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N. Korea-Bound Ship With 'Military Cargo' Detained By Panama

Posted by timothy on from the no-crisis-if-the-missiles-are-moving-that-direction dept.

HonorPoncaCityDotCom writes "BBC reports that a North Korean-flagged ship carrying suspected 'sophisticated missile equipment' bound from Cuba to North Korea has been stopped near Manzanillo on the Atlantic side of the canal. President Ricardo Martinelli said the authorities were checking the ship for drugs when they found the suspected weapons in containers of brown sugar. Experts believe the communist state is working towards developing a nuclear warhead small enough to put on a long-range missile. Under UN sanctions, North Korea is banned from weapons exports and the import of all but small arms. The 35-member crew have been detained, including the captain who the Panamanian president said tried to kill himself during the search. Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino said the ship 'aroused suspicion by the violent reaction of the captain and the crew.' Martinelli also published a photograph that appeared to show two large green containers, adding that the arms shipment had been uncovered 'in containers underneath a cargo of sugar.'" Also at the New York Times.

105 comments

  1. Good news and bad news for U.S. govt by TWiTfan · · Score: 0

    The bad news is that the "missile technology" really did turn out to just be sugar.

    The good news is that Edward Snowden was on board!

    --
    The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    1. Re:Good news and bad news for U.S. govt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *crickets*

  2. Blowing up like ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know, North Korea could get a boatload (literally and figuratively) of weapons-grade material if only they'd develop some sort of international superstar like Psy.
     
    Once they have that, they just throw "a concert" and get all their fancy pyrotechnics for the "concert".
     
    It might not fool the americas, but central and south america have a completely different vision of what a party should be ... and would probably encourage that sort of reckless display of pyrotechnics.

    1. Re:Blowing up like ... by gl4ss · · Score: 2, Interesting

      i found it more interesting that somehow panama has a say in if cuba wants to ship "drugs"(what panama defines as drugs) to north korea. since that's what they boarded the ship for, supposedly.

      (imho cuba and north korea should be able to trade whatever the fuck they want.. sure, more countries might embargo cuba for that but still, it's their choice)

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    2. Re:Blowing up like ... by Cwix · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Maybe it was because the ship was going through the Panama Canal.

      --
      You are entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts.
    3. Re:Blowing up like ... by silas_moeckel · · Score: 2

      They can but they can not go through Panamanian waters to do so. It probably would have raised suspicions to go around the cape and thus stay in international waters could have just used a bigger ship that would not fit.

      --
      No sir I dont like it.
    4. Re:Blowing up like ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      i found it more interesting that somehow panama has a say in if cuba wants to ship "drugs"(what panama defines as drugs) to north korea. since that's what they boarded the ship for, supposedly.

      (imho cuba and north korea should be able to trade whatever the fuck they want.. sure, more countries might embargo cuba for that but still, it's their choice)

      My my how naive you are.
      The Panama Canal is for all pratical purposes american territory. There is your answer.

    5. Re:Blowing up like ... by khr · · Score: 1

      You know, North Korea could get a boatload (literally and figuratively) of weapons-grade material if only they'd develop some sort of international superstar like Psy

      Kim Jong-un in sunglasses and a suit singing "Pyongyang Style" or something...

    6. Re:Blowing up like ... by SJHillman · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It's no different than the US having jurisdiction over shipments on US interstates between Mexico and Canada. What, did you think every cargo vehicle passing through got automatic diplomatic immunity?

    7. Re:Blowing up like ... by dreamchaser · · Score: 5, Informative

      The canal has been under the control of the Panamanian government since 1999.

    8. Re:Blowing up like ... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 2

      Borgoise individualist filth. "Pyongyang Style" would involve several tens of thousands of carefully drilled elements of the masses performing some sort of mass-gymnastic routine...

    9. Re:Blowing up like ... by Barefoot+Monkey · · Score: 0

      Panama Canal, Central America: 2,193 Miles South of the REAL America

    10. Re:Blowing up like ... by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 5, Funny

      i found it more interesting that somehow panama has a say

      See, nobody ever reads the ToS for the Panama Canal either.

      Remember, next time you want to ship drugs and guns across the globe, GO AROUND THE HORN.

      Don't be daring and cheap at the same time.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    11. Re:Blowing up like ... by TWiTfan · · Score: 1

      The North Korean Psy would be a full military uniform, and only sing old-fashioned songs from the 50's about how much Dear Leader loves us. Somehow I doubt this would be quite as catchy.

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    12. Re:Blowing up like ... by fustakrakich · · Score: 2

      What was this fact downmodded? Because it sounds anti-American? The US government created Panama out of land it stole from Colombia and is in change of all of Central America. What's the beef in stating that?

      Aside from that, the shippers were pretty dumb to try to take contraband through the canal. Oh well...

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    13. Re:Blowing up like ... by BForrester · · Score: 0

      The canal has been under the control of the Panamanian government since 1999.

      How naive you are. If the sovereign Panamanian government fell out of step with their American backers, you can be sure that a coup would bring things back in line within months. Again.

    14. Re:Blowing up like ... by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      The US government......is in charge of all of Central America.

      Central America would definitely disagree with you there. Seriously, do you really think Bush would have installed Ortega in Nicaragua? That's like a slap in the face to Bush.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    15. Re:Blowing up like ... by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      Ortega is a puppet. If he doesn't do what he is told, he will be removed, kind of like what happened to Noriega and Zelaya from Honduras. I mean, has he accomplished land reform of any kind, or do anything to reduce the power of foreign 'investors'? As far as I'm concerned he's a stooge for the CIA, smuggling contraband and laundering money. As it is, he does serve a purpose, even if only for propaganda to justify US meddling in the region. The US is in complete control..

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    16. Re:Blowing up like ... by phantomfive · · Score: 0

      Some people base their opinions in reality. You've gone off the deep end.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    17. Re:Blowing up like ... by fustakrakich · · Score: 0

      Evidently yours is based on propaganda..

      Eh... can't argue with a evangelical...

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    18. Re:Blowing up like ... by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      Hey! Lucky you, friend! The mods won't let me use 'stand your ground' while I'm being trolled.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    19. Re:Blowing up like ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Flamebait

      Gee, I didn't know the truth hurts so bad... I guess is what happens when shills and freaks get mod points.

    20. Re:Blowing up like ... by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      Don't worry, the down-mods went both ways.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    21. Re:Blowing up like ... by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      What, me worry? I know what it's like to swim upstream... but that's where the eggs are

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    22. Re: Blowing up like ... by PedroDeAlvarado · · Score: 1

      It is not. It reverted to Panamanian sovereingty after the Torrijos-Carter treaty in the seventies.

  3. As it turns out... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Informative

    The sugar was both the cover and the sophisticated missile technology...

    Crafty, crafty.

    1. Re:As it turns out... by slashmydots · · Score: 1

      That reminds me of my 10 pound KNO3 and 7 pound sugar smoke bomb I made. This looks like it could launch a rocket:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMITFo66qWg

    2. Re:As it turns out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah we used that stuff when I was little kid to make rockets. Mix powdered sugar with some nitrate fertilizer. The adults were not too thrilled with our experimenting, so we did it in secret. What fun can be had with some basic chemistry.

    3. Re:As it turns out... by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Given the starvation rates in North Korea, I'm pretty sure the people would have welcomed just the sugar alone.

      --
      SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
    4. Re:As it turns out... by SJHillman · · Score: 1

      You assume the sugar would be going to the general people. Jim Jong-Un was planning on baking lots of cookies. To share with Dennis Rodman on his next visit.

    5. Re:As it turns out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      You assume the sugar would be going to the general people. Jim Jong-Un was planning on baking lots of cookies. To share with Dennis Rodman on his next visit.

      Jim Jong-Un is the greatest baker in the world. Great chefs from around the world come to North Korea to get his cookie making advice. His cookies are so great, flour and sugar come to North Korea on their own just to be in his cookies.

    6. Re:As it turns out... by rwise2112 · · Score: 1

      Jim Jong-Un is the greatest baker in the world. Great chefs from around the world come to North Korea to get his cookie making advice. His cookies are so great, flour and sugar come to North Korea on their own just to be in his cookies.

      This is true, and Kim Jong-Il used to pose looking at those cookies!

      --

      "For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert"
    7. Re:As it turns out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Later tests showed the sugar contents of the two green containers was actually Gatorade power mix. When mixed with water produced an exquisite drink desireable to the fattest leaders in NK.

    8. Re:As it turns out... by tompaulco · · Score: 1

      Kim Jong-Un once one a game of Connect Four...in three moves.
      Pretty sneaky sis.

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
  4. Cuban Missile crisis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Looks like a repeat of the 60s except this time it's North Korea emplacing rockets instead the USSR.

    These may have been the first shipment or Cuba may already have missiles in place.

    Situations like this is why we developed the SR71.

    1. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by alen · · Score: 2

      in the real cuban missile crisis you had russian soldiers manning the missiles that were a few minutes away from washington DC
      here the missile can't even reach washington from NK

    2. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by cavreader · · Score: 4, Informative

      In the Cuban missile crisis Russia was delivering missiles TO Cuba. In this case the missiles were being sent to NK FROM Cuba.

    3. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by volxdragon · · Score: 1

      Um, wrong direction dude....they were going FROM Cuba, not TO Cuba...

    4. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by magic+maverick+ · · Score: 3, Insightful

      In the real Cuban missile crisis you had American soldiers manning missiles that were a few minutes away from Moscow. One country the missiles was in, is called Turkey.

      What's good for the goose (Americans putting missiles just over the border from the USSR) should be good for the gander (Russians putting missiles just over the border from the USA). But nope. More Americunt Exceptionalism.

      --
      HELP MY ACCOUNT HAS BEEN HACKED BY AN ILLIBERAL ART STUDENT SET TO DESTROY THE INTERWEBZ!
    5. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by SJHillman · · Score: 1

      You sound surprised that the US tried to leverage geographic and political advantages during an era of tensions and proxy conflicts that, for the first time in human history, could wipe out civilization and possibly even the species, if it escalated. So yeah, damned right we didn't play fair. Even in hindsight, damned glad we did given that the Soviets built a Doomsday device (Dead Hand).

    6. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by semi-extrinsic · · Score: 3, Informative

      The Dead Hand was not a doomsday device. Modern accounts describe it as semi-automatic, with a group of people who had the final decision. In this respect it was no different than the US putting nuclear weapons on submarines. In fact, it was likely developed in response to the Trident C4/D5 missiles which were accurate enough that the US would be able to effectively cripple Soviet high command with a limited nuclear strike.

      --
      for i in `facebook friends "=bday" 2>/dev/null | cut -d " " -f 3-`; do facebook wallpost $i "Happy birthday!"; done
    7. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by afidel · · Score: 1

      Not really, I doubt Cuba has some magic missile parts factory, these were missiles being laundered from Russia to NK through Cuba. I'm sure China is a bit pissed at the Kremlin at the moment since the last thing they want is NK stirring up political problems while they are trying to keep their economy from going off the deep end.

      --
      There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
    8. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by dcw3 · · Score: 4, Informative

      these were missiles being laundered from Russia to NK through Cuba

      North Korea and Russia share a border. There's no reason for them to attempt what you're suggesting.

      --
      Just another day in Paradise
    9. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That seems like turning left three times to go right, there isn't an easier way to launder military weapons to someone less than a continent's length away from you rather than circumnavigating the globe?

    10. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by gman003 · · Score: 2

      That's just what they want you to think!

    11. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by cheesybagel · · Score: 1

      These "missiles" seem to be air-to-air defense radars and components. For SA-2 Guideline air defense missiles of all things. Not exactly new technology.

    12. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by schnell · · Score: 1

      The Dead Hand, as you describe, was a semi-automatic system to protect against a decapitation first strike by the US. Basically, there was a NORAD-like bunker buried in a mountain with a hotline to the Kremlin, from which their nuclear launches were managed. Normally a nuclear launch would require separate authorizations from the head of state and a senior military commander. But if the line to the Kremlin went dead, and a network of seismic sensors detected events characteristic of nuclear detonations, control would be devolved to the bunker. To work around even a total communications disruption, they could then launch a set of rockets which would cruise over the USSR broadcasting a signal to all the surviving missile silos which they would interpret as a signal to launch.

      If you're interested, read the book. It's fascinating.

