British Marine held in Iran admits the Sailors were Spying

The 15 captured British sailors are back home in Britain. Now they're safe Five News can show the full exclusive interview with Captain Chris Air - where he reveals the true extent of their mission. The most senior of those captured, he admitted Britain is in the Gulf to gather intelligence on Iran. The British Government insists the sailors were only acting within their United Nations mandate. Five's Jonathan Samuels conducted that interview.

Here in Devon watching the two seeking helicopters land was a fantastic sight. Back home, safe well and hugely relieved the 15 arrived back on British soil. After two weeks of tense diplomacy and negotiations the navy personnel will be as delighted as their loved ones to be back in the UK. I spent two days with many of these dedicated and brave personnel.

As we went out on patrol in waters off southern Iraq, there was much banter between the colleagues and friends. But there was also incredible professionalism. Just days before their capture, and in the warm Iraqi sun, it seemed so safe as we sped over the sea to check up on Iraqi fishing vessels. But what a false sense of security I had. Not long after I left them to their work they were surrounded by Iranian gun boats and seized. Their 13 day ordeal had begun.

I chatted extensively to marine Captain Chris Air. An intelligent and impressive leader of the group. He told me as he stood on an Iraqi fishing boat that part of their role was intelligence gathering on the Iranians. Back then I hardly blinked; this was not necessarily a revelation. But now the comments have much more significance. If we had broadcast those words the happy outcome could have been so different. The official line from Ministry of Defence is the Navy, under a UN mandate, is protecting Iraq's oil infrastructure and the security of merchant vessels.

In Tehran there were calls to put the 15 on trial. Chris Air's comments some may say could have bolstered any case against them. On MOD advice we of course were happy not to jeopardise those sensitive negotiations, only now can we reveal the comments. All of us are relieved to see the 15 back, whatever their role along the Iraqi maritime boarder - it's my belief the men and women I met will be keen to get back to that job just as soon as they can.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• iran
• british
• hostage
• marine
• detainees
• spying
• espionage
• blair
• ahmadinejad
• crisis
• iraq
• maritime
• territorial
• waters
• sailors

[PERSIAisHISTORY]

What happens if Iranian sailors go around Island of Saxons? they will call them terrorist.

[KOKATONGA]

british gays

[silentsecuritiesusa]

All this proves is that its soldiers doing their job. They are in Iraqi or International waters, talking to civilians.

That's not spying...

[TheWiseOldLion]

@KILLILLUMINATI001 Where the hell do you get your information from?

Your a twat, and a very pathetic one at that

troll

[Caydn]

all this  video proves is that the iranians stole from that boat

[ESPmiguelUK]

dont believe anything in papers.... they are payed to sell... they will put any bull shit in that will grab peoples attention.

[ericssson]

every british fag should see this so they can stop talking shit about their fuckin military

[ericssson]

hello british pussy's go wrestling nude in the mud the royal marines way you idiots

[KILLILLUMINATI001]

funny he mentions nothing about shitting him self when he was captured, and doesnt say anything about one of the marines who actually pissed him self out of fear

[KILLILLUMINATI001]

what a dumb cunt " it was alright and we got to learn arabic" you mean Farsi or persion you retard