Nato ships hunting terror-listed vessel

Nato warships were today searching the eastern Mediterranean for a vessel on an international terrorism watch list.

Greek defence minister Yannos Papantoniou said a multinational force was hunting for a cargo ship believed to have passed through Greek waters after sailing from Romania.

“We are conducting searches in every direction,” Papantoniou said.

“It is important that, in the Aegean Sea and anywhere else, that Greece inspects movements that could be connected with international terrorism,” he said.

He gave no more information about the ship or what it might be carrying.

State-run radio said the ship was named Christy.

Greece is one of some twelve countries taking part in Nato’s Active Endeavour operations to patrol the eastern Mediterranean following the September 11 terrorist attacks.