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    Finland says ship can sail again, without missiles

    HELSINKI (AP) — A British-registered ship that was held in a Finnish port after authorities discovered 69 surface-to-air missiles and 160 tons of explosives onboard has permission to travel again, but without those materials or its captain, a port official said Monday.

    The M/S Thor Liberty was headed to China and had docked in the southern Finnish port of Kotka to pick up anchor chains when police last week discovered and seized the missiles and explosive piric acid on board.

    The Patriot missiles were an official shipment from Germany to South Korea, while Finnish authorities said the explosives were a legitimate shipment for China. But the missiles lacked proper transit documents, and the explosives weren't safely stored, police said.

    The military has destroyed some of the cargo, while other pieces were being repacked in a safer manner, Markku Koskinen, the director of traffic operations at the port of Kotka, told The Associated Press. He said he did not know exactly which pieces had been disposed of.

    The ship's Ukrainian captain and first mate were taken into custody on suspicion of violating weapons export laws, and have not been cleared to leave the country. There were 11 other crew members on the ship.

    Koskinen said the vessel's travel ban was lifted Monday afternoon, but could not say whether the vessel would actually leave without its captain or if it still intends to go to China.

    "She can sail, but customs is still holding the cargo and the (detained) crew isn't allowed to leave Finland," he said.

     

    85 comments

    • Allyn  •  Arden, North Carolina  •  5 mths ago
      I wonder just how much the Fins spend on what seems like a pretty effective boarder security program. Maybe they don't accept excuses from their government leaders.
      • Journeyer 5 mths ago
        Maybe we could take a few pages from their book. THIS government sure as hell isn't working.
      • Hugeego 5 mths ago
        And they have goverment run universal healthcare.
      • william 5 mths ago
        ......i think finland is a country of principal, which the united states is not.......big difference........also finland is a social?democracy which makes it a great country to live in.....check it out on comoutor.....!..
    • Watch thi..............  •  5 mths ago
      Patriots are made in the USA. I think they are covered by numerous proliferation treaties. They are a defensive missle. But...when did Germany beccome an arms dealer for the US?
      • Journeyer 5 mths ago
        I think they're an arms dealer for THEMSELVES. But this isn't the German gov't, it has to be private. Germany owes their very country to us.
      • Hello Again 5 mths ago
        The Nazis are ALWAYS arms and component dealers. Take a look at how much materials they sold to Iraq in the Saddam days.
      • A Yahoo! User 5 mths ago
        GE got caught trading with Iran, despite embargoes, which are like our "Royal Rich Tax Laws'' the privilages are in built in ,loop holes in a complex round about way. Greed is GOD....
    • John, from Kentucky  •  Houston, Texas  •  5 mths ago
      Thank you Finland. Finland is the only country to have paid off it's war debts in full to the United States. Finland which shares a long border w Russia was literally on the front lines facing the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
      • A Yahoo! User 5 mths ago
        Stalin invaded Finland once, He found out the hard way, how the Finnish infantry on sky's are a deadly force.
      • william 5 mths ago
        ....thats true about paying debt.....!....
      • Sash 5 mths ago
        SeanO , Finland was a part of Russian Empire before the october revolution.
    • R.T.  •  5 mths ago
      This is how arms sales are done. Multiple parties, multiple destinations, ship manufests,
      and who knows who got what in the end. All about SALES.
      • Tony 5 mths ago
        You're right, the fault is with the sale-ors.
        I think this ship doesn't have a sail.
    • Journeyer  •  St Louis, Missouri  •  5 mths ago
      Jeez...Germany helping the Chinese. On a British ship. Nothing surprises me anymore.
      • A Yahoo! User 5 mths ago
        You can bet our goverment can trace and account for every Patriot Missile from the day it is produced in the factory.
      • Hugeego 5 mths ago
        Get that money!
      • Tony 5 mths ago
        Wonder what bankers were funding this trip?
    • hikingnut  •  5 mths ago
      seems like we got stuck with the wrong patriot act.
    • james g.  •  Chicago, Illinois  •  5 mths ago
      Patriot missiles.. from Germany??? to S. Korea???
    • CJ  •  5 mths ago
      Something else for the Chinese to COPY AND SELL to other countries. Almost everything China sells has been stolen from some other country. They are the SUPREME copyright, patent, etc. thieves. THAT'S BECAUSE CHINA RECOGNIZES NO LAW EXCEPT THEIR OWN.
    • Amy  •  5 mths ago
      Missiles where also being shipped to China illegally along with its secret technology...I don't buy the SKorea story. I wonder why the USA has not commented?
    • Gandalf  •  5 mths ago
      A British registered ship... German missiles going to S Korea... Ukrainian captain... explosives going to China... in Finland... to buy/pick up anchor chains... How the hell did that 'salad' materialise?!! lol
    • T  •  5 mths ago
      Sounds like another Iran Contra ..... Equipment send Germany for the purpose of Germany sending on too South Korea.... Smells of Iran Contra all over again !!!!!!
    • Bobby  •  5 mths ago
      U.S. Patriot Missles from Germany going to South Korea on a British-registered ship heading to China with other explosives under command by a Ukrainian captain and first mate..All hail the military industrial complex!
    • Barry  •  Colorado Springs, Colorado  •  5 mths ago
      The United States should act immediately to locate all involved in this treacherous move, all responsible parties should be jailed as soon as possible. Thanks to the people of Finland for a great job after all how can we be expected to keep up with our Patriot missiles.
    • Jim M  •  Killeen, Texas  •  5 mths ago
      No cargo and no crew but the ship can sail again, that is going to be a neat trick.
    • Pack  •  5 mths ago
      Patriots to South Korea and explosives to China. So what? The US Defence industry is buying their electronic components from China and noone makes a fuss about it.
      Except for the US government complaining about the number of duds in the shipments but that's another story.
    • Jerry  •  5 mths ago
      Sounds like another Eric Holder-BATF joint operation. Lets see what they name this one. They were just testing the system but the Finns caught them. The cartels have some on order also.
    • Chalis  •  Seattle, Washington  •  5 mths ago
      How did the American missiles get out of Germany? Who is in charge?
    • bill  •  Kansas City, Missouri  •  5 mths ago
      just send the freight by b-52s to china, send it UPS.
      what goes UPS,,,must come down! oh,, don't land there.
    • p  •  Santa Fe, New Mexico  •  5 mths ago
      Whatever.Kick#$%$ melodic death metal and hockey goalies. Thank you Finland.
    • Dana  •  5 mths ago
      Thanks Finland! I am sure the chinese would have paid plenty for the missles. Another case of the USA not knowing where all their PATRIOTS are located. Even though it isnt new tech. it is still pretty sloppy accountability. The politicians are now deciding who they will blame for this unacceptable situation. If terrorists got their hands on these taking out airliners would be so easy.
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