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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| UK sailors captured at gunpoint | UK sailors captured at gunpoint |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Fifteen British Navy personnel have been captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces, the Ministry of Defence says. | Fifteen British Navy personnel have been captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces, the Ministry of Defence says. |
| The men were seized at 1030 local time when they boarded a boat in the Gulf, off the coast of Iraq, which they suspected was smuggling cars. | The men were seized at 1030 local time when they boarded a boat in the Gulf, off the coast of Iraq, which they suspected was smuggling cars. |
| The Royal Navy said it was doing everything it could to secure the release of its personnel, who are based on HMS Cornwall. | |
| It added that the men had been carrying out a routine patrol in Iraqi waters. | |
| The Ministry of Defence said: "The group boarding party had completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters. | The Ministry of Defence said: "The group boarding party had completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters. |
| "We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level. | "We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level. |
| "The British government is demanding the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment." | "The British government is demanding the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment." |
| It is understood the men being held are safe and well. | It is understood the men being held are safe and well. |
| Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has summoned the Iranian ambassador in London to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in an attempt to get the men released as quickly as possible. | |
| HMS CORNWALL FACTS Multi-national force flagship in the northern Gulf Type 22 frigateCrew: 250 (Max 301)Length: 148.1m / 485.9ftSpeed: 30 knots Source: Royal Navy class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6484363.stm">Profile of HMS Cornwall | |
| In a statement, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell, also called for their immediate release. | In a statement, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell, also called for their immediate release. |
| "Whatever the rights and wrongs of military action, British forces in Iraq are now there with the authority of a UN security council resolution... and the Iranian government should be left in no doubt of the serious implications of their action," he said. | "Whatever the rights and wrongs of military action, British forces in Iraq are now there with the authority of a UN security council resolution... and the Iranian government should be left in no doubt of the serious implications of their action," he said. |
| The incident comes as British Army Colonel Justin Masherevski, who is based in Iraq, says most of the violence against UK forces in Basra is being engineered by Iranian elements. | |
| Col Masherevski said Iran was providing "sophisticated weaponry" to insurgents and "Iranian agents" were paying local men to attack British troops. | |
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| In 2004, Iran detained eight British servicemen for three days after they allegedly strayed over the maritime border. | In 2004, Iran detained eight British servicemen for three days after they allegedly strayed over the maritime border. |
| The UK claimed the men were "forcibly escorted" into Iranian territorial waters. | The UK claimed the men were "forcibly escorted" into Iranian territorial waters. |
| While they were being held, the men were paraded blindfold and made to apologise on Iranian TV before their release was agreed. | |
| The BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said the difference this time, and a cause of concern, is that the present Iranian government under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was much more hardline. | |
| "The political climate is worse with Britain among those confronting Iran over its controversial nuclear programme," he added. |