The jailed Captain of Karin A, the arms-smuggling vessel seized by Israel, was quoted Monday, as saying that a Palestinian Authority official in Greece, Adel Awadala, sent him to bring the ship through the Red Sea to Palestine controlled shores, according to Israel Radio.
The Captain, Omar Akawi, said that Awadala told him to prepare the ship for transferring cargo, and to arrive at a certain place to load the cargo onto the vessel. Akawi was quoted as admitting that he knew what the cargo consisted of and that it was destined for the Palestinian Authority.
He mentioned that he and his crew did not expect to be discovered in the waters of the Red Sea. However, he added, they were afraid to be caught in the Suez Canal, where inspections were tough.
Within the framework of Israel’s propoganda war against the Palestinian Authority, the Israeli radio quoted excerpts of interviews held with the ship’s Captain, to be broadcast on Monday night by Israeli television. Akawi, who is being held in an Israeli prison, was quoted as saying that he had served as an officer in the Palestinian Navy, and later worked as a naval traffic advisor for the Palestinian Transportation Ministry.
For its part, the Palestinian Authority has declaimed responsibility for the captured vessel. Israel claims that senior officials used Palestinian Authority funds to purchase the ship and its cargo.
Ownership
An Iraqi national may own the allegedly Palestinian-owned vessel seized by Israel on weapons-running charges, the respected British shipping magazine Lloyd’s List reports on Monday.
Sale and registration documents for the ship are sure to be used by the Palestinian Authority to strengthen its claim that Tel Aviv is manipulating the incident to derail the latest US peace moves.
According to the magazine, Ali Mohammad Abbas, an Iraqi national is the owner of Karine A that was raided in the Red Sea last Thursday, while carrying 50 tonnes of weapons, including anti-tank missiles and Russian-built Katyusha rockets. Israel said the ship was under the control of Colonel Omar Akawi of the Palestinian naval police.
The cargo was supplied by Iran and directed to Islamic groups such as Hamas, Israel further claimed. However, Iran has denied any involvement.
Investigations by Lloyd’s List have found that until a few months ago, the ship was known as the Rim K, a Lebanese-flag general cargoship of 4.028 dwt operated by Diana K Shipping of Beirut. Lloyd’s List contacted the Lebanese company, which replied that the ship was sold on August 31 to the Iraqi national.
Diana K provided copies of the delivery protocol, bill of sale, registration certificate and deletion certificate. These indicate that Rim K changed hands for $400,000, and that on September 12, 2001 it was reregistered in Tonga as the Karine A. (Albawaba.com)