      --
      "95% of all Slashdot .sig quotes are incorrect or completely fabricated." -Benjamin Franklin
    13. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by Bensam123 · · Score: 1

      Unless these are cold war missiles no longer owned by Russia or forgot about by Russia, in which case Cuba had control of them. Russia probably isn't crazy enough to give nukes to NK, but Cuba may be. It may not even be functional. NK just needed something to base new designs off of.

    14. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by cavreader · · Score: 1

      Maybe the Cubans were just returning the weapons because they didn't meet their requirements.

    15. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by mjwx · · Score: 1

      these were missiles being laundered from Russia to NK through Cuba

      North Korea and Russia share a border. There's no reason for them to attempt what you're suggesting.

      Welcome to plausible deniability.

      Israeli made weapons based on US designs are sold to Mujahadeen via 3rd parties (I.E. in Jordan, Pakistan). Russia does the same through other deniable parties, so does France (HTF do you think dictators get Exocet missiles). Mostly it's just excess stock and end of life weapons, but a 80's era mortar is still good for blowing up Infidels/Communists/Enemy of your choosing today.

      Every weapons producing nation profits dirty little wars.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    16. Re:Cuban Missile crisis by dcw3 · · Score: 1

      Welcome to plausible deniability.

      You don't need this if they can be driven directly to NK undetected. They could easily be hidden from satellites with other trucks in normal trade. Again, I'd argue that there's no logical reason to do what was suggested.

      --
      Just another day in Paradise
  5. Oblig Simpsons by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    "Must protect the sugar....First you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women."
    -Homer J. Simpson

  6. The Orphan Master's Son - read it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orphan_Master's_Son

  7. Idiots! by puddingebola · · Score: 1

    Idiots! I told them to hide the goods in flour, not sugar. Of course the drug sniffing dogs were attracted to the sugar!

    1. Re:Idiots! by rahvin112 · · Score: 1

      Bah, dog's don't care about sugar. You want to fool the dogs put a container of used kleenex on the boat and the dogs won't be interested in anything else.

  8. uh oh by slashmydots · · Score: 1

    "they found the suspected weapons in containers of brown sugar"
    Oh no! He's building a calorie bomb! That's the only type of bomb Americans could easily just roll with without much damage, lol.

  9. NSA and CIA by arcite · · Score: 2

    Job well done. Back to the shadows....

    1. Re:NSA and CIA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > North Korean-flagged ship

      Oh yeah, it takes some pretty amazing intelligence to figure out that something might just be off.

  10. Those crazy North Koreans! by JestersGrind · · Score: 1

    They have it all backwards. You're supposed to sneak missiles into Cuba, not out!

    1. Re:Those crazy North Koreans! by SJHillman · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, no, no. In Soviet Russia, you sneak missiles into Cuba. In non-Soviet era, Cuba sneaks missiles into you!

      This is starting to sound like a prison joke.

  11. origin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm wondering where the hell the "sophisticated missile equipment" was manufactured, because it sure as shit didn't originate in Cuba.

    1. Re:origin by KapUSMC · · Score: 1

      I'm wondering where the hell the "sophisticated missile equipment" was manufactured, because it sure as shit didn't originate in Cuba.

      Probably something ordered out of a skymall magazine or sharper image catalog.

    2. Re:origin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Probably something ordered out of a skymall magazine or sharper image catalog.

      You owe me a cup of coffee and a keyboard.

      That being said, I wonder if it came with the auto-emptying litterbox module...

  12. What about the clever ships? by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I mean, what about the ships clever enough to *not* take the Panama Canal - and follow the longer path? IOT, how many ships did we miss and How close NK is to having a working nuke?

    --
    Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
    1. Re:What about the clever ships? by Zontar_Thing_From_Ve · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I mean, what about the ships clever enough to *not* take the Panama Canal - and follow the longer path? IOT, how many ships did we miss and How close NK is to having a working nuke?

      I'll speculate here. A Hong Kong based company won a 25 year contract (still in force as far as I know) to mange container operations in the canal, so I'm guessing that the boat and its North Korean masters probably assumed basically China (let's be realistic here - Hong Kong does what China wants) was running the show there and a North Korean boat would be given a nod and a wink in terms of its cargo inspection. It could also be that the boat captain took this on himself to shorten the journey making the assumption that I previously mentioned and this was something he did on his own, so he tried to kill himself when it became clear that his cargo was going to be found. Remember that although Cuba seems to have violated the UN agreement that nothing at all will be done to them in punishment.

