Sky News should be ashamed of themselves and their blatant attempt at promoting a non-story as some sort of a bombshell that they’ve had to CONCEAL for the past two weeks while the sailors and marines were being held. Give us all a break would you! These guys weren’t “spying” and the implication that such a story would have made it possible for Iran to successfully JUSTIFY the kidnapping of these soldiers is ridiculous.
Captain Air and his team were on an ‘Interaction Patrol’ where their patrol boats came alongside fishing dhows.
The operation was mainly to investigate arms smuggling and terrorism but Captain Air said it was also to gain intelligence on Iranian activity.
He told Sky Correspondent Jonathan Samuels: “Basically we speak to the crew, find out if they have any problems, let them know we’re here to protect them, protect their fishing and stop any terrorism and piracy in the area,” he said.
“Secondly, it’s to gather int (intelligence). If they do have any information, because they’re here for days at a time, they can share it with us.
“Whether it’s about piracy or any sort of Iranian activity in the area. Obviously we’re right by the buffer zone with Iran.”
Hmmm… am I nuts, or does this just sound like a good policy for keeping one’s self informed and ALIVE? There’s a little more:
The UK Defence Secretary Des Browne told Sky News it was important to gather intelligence to “keep our people safe”.
He said: “Modern military operations all have an element of gathering intelligence.
“We need to understand as much as we can about the environment we operate in and intelligence gathering is an every day part of that.”
He added: “The UN mandate would clearly empower the military taskforce to gather information about the environment in which they were working.”
Captain Air said that fishing dhows had been robbed by Iranian soldiers on a number of occasions.
“It’s good to gather int on the Iranians,” he said.Â
You better believe that I would expect any sane military to be concerned about being informed of maneuvers that might be underway in Iranian waters. The divides between who owns what when it comes to the area of operation that these sailors were working in is currently in dispute. Frankly, I’m shocked it took Iran this long to get its nerve up.Â
Sky News has obviously decided to stir the pot with this reckless headline and it only jeaopardizes other UK sailors still in the area. Sky News should go out of its way to reiterate that British vessels NEVER ENTERED IRANIAN WATERS, while gathering this “INTEL”.
