Why the Israeli Navy Needs to Inspect Ships: Weaponry Smuggling Attempt in 2009

The Israeli Navy has previously intercepted numerous ships carrying weapons which were disguised behind civilian cargo. The process of dissembling all contents aboard and checking every corner of the ship is impossible to do at sea. The ship must be docked so that it can be thoroughly examined.

Less than two years ago, IDF soldiers uncovered roughly 500 tons of weapons, rockets, and missiles hidden in 36 large shipping containers behind hundreds of sacks of polyethylene aboard the "Francop" ship. The ship was flying an Antiguan flag and carrying the mass amounts of weaponry without the knowledge of the ship's crew. The weaponry originated from Iran and was designated to be transferred to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in southern Lebanon. It was specially packed along with civilian cargo and in boxes with disparate descriptions in order to purposefully mislead the crew and authorities.

In order to completely assess its components, the ship was taken to the Ashdod Port and its contents were fully disassembled. The Navy was able to determine the extent of the weaponry and its origin, thereby conducting a conclusive search.

In March of this year, the Victoria ship was also found to contain 50 tons of weaponry also without the knowledge of its crew. According to intelligence, the weaponry was headed towards the Gaza Strip.

For more information and photos about the Francop incident: http://www.flickr.com/photos/idfonline/sets/72157623201670659/

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[bwworld]

Thank you IDF for keeping the world informed about what's really happening. BTW I'm glad you're allowing comments!

[MRjesseNL]

Israel <3

[loisen]

@FrePuchowy

>You believe that Islam just wants to hurt others badly for hurting sake <

Palestinians from the Fatah broke into a jewish house and slit the throats of a whole family. They even killed the babies. Do you want to explain why they did it?

[Dimagg1973]

@FrePuchowy Not really, just to put you under shariah law, that's all. You want to be under shariah law because you promoting it. But these who tell you that they speak in the name of God actually enslave you and are not of god at all.

[Dimagg1973]

Great job IDF, Many here prefer that Israelis be killed, they are Jew haters and self righteous. So they are upset that you stop such smuggling of weapons.

Also Terrorists come here on this post and try to change the truth.

We don't buy it, we support Israel and its efforts to survive.

[Dimagg1973]

@FrePuchowy Israel is hard to find on the world map, comparing to other countries its so small, this is a fact.

But to indoctrinated people even when you show them one thing they see what they want to see, you simply want to hate Israel. Maybe you are a Palestinian or someone who has their view. You are awaiting the Khalifat its clear to me. So yes there is no point for this arguing with your programming. Israel is a small country fighting for its existence. You are one more enemy.

[FrePuchowy]

@Dimagg1973 Sorry but you are living in a ficticious world propaganda leaders created for you to lead happy and stupid life. You're so packed with all this nonsense and do not show even the slightest ability to think so you're just as good as cattle. No sense in me losing time to try to explain to you why simply taking over a country and its killing habitants is bad. And by the way you should be the one to learn the real history of that part of the world. Now go away you little moo-moo.

[Dimagg1973]

Respond to this video... So how many more mortars need to be smuggled in to Gaza? how many would you like to see been shot toward Shderot Israel, Innocent people get hurt.

Israel did more for the Palestinians and Arabs then Arabs for them selves.

[Dimagg1973]

@Dimagg1973 Once the Palestinians got stronger in Lebanon they re-payed the favor, it started by road blocks then taking parts of the country and ending in very bloody civilian war, destruction of beautiful Beirut and instigating / provoking wars with Israel.

[Dimagg1973]

@FrePuchowy One must be complete idiot to compare democracies to Terany like Iran and what Nike weapons in their hands means. I know the reality, you live in dreamland. DO you know the history of Lebanon. I can tell you that Hisballa is taking over as you can see, Islamic leaders today want shariya law all over the world. Lebanese Christians allowed armed Palestinian Muslims PLO to find refuge after brutal killings by the Jordanian leadership.

[FrePuchowy]

@Dimagg1973 You clearly watch too many action movies and/or dont think. Why would Iran want to nuke the hell out of the other countries? Even if it would launch one or two and then 10 or 20 would be fired at Iran from Russia, Israel, USA, France etc etc. Somebody did a very good job on you. You believe that Islam just wants to hurt others badly for hurting sake . And really people who wanted to fly to Israel were posing so big a danger that Israel had to "request" blockade of an airport. Hmm....