I don’t know what the authority of such an activist (for Sharks) is in international or local waters around Guatemala and Costa Rica … but they say that they were asked by Guatemala to stop the vessel from poaching sharks. Then the sent a gunboat to arrest them. It’s almost like, on the seas, they were acting as Bounty Hunters do on land on Jail Bail Jumpers, to basically arrest that vessel and crew. Shooting water canon high pressure water at them … attempting to swamp their vessel or cause their engines to stop. That and although not ramming them … maybe causing the other boat to ram them? Is that excessive use of force for an activist vessel? I don’t know but I’m glad I searched out the video on YouTube and saw the whole thing about the illegal shark finning operation in Costa Rica. If anything they aught to be shutting down and arresting those people … but maybe the mafia operation (cited as running all of that), that wants this captains head, is too powerful even for the Costa Rican and Guatemalan governments?
Sea Shepherd Captain Arrested in Germany on Warrant Issued by Costa Rica
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Captain Paul Watson was arrested in Germany for extradition to Costa Rica. The German police have said that the warrant for Captain Watson’s arrest is in response to an alleged violation of ships traffic in Costa Rica, which occurred during the filming of Sharkwater in 2002. The specific “violation of ships traffic” incident took place on the high seas in Guatemalan waters, when Sea Shepherd encountered an illegal shark finning operation, run by a Costa Rican ship called the Varadero. On order of the Guatemalan authorities, Sea Shepherd instructed the crew of the Varadero to cease their shark finning activities and head back to port to be prosecuted. While escorting the Varadero back to port, the tables were turned and a Guatemalan gunboat was dispatched to intercept the Sea Shepherd crew. The crew of the Varadero accused the Sea Shepherds of trying to kill them, while the video evidence proves this to be a fallacy. To avoid the Guatemalan gunboat, Sea Shepherd then set sail for Costa Rica, where they uncovered even more illegal shark finning activities in the form of dried shark fins by the thousands on the roofs of industrial buildings.
(more at the link above.)
The real reason for Captain Paul Watson’s arrest and potential extradition to Costa Rica (VIDEO)
Published on May 16, 2012 by WakeAustraliaUp
SEA SHEPHERD STATEMENT – MAY 13 2012:
Captain Paul Watson was arrested yesterday in Germany for extradition to Costa Rica. The German police have said that the warrant for Captain Watson’s arrest is in response to an alleged violation of ships traffic in Costa Rica, which occurred during the filming of Sharkwater in 2002. The specific “violation of ships traffic” incident took place on the high seas in Guatemalan waters, when Sea Shepherd encountered an illegal shark finning operation, run by a Costa Rican ship called the Varadero. On order of the Guatemalan authorities, Sea Shepherd instructed the crew of the Varadero to cease their shark finning activities and head back to port to be prosecuted. While escorting the Varadero back to port, the tables were turned and a Guatemalan gunboat was dispatched to intercept the Sea Shepherd crew. The crew of the Varadero accused the Sea Shepherds of trying to kill them, while the video evidence proves this to be a fallacy. To avoid the Guatemalan gunboat, Sea Shepherd then set sail for Costa Rica, where they uncovered even more illegal shark finning activities in the form of dried shark fins by the thousands on the roofs of industrial buildings.
Conservationists around the world maintain hope that the Costa Ricans will drop the charges against Captain Watson. There is also a chance that the charges have already been dropped, but Sea Shepherd has been unable to confirm that with the Costa Rican officials. With Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity, it would be a travesty for them not to stand up for sharks, which sit at the highest levels of the food chain assuring balance among ecological communities in the ocean.
While in jail, Captain Watson is being assisted by the European Parliament Vice President Daniel Cohn Bendit and the European deputy Jose Bove. Our hope is that these two honorable gentlemen can set Captain Watson free before this nonsense goes any further. The European Sea Shepherds have also mobilized to support Captain Watson.
This video footage extracted from Rob Stewart’s documentary SHARKWATER (2006)
http://www.sharkwater.com/
Free Captain Paul Watson!
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO HELP FREE CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON!
CALL, EMAIL AND SHARE!:
http://tinyurl.com/bw7envx
OR SIGN THE PETITION!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/663/009/291/release-paul-watson/
Click on the link below to find out more about why Paul Watson was arrested:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2012/05/13/captain-paul-watson-arre…
(Below is the details from the latest Sea Shepherd Call to Action).
“In shocking news, German officials have decided to proceed with the extradition of Captain Watson to Costa Rica. Our last hope of saving Captain Watson from extradition is to convince German officials at the Ministry of Justice to step in and overturn their decision. Show your support for Captain Watson by contacting Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, the Federal Minister of Justice in Berlin, Germany. Let her know that the warrant for Captain Watson’s arrest is politically motivated and thus should be ignored by the German goverment. With international support we can set Captain Watson free, and keep him from the possibility of facing an unfair trial in Costa Rica.”
Please contact: (Please be respectful in your communications)
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
Federal Minister of Justice
Deutscher Bundestag
Platz der Republik
11011 Berlin
Telephone 030 – 227 751 62
Fax 030 – 227 764 02
E-Mail: sabine.leutheusser-schnarrenberger@bundestag.de
Federal Ministry of Justice
Mohrenstrasse 37
10117 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: +49 (030) 18 580-0
Telefax: +49 (030) 18 580-9525
Sample Letter:
Dear Ms Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger,
I was very concerned to hear that Germany has detained Sea Shepherd’s Captain Paul Watson for possible extradition to Costa Rica. I understand that the warrant for Captain Watson’s arrest is politically motivated and possibly due to an incident in which Sea Shepherd uncovered an illegal shark finning operation.
I support Sea Shepherd’s efforts to monitor and publicise illegal fishing and whaling around the world and recognize that some illegal fishing operations try to use international law to shut down the Sea Shepherd operations.
I urge you to consider the valuable work Captain Watson and Sea Shepherd are undertaking globally to highlight the dangers to our oceans in considering this extradition request.
Sincerely,
Your Name.
—
Alan Spicer