We take what we want

The captain and first officer of a Russian-flagged oil tanker have been taken out of UK territory by US Coast Guards.

The US Department of Justice told Scottish authorities on Tuesday morning that the skipper, Avtandil Kalandadze, and his unnamed colleague were on board the US Coast Guard vessel Munro.

It is understood US military aircraft landed at small civilian airports in Wick, Caithness, and Benbecula in the Western Isles during the operation on 7 January.

At the time the MoD confirmed that the Royal Navy tanker RFA Tideforce and RAF surveillance aircraft were supporting American personnel and that "deterring, disrupting and degrading" Russia's "shadow fleet" was a priority.

[...]

Scotland's Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the episode had shown a lack of respect for "Scottish jurisdiction and Scots law".

On Monday, the Court of Session in Edinburgh imposed an order banning the UK and Scottish authorities from removing the crew from Scottish jurisdiction, at the request of the captain's wife Natia Dzadzamia.

  BBC

We don't care. We snatch whoever we want wherever we want.

Constance said she had "deep concerns and frustrations" over a "lack of communication" surrounding the incident.

She said the Scottish government had "not been furnished with full information" and had to rely on updates from its UK colleagues.

She added that no notice had been given that the US was going to sail the vessel into Scottish waters.

Constance said: "We have a number of questions, we have a number of concerns and deep frustrations about how this matter has evolved, because it is a matter of significant public interest and confidence.

[...]

[Solicitor General Ruth] Charteris told the court that the US authorities had approached the Crown Office for mutual legal assistance - the process which normally kick-starts extradition proceedings - on 16 January.

But she added that request was subsequently withdrawn by the Americans on Monday.

[...]

The 26 remaining crew members of the ship - said to be from Russia, India, Georgia and Ukraine - have asked to leave the UK on a voluntary basis.

The men had been held by immigration officials at a hotel in Moray.

Arrangements are now being made to fly five of them from Scotland to the US and the remainder to their home countries.

[...]

After the hearing, solicitor Aamer Anwar, representing the captain's wife, said the events raised "serious constitutional and legal concerns".

The Glasgow-based human rights lawyer added: "Our client's judicial review can no longer be enforced now her husband has in essence been abducted by the US government on Scottish and British territory.

[...]

Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer accused the US government of committing "piracy on sea and gangsterism on land".

He said: "If the US government has essentially just kidnapped two people without even telling our government about it, that raises serious concerns over whether US troops should even be allowed on Scottish soil at all."

[...]

The US authorities have accused the vessel of breaching sanctions by carrying oil for Venezuela, Russia and Iran.

Which warrants a kidnapping.

The UK government backed the operation to seize the tanker, saying it was lawful action against a vessel involved in breaking sanctions.

See?