Australia permits whaling protest ship to dock

The Australian government said radical conservationists who have been pursuing Japanese whalers in Antarctic waters could refuel their ship in Hobart, Tasmania, despite Japan’s claim that they are tantamount to terrorists.

Acting prime minister Julia Gillard said there was no reason to ban the Sea Shepherd group’s anti-whaling ship, the Steve Irwin, from docking when it arrived next week. Japan said on Tuesday that it planned to ask Australia to bar the ship from its ports.