Ship Carrying Scud Missile Cargo to be Released

The ship carrying a cargo of Scud missiles loaded from North Korea, which was stopped and inspected in the Arabian Sea on Monday, will be released, according to Yemen. The missiles are reportedly headed to Yemen, their initial destination. Reports indicate that the U.S. agreed to the ship's release after Yemen protested the inspection, stating that the contract for the missiles with North Korea was made long ago. The ship was stopped and inspected by Spanish boats participating in the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism in the waters off the Horn of Africa. The ship was not flying the flag of any country, but a Cambodian flag was reportedly seen on its deck. Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, defended the inspection that led to the discovery of the missiles, stating it was part of U.S. efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to stop these weapons from falling into the hands of state sponsors of terrorism. Yemeni officials have protested the inspection that led to the discovery of the missiles, claiming that the destination of these missiles, for which the contract was signed some time ago, was the Yemeni army. The U.S. recognizes Yemen as a haven for terrorists but claims that the Yemeni government is part of the war against terrorism. U.S. military advisors are assisting Yemeni officials in searching for members of the al-Qaeda terrorist network. More than a dozen Scud missiles, hidden under other cargo, were discovered during the inspection of the missile-carrying ship by two Spanish naval patrol boats participating in the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism in the waters off the Horn of Africa. U.S. officials state that U.S. intelligence had been tracking this ship for several weeks after it left North Korean waters, and the inspection was conducted with the presence of American experts. President Bush has identified North Korea as part of an axis of evil that could assist terrorists in obtaining weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. is engaged in discussions with the governments of China, Russia, and Japan to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.