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While the investigations into the
crude oil tanker Limburg off the
coast of Yemen seem to have
established that the blast was
indeed planned by terrorists, the
investigators have yet to draw any
conclusions as to why the vessel -
carrying oil intended for Malaysia -
was singled out.
French investigators gathered
evidence that an attacking boat was
found during the first detailed
inspection of the French-flagged
tanker Limburg, chartered by
Petronas, that was hit off Yemeni
coast three weeks ago.
The crude oil tanker, laden with
about 400,00 barrels of Arab heavy
crude oil from Saudi Arabia was on
its way to load another 1.5 million
barrels in Yemen when the incident
occurred.
The revelation by the investigators
coincided with a report in the
pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat
which said it received a statement
from a fundamentalist group in Yemen
claiming responsibility for the
explosion.
According to the newspaper the Aden-Abyan
Islamic Army, a militant group
accused of carrying out several
bombings and kidnappings of
foreigners in Yemen, said it carried
out the attack on the tanker to
avenge the execution of one of its
leaders, Zein al-Abidine al-Mihdar.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the
Limburg incident, tankers owners are
talking about of escorts and
controlled entry channels as
protective measures to ensure safe
passage of tankers in areas
considered unsafe.
Intertanko, the worldwide
organistaion of tanker operators has
yet to come out with any specific
guidance to members following the
attack on the French VLCC off Yemen,
however it recently discussed on
what measures should be introduced
by its members dominated discussions
at the organisation's Asian Regional
Panel meeting in Singapore.
"The tankers of the world transport
oil - the lifeblood of the economic
system. To damage the world economy,
attack on tankers is one way of
creating chaos," said Intertanko
chairman Lars Carlsson.
"I think that it would be wise to
create a system where tankers in
exposed areas are protected against
terror attacks. We do not need any
dramatic armed convoys or aggressive
escorts with heavy weapons. Just
some watching eyes from the sky and
a friendly navy or air-force to call
in case a suspicious situation
arises," he added.
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