(New York Times) A North Korean cargo vessel was halted on Monday in the Gulf of Aden by two Spanish warships, and a search revealed Scud missiles hidden beneath sacks of cement, senior administration and Pentagon officials said Tuesday. American military explosives experts were summoned to identify and tally the contraband cargo and to stabilize any explosive warheads or volatile missile fuel, officials said. The ship, which a senior administration official said had been tracked by American intelligence "all the way out" from North Korea, was stopped 600 miles off the Yemeni coast. It was not known whether the ultimate destination was Yemen, where the government has already deployed Scud missiles, some other nation in the region, or a private buyer like a militant group.
2002-12-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive