Anti-Terror Task Force In The Mediterranean

5 Navy ships with 2,800 sailors have suddenly been deployed to the Mediterranean. They will be working in conjunction with other nations, including NATO allies and some countries in northern Africa. Theír mission is apparently to "detect and disrupt international terrorist organizations´ use of the maritime environment". They will "chase terrorists at sea"...

Ships to set sail for Mediterranean terror deployment


Some of the five Navy ships deploying unexpectedly from the East Coast will be spending their deployment in the Mediterranean, according to Navy officials.

The ships and their 2,500 sailors are making the deployment, according to a press release from the Norfolk, Va.-based 2nd Fleet, to “detect [and] disrupt international terrorist organizations’ use of the maritime environment.”

“These ships are coming for identified purposes, not just for a regularly scheduled deployment, and we are eager to put them to work … .”

The ships will be working in conjunction with other nations, including NATO allies and countries in northern Africa

The deployments are being made through the Fleet Response Plan, which last summer deployed dozens of ships, including seven aircraft carrier groups.

FRP is designed to get ships ready for deployment sooner than in the past and keep them ready longer in case they are called to deploy unexpectedly, according to 2nd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald.

Click the link to read the full article...

Btw, in the other link they say there are 2,800 sailors. Mediterranean... to stop weapons transports coming from the Black Sea maybe? Ohoy...

Related links:
Navy Surges Ships To Deny Terrorists Use Of Maritime Environment

Possibly Related ATS Thread:
Tiraspol - Moldova - Mafia in Uniform

[edit on 2006/4/23 by Hellmutt]

Dang, This came out of the blue.

three-month deployment to work with allies to detect, disrupt, and deny international terrorist organizations the use of the maritime environment

Since when do we need 5 navy vessels to disrupt terrorisim on the oceans?


*Rush's off to find out more intel*

[edit on 6-6-2005 by makeitso]

Terrorism at sea is actually pretty big.

It's believed that Al Qaeda has a fleet of Ocean going vessels, and "go fasts" (smaller, faster ships) all for the purpose of command, and control, transporting of operatives, and transporting of goods place to place.

Allthough it's nothing close to "daily suicide boat bombings" there is a high ammount of "suspicious activity" taking place at sea on a near daily basis... allthough most of it takes place in the South Pacific, and more specifically the malacca straights (where 1/3 of all the worlds oil passes through, I believe).

Piracy is also on the rise too... it's not a daily thing but it takes place multiple times on a monthly basis...

If you'ld like to see the reality of modern day piracy, check out the weekly piracy report issued by the ICC (international chamber of commerce.)

www.icc-ccs.org...


I'm glad we're making it more known that we've got our eyes on the sea. I say more known, because we've actually been watching the seas for quite some time now. Talk to any member of the USCG, or USN, and they'll tell you what the deal is.

Much Love for Shellbacks,
Microcosm.

Piracy is being tackled by the mediterranean maritime powers using smaller ships, not the US. Also, the "war on terror" excuse for military deployment never held water. It is probably more related to the growing US/middle-eastern security problem. The Pentagon is probably (legitimately) worried about possible democratic uprisings in their allied dictatorships in the region, why else would they deploy an expeditionary strike group ?




[edit on 6-6-2005 by Moretti]

By my post I didn't mean to imply that the US is responding to the issue of piracy in the mediterranean, allthough it does seem that way. I included the bit about piracy to give an example of the high ammount of "suspicious activity" taking place at sea on a near daily basis. I should have made it more clear.

And by sea I mean world wide, not just in the mediterranean.

Navy Surges Ships To Deny Terrorists Use Of Maritime Environment

USS Saipan (LHA 2) and two other Norfolk Naval Station-based ships deployed May 25, under the Fleet Response Plan (FRP), in support of the global war on terrorism.

Saipan is one of five East Coast ships carrying more than 2,800 Sailors rapidly deploying or “surging” for an approximately three-month deployment to the European and Central Command maritime areas of responsibility.

Hey, I thought USS Saipan was supposed to be in the mediterranean. What is she doing in Oslo, Norway?

Norway Post: US aircraft carrier visits Oslo

7. Juni 2005

The US aircraft carrier "USS Saipan" has arrived in Oslo, one of several foreign naval vessels to mark the centennial celebrations of the peaceful dissolving of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905.

The 250 metre long carrier was escorted up the Oslo fjord by a number of Norwegian naval vessels and police patrol boats.

Click any of the pictures below to see a series of 16 pictures of USS Saipan in Oslo...

Photos: Eirik H. Urke

[edit on 2006/4/23 by Hellmutt]

glad my son's ship has been cruising around haiti and cuba, florida and such for the past month....

or else they could have joined the party!!

amphibias transport ships, my son is on one...well, they carry marines....lots of them....
so, wonder if these five ships are carrying marines also....
that's a heck of alot of men!!!

I noticed, it said that the marines are going....so, why send a transport ship, with nothing to transport???

also, as far as one of the ships being in Oslo, but heading to the Mediterrean........could they have gotten the names confused by any chance???


[edit on 7-6-2005 by dawnstar]