    2. Re:What about the clever ships? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I'm guessing that the boat and its North Korean masters probably assumed basically China (let's be realistic here - Hong Kong does what China wants) was running the show there and a North Korean boat would be given a nod and a wink in terms of its cargo inspection.

      And the fact that this didn't happen indicates that China is giving NK's leash a firm tug, I assume?

    3. Re:What about the clever ships? by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You are working from the assumption Panama stumbled across this, rather than spies knowing it ahead of time.

      How to take advantage of knowledge only a spy could know is a grand strategy game. In WWII, the allies had planes "stumble" over German ships they knew about from cracked codes, that they really needed to take out, but didn't wanna show their hand at deep knowledge.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    4. Re:What about the clever ships? by goodmanj · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yep. This isn't the first time customs agents for various countries have "accidentally" stumbled across North Korean contraband. It's a no-brainer to conclude that US intelligence agencies are responsible.

      http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/japan-seizes-suspicious-north-korean-cargo-transit-myanmar/
      http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gQJd8FsHXjzf35GeBg4bV1JrRfHQ?docId=CNG.caf81bda72044be6c361e53dc743c2a8.3e1
      http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8227991.stm

    5. Re:What about the clever ships? by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Informative

      How close NK is to having a working nuke?

      North Korea has and has tested multiple nuclear weapons.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    6. Re:What about the clever ships? by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 1

      How close NK is to having a working nuke?

      North Korea has and has tested multiple nuclear weapons.

      And they got their nuclear technology from Grand Fenwick, none less. Heck, if they buy missile technology from Cuba, maybe Florida should start worrying.

      --
      Of course news about a fake are Fake News.
    7. Re:What about the clever ships? by chill · · Score: 2

      Quote the article:

      In July 2009 a North Korean ship heading to Burma was tracked by the US Navy on suspicion of transporting weapons and subsequently turned around

      Their shipping is being watched regularly.

      --
      Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    8. Re:What about the clever ships? by Bill_the_Engineer · · Score: 1

      ...so he tried to kill himself when it became clear that his cargo was going to be found. Remember that although Cuba seems to have violated the UN agreement that nothing at all will be done to them in punishment.

      I think the ship's master is more concerned about the punishment from the cargo owners than the UN.

      --
      These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
    9. Re:What about the clever ships? by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      That definitely makes a lot of sense.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  13. The Rolling Stones had this to say by dkleinsc · · Score: 3, Funny

    Cuban airplane bound for Kim Jong's land
    Downed in a market-driven US friend
    Scarred old pilot knows he's doing all right
    'til he's caught by capitalists just around midnight.

    Brown sugar! How come you smell so good?
    Brown sugar! Just like a missile should.

    --
    I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
  14. Wait ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Does Cuba actually have sophisticated missile equipment?

    They used to get most of their stuff from the Soviets, and I'm skeptical they have developed anything new recently. Granted, even an ancient Soviet missile could teach them a lot.

    I'm also skeptical they suspected a drug shipment from Cuba ... not a big exporter of drugs Cuba.

    1. Re:Wait ... by SJHillman · · Score: 1

      Cuba may not be an exporter of drugs itself, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a stopover point for drug smugglers due to its location.

      And like you said, they could learn a lot even from a forty year old Soviet missile, so that may well be what's onboard. But it is more likely they got it from somewhere else.

    2. Re:Wait ... by PPH · · Score: 1

      Does Cuba actually have sophisticated missile equipment?

      I would hope the answer is 'No'. Not after that little incident in 1962 anyway. I would hope that the CIA/NSA/Pentagon would make it their business to know exactly what kind of military technology is moving into/out of that country. Or they are not doing their f*king job, in my opinion.

      Screw looking for online porn and tax havens. Keep an eye on the people with the nukes.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    3. Re:Wait ... by NFN_NLN · · Score: 2

      I would hope the answer is 'No'. Not after that little incident in 1962 anyway. I would hope that the CIA/NSA/Pentagon would make it their business to know exactly what kind of military technology is moving into/out of that country. Or they are not doing their f*king job, in my opinion.

      Screw looking for online porn and tax havens. Keep an eye on the people with the nukes.

      Maybe you haven't heard. But the NSA has had their hands full spying on American citizens.

  15. Could be clearer, as per usual by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 0

    BBC reports

    It's the BBC, but that's just me being pedantic.

    ...has been stopped near Manzanillo on the Atlantic side of the canal. President Ricardo Martinelli

    Which country is Manzanillo in? Which canal are we talking about? Which country is Ricardo Martinelli the El Presidente of?

    And no, it isn't bleedin' obvious, nor should it matter even if it is. The point of "journalism" - loosely applied to Slashdot though it is - is to inform the reader, not have them play fill-in-the-blanks.

    Experts believe the communist state is working towards developing a nuclear warhead

    Which of the two communist states previously mentioned is now being referred to? If you can make it clearer without wasting the reader's time, always do so.

    Go on, let me be an editor, just for a day!

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    1. Re:Could be clearer, as per usual by jbeaupre · · Score: 2

      N. Korea-Bound Ship With 'Military Cargo' Detained By Panama

      Yes, it is bleedin' obvious.

      --
      The world is made by those who show up for the job.
    2. Re:Could be clearer, as per usual by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      This has to be the first case where someone read the summary but skipped the title before posting. Usually it's "read the title, post, argue, insult, check summary to see if the other guy had a point, curse Slashdot for not giving you an edit function to change your old posts."

    3. Re:Could be clearer, as per usual by SJHillman · · Score: 1

      You're kind of a moron, aren't you? Not even tenth grade English teachers are this nitpicky.

      The country and canal is obvious from the headline.
      Which communist state is obvious from the context. And any other related news article you may have read in the last five or ten years.

      It's the summary of an article, not an encyclopedia entry.

    4. Re:Could be clearer, as per usual by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      Soon even Panama's expanding canal for "Superpanamax" ships won't be the only one. China is building an even bigger one next door for even larger ships.

      Meanwhile environmentalists in the US fight deepening harbors for even just the Superpanamax ships. The center of empire has shifted. It's all over. China has learned the lesson of history -- keep the trade routes open.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    5. Re:Could be clearer, as per usual by Ozymandias_KoK · · Score: 1

      You shouldn't be pedantic if you didn't bother to read the headline (nearly identical in TFS and TFA, but they both mention Panama). Since this is Slashdot, you can't be blamed for not reading TFA (the Beeb one), which does attribute the claim to "Panama's president" in literally the first 2 words.

  16. who dun it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who gave them to Cuba? Wouldn't it be great if this was a repeat of "fast and furious" except with nuclear weapons

  17. That's what happens to cheapasses, Kim by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

    Should've sent the boat the long way around.

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  18. Amateurs. by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 1

    Everyone knows you use potatoes. Nobody wants to root around in a container full of mouldy potatoes.

    Lord of War

    --
    Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    1. Re:Amateurs. by mjwx · · Score: 1

      Everyone knows you use potatoes. Nobody wants to root around in a container full of mouldy potatoes.

      Lord of War

      And I'm yet to see an inspector open a crate marked "nuclear waste".

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  19. What is that thing? by goodmanj · · Score: 1

    Wisecracks aside, has anyone seen any discussion about what the thing they confiscated is? We've got a photo, and it's pretty distinctive, I'm sure some military technology expert recognizes it...

    1. Re:What is that thing? by Lincolnshire+Poacher · · Score: 3, Informative

      Wisecracks aside, has anyone seen any discussion about what the thing they confiscated is?

      It's part of the supporting structure of a Fan Song fire-control radar. Of which NK has lots already.

  20. geography fail? by dAzED1 · · Score: 1
    Umm...China and North Korea share a land boarder, and the capital of each is about 500 miles apart by land.

    What the fark would that have to do with the Panama canal, several thousand miles away?

    1. Re:geography fail? by dAzED1 · · Score: 1

      border, even. spelling fail to go with the geography fail. ;)

    2. Re:geography fail? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Umm...China and North Korea share a land boarder, and the capital of each is about 500 miles apart by land.

      What the fark would that have to do with the Panama canal, several thousand miles away?

      Two possible reasons.

      First, because China may not have been willing to sell directly to NK so as to not exacerbate the political situation or reward NK for bad behavior. So the NK could have bought second hand from Cuba (which is desperate for cash).

      Secondly, and most likely, because most of these bad-boy countries do weapons development as incremental aftermarket upgrades of soviet-based technology and then swap/trade the advances with each other. So while these look outwardly like the stock Soviet/Chinese model, they may be retro-fitted with something new to NK. You have to remember that almost all of Chinese and NK weapons technology are upgrades to soviet-era export models. The entire NK missile program is based on incremental additions and upgrades to the basic 1950’s soviet short-range SCUD, some developed locally and some traded with other countries. So even if something looks like Chinese radar, it could be retrofitted with upgrades.

      This is the basis of the much derided but real “Axis of Evil”. There is a well known and documented history of NK, Syria, Pakistan, Kaddafi-era Libya, Saddam-era Iraq, Burma, and Iran swapping and trading incremental upgrades of technology including missiles, enrichment centrifuges, poison gas, radar, and everything else weapons related. Even countries that hated each other (Iran & Iraq) would eventually receive each other’s tech through the diffusion of 3rd parties inside the axis of evil”.

  21. Gold Cup win by Pharoah_69 · · Score: 0

    Good thing the USA beat Cuba 3 days ago in the FIFA Gold Cup, 4-1. USA wins again.

  22. Not cookies... by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Jim Jong-Un was planning on baking lots of cookies.

    Pretty sure it was meant for a 40-ft high fondant statue of Jim Jong-Un.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  23. no, NOT green?!?!?! by AndyKron · · Score: 1

    Two green containers? This means WAR!!!

  24. nice NK doesn't get those by iggymanz · · Score: 1

    but who patrols and keeps the homicidal whackjobs in washington d.c., who maim, murder and destroy for power and wealth, from having such things?

  25. This IS actually missile equipment - part of radar by irregular_hero · · Score: 1

    This is a waveguide for a SNR-75 "Fan Song" fire-control radar for the Russian SA-2 (NATO) missile system. You can learn about it here (an SNR-75 set abandoned in Czechoslovakia): http://forum.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/t/74858

    And you can see the waveguide cone pictured in the AP stories and twitter here:
    http://forum.valka.cz/attachments/1945/RSN-75M3_Fan_Song_E_1.jpg

    And unless I miss my guess, this is the first _direct_ seizure we've seen of ACTUAL missile hardware on a North Korean ship.

  26. Re:Propaganda by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm much further away from this nonsense than ten feet but yes I agree (and god damn thank you for posting, have you seen all the idiotic comments? Djeezus I hope they're bots) however according to Cuba it is obsolete military equipment being sent to North Korea for repairs, which makes the story stink even more!

    Everybody has lost their sense of smell by this time anyway so it doesn't matter but it is very cute to try to pull this. I actually can't decide who's trying the hardest to be the most cute in this story, the overly shy US or the dunderhead bimbo Cuba or the clumsy eager beaver North Korea.

    Because at this point in time I would rather believe that the US got Cuba and North Korea to cooperate (for future benefits of course) in order to make the US look a little better in the various international and national propaganda companies. Perhaps also luck out and make people like me remember the Cold War and give them some slack for being a global totalitarian surveillance system, the very thing and concept some of us were willing to die fighting back then.

    So the US asks Cuba to gather some military junk and North Korea to sacrifice whatever shipping vessel they have inbound for Cuba. 1 + 1 = 2 and sent off to the Panama canal. The US then tips off Panama just as if it was real. Panama innocently boards the ship looking for that suspected breach of a UN resolution and everyone is happy :D

    Minus points for the North Korean crew overacting though, no Hollywood trinkets for them but they don't need worry too much because everyone takes it for granted they're all insane and nobody influential will ever doubt or care about any parts of this whole "event" and even if they did they bloody well wouldn't tell anyone.

    Fuck I don't even care much myself, I'll just sit here and watch the "elites'" muted panic attacks and desperately contrived schemes that will continue to increase with their dawning realization of just exactly what kind of eternal living hell they've set themselves up for. Because they sure aren't ever going to be able to escape their own attacks and nobody and nothing can save them or would even try if they could, hell not even if they kill themselves right now which wouldn't be nothing but the tiniest unconscious delay in what is unavoidably coming their way.