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| Whaling pair 'leave Japan ship' | Whaling pair 'leave Japan ship' |
| (4 days later) | |
| Two activists who boarded a Japanese whaling vessel have been handed to an Australian ship after a two-day Antarctic stand-off, officials say. | Two activists who boarded a Japanese whaling vessel have been handed to an Australian ship after a two-day Antarctic stand-off, officials say. |
| The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), which runs the whaling trip, said the men were "transferred safely" to an Australian Customs vessel. | The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), which runs the whaling trip, said the men were "transferred safely" to an Australian Customs vessel. |
| The pair, from the radical Sea Shepherd group, boarded the vessel on Tuesday. | The pair, from the radical Sea Shepherd group, boarded the vessel on Tuesday. |
| The ICR then branded the activists as terrorists, while Sea Shepherd accused the ICR of illegal hunting. | The ICR then branded the activists as terrorists, while Sea Shepherd accused the ICR of illegal hunting. |
| Earlier, Australian PM Kevin Rudd had urged both sides to exercise restraint. | Earlier, Australian PM Kevin Rudd had urged both sides to exercise restraint. |
| ICR chief Minoru Morimoto said the two protesters had intended a "long sojourn" aboard the whaling vessel. | ICR chief Minoru Morimoto said the two protesters had intended a "long sojourn" aboard the whaling vessel. |
| SEA SHEPHERD GROUP Founded 1977 by Paul Watson, one of Greenpeace foundersSelf-proclaimed policing organisation aimed at protecting marine wildlifeCommitted to shutdown of all illegal whaling and sealing operationsMore confrontational than other environmental groupsHas fleet of three ships plus several smaller boats | SEA SHEPHERD GROUP Founded 1977 by Paul Watson, one of Greenpeace foundersSelf-proclaimed policing organisation aimed at protecting marine wildlifeCommitted to shutdown of all illegal whaling and sealing operationsMore confrontational than other environmental groupsHas fleet of three ships plus several smaller boats |
| "It became very clear yesterday that Sea Shepherd had no intention of retrieving their two intruders, who boarded the Yushin Maru with backpacks carrying a change of clothes, toiletries and other sundry items. | "It became very clear yesterday that Sea Shepherd had no intention of retrieving their two intruders, who boarded the Yushin Maru with backpacks carrying a change of clothes, toiletries and other sundry items. |
| "The Australian government accepted Japan's request to assist and remove the men from our research vessel to allow us to continue our work." | "The Australian government accepted Japan's request to assist and remove the men from our research vessel to allow us to continue our work." |
| Sea Shepherd's executive director, Kim McCoy, had earlier pointed out that the Japanese would not be whaling while the activists were on board. | Sea Shepherd's executive director, Kim McCoy, had earlier pointed out that the Japanese would not be whaling while the activists were on board. |
| The stand-off ratcheted up tensions between Sea Shepherd and the whalers, who have clashed in the past. | The stand-off ratcheted up tensions between Sea Shepherd and the whalers, who have clashed in the past. |
| The whalers say the men tried to damage their propeller and threw acid before illegally boarding. | The whalers say the men tried to damage their propeller and threw acid before illegally boarding. |
| They offered to return the two activists - Briton Giles Lane and Australian Benjamin Potts - if Sea Shepherd agreed not to confront the whaling vessel during the handover. | They offered to return the two activists - Briton Giles Lane and Australian Benjamin Potts - if Sea Shepherd agreed not to confront the whaling vessel during the handover. |
| Sea Shepherd responded, saying the men had been roughed up when they boarded the vessel and ruled out any kind of conditional handover. | Sea Shepherd responded, saying the men had been roughed up when they boarded the vessel and ruled out any kind of conditional handover. |
| Whalers and campaigners have indulged in a war of words | Whalers and campaigners have indulged in a war of words |
| As the deadlock continued, Sea Shepherd threatened a commando-style raid if the activists were not returned. | As the deadlock continued, Sea Shepherd threatened a commando-style raid if the activists were not returned. |
| A whaling official, meanwhile, said the activists could be taken to Japan if Sea Shepherd did not co-operate. | A whaling official, meanwhile, said the activists could be taken to Japan if Sea Shepherd did not co-operate. |
| But tensions were defused after the Australian government intervened. | But tensions were defused after the Australian government intervened. |
| The Japanese fleet plans to kill about 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales by mid-April as part of what it describes as a scientific research programme. | The Japanese fleet plans to kill about 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales by mid-April as part of what it describes as a scientific research programme. |
| But other nations and environment groups say the research goals could be achieved using non-lethal methods and call the programme a front for commercial whaling. | But other nations and environment groups say the research goals could be achieved using non-lethal methods and call the programme a front for commercial whaling. |
| TRACKING JAPANESE WHALERS November 2007: Japanese fleet of six whaling ships sets sail 31 December: MV Esperanza carrying Greenpeace campaigners enters Antarctic waters on trail of Japanese fleet. MV Steve Irwin carrying rival Sea Shepherd Conservation Group also heads towards whaling fleet9 January: Australian ship Ocean Viking leaves Perth on whaling surveillance mission12 January: Greenpeace campaigners have first sighting of Japanese fleet15 January: One Briton and one Australian held by Japanese after boarding Yushin Maru No 2 to deliver protest letter17 January: Protesters handed over to Australian Ocean Viking